Plantation council sets preliminary maximum millage for FY 2026; debate over rollback rate continues

The City of Plantation City Council on July 23 adopted preliminary maximum millage rates for fiscal year 2026, approving a general ad valorem millage of 5.800 mills and district rates of 1.7108 mills for the Gateway Development District and 0.9707 mills for the Midtown Development District. Council members also set dates for the required public budget hearings in September.

Finance Director Anna Antiano told the council the proposed all‑funds budget is about $282,000,000 and that the 5.800 mills general rate, combined with Broward County property appraiser valuations, would generate roughly $82.3 million in ad valorem revenue at an assumed 96% collection rate. “Tonight is a maximum millage which means we are voting to tell Broward County the maximum rate that you will charge in fiscal year 26,” Antiano said. She noted the Council may reduce the millage at the September public hearings.

The council heard repeated requests from residents and at least two council members to lower the preliminary rate. “I would like to propose that the millage gets reduced to 5.7,” Councilmember Fadgen said during discussion, asking staff to return numbers showing the revenue impact of a 5.700 rate. Several speakers during public comment urged a rollback to provide relief to fixed‑income homeowners and other residents. Dennis Conklin urged the council to adopt the lower rollback rate, saying the city’s reserves have grown substantially in recent years. “If you don’t do something tonight about that 5.8, that’s where it’s gonna end up,” Conklin said.

Other residents expressed the opposite concern. “I’m supporting the millage because I would not want to see that protection to our public reduced,” Carl Buehler said, urging the council to preserve funding for public safety. Councilmember Badgett opened the council’s discussion by thanking staff and asking for updates on capital projects, including the auditorium repair; staff said the auditorium work is currently out to bid and that construction and procurement steps likely place completion in an estimated 15 to 18 months.

Antiano walked council through the largest revenue and expenditure drivers in the proposed budget. She said ad valorem revenues make up about 54.2% of general fund revenues and that overall city revenues are projected to rise about 0.3% ($969,000) from the previous fiscal year amended budget. Notable changes in the proposed budget include: special district funds (up 22.2% or about $1.9 million), capital project funds for certain non‑ad valorem bonds (a stated increase of roughly $437,000–$477,000 after correcting a slide error), utility enterprise funds (up 1.8% or about $1.5 million), and a 21.1% increase for the Plantation Preserve golf course fund (about $1.2 million) largely tied to capital projects.

On the expenditure side, personnel remains the largest category at about $108 million (a roughly 4% increase, driven by requests for six new full‑time general fund positions, across‑the‑board salary adjustments and estimated increases for public safety labor contracts). Antiano highlighted efforts to control health care cost growth through the city’s self‑insured plan and an on‑site employee health center, noting estimated cumulative savings since 2011.

Major capital and operating items discussed included body‑worn cameras and tasers and replacement vehicles for the police department, equipment and a CAD and alerting upgrades for fire/rescue, a new ERP system and IT upgrades, and parks improvements including pump room and pier improvements, four turf fields, playground shade and surfacing and sports court resurfacing. Antiano said approximately $11.8 million was proposed in the capital outlay category but that department requests exceeded available funding, so many capital needs remain unfunded and will require grants or use of fund balance. She said the administration is pursuing about $25 million in projects currently “in play” that would need grant awards plus approximately $19.5 million of fund balance for matching and completion.

Council proceeded item by item. The motions and roll‑call outcomes recorded in the meeting were: the preliminary general millage of 5.800 mills passed 4–1 (Councilmember Padgett opposed), the Gateway Development District rate of 1.7108 mills passed 4–1 (Councilmember Fadgen opposed), and the Midtown Development District rate of 0.9707 mills passed 4–1 (Councilmember Badgien/Badgett opposed). (See the actions array below for the full vote records as read at the meeting.)

Antiano also confirmed administrative recommendations and timing: the city will submit the adopted preliminary millage rates to the Broward County Property Appraiser by the August 4 deadline, hold the first public budget hearing on Sept. 10 at 5:01 p.m. in Council Chambers to adopt tentative millage rates and tentative budgets, a separate hearing for stormwater non‑ad valorem assessments on Sept. 12, and the final public hearing to adopt final millage rates and budgets on Sept. 17 at 5:01 p.m.

The meeting record shows council and public concern focused on balancing taxpayer relief with maintaining reserves and funding for public safety and capital needs. Council requested that staff return with the specific revenue impacts of a 5.700 mill general rate for the next hearing and preserved the option to reduce the rate at the September public hearings.