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Okeechobee County staff propose $169.3 million FY26 budget, recommend 7.9 millage
Summary
County staff presented a proposed $169.3 million fiscal 2026 budget that assumes a 7.9 millage rate, a 13.3% rise in taxable value, higher special assessments for solid waste and emergency services, and a reserve well above minimum policy. Commissioners will set the proposed millage July 24 and hold public hearings in September.
County staff presented the Board of County Commissioners with a proposed $169,301,587 fiscal year 2026 budget at a budget workshop, laying out revenue assumptions, reserve targets and several special assessments that would increase residents’ bills if the board adopts the plan.
Finance staff told the board the county’s certified just (taxable) value for FY26 is $4,510,000,000, up about $531 million or roughly 13.33% from the current year. ‘‘Our certified taxable value for this fiscal year is just under 4,000,000,000. The taxable value for fiscal year 26 is 4,510,000,000,’’ Finance Director Deb said during the presentation.
The proposed budget assumes a 7.9 millage rate that would produce Avaloram property tax revenue of $35,700,000 at 100% collection; state law requires the county plan on a 95% collection rate, Deb said, reducing that line to $33,900,000. Staff also highlighted the rollback rate — the rate that would generate essentially the same ad valorem revenue as the current year — at 7.3847 mills.
The general fund proposal is balanced with a projected revenue total of about $84.2 million and would leave the county with a general fund reserve of 35.54% (roughly four months of operations). Deb said the county’s administrative reserve requirement under policy is 25% (three months).
Staff presented several non-avaloram assessment changes that would appear on tax bills if approved: a proposed 4% increase in the residential solid-waste curbside assessment to $392.52 per unit (up from $377.04), a proposed fire-rescue residential unit assessment of $143.34 (a 6.1% increase), and an EMS assessment of $179.11 (a 7.3% increase). Deb said the CPI method used to calculate the solid-waste adjustment is specified in the county’s contract for that service.
Staff flagged several new cost drivers for FY26, including the effective date of a state rent-tax change (Oct. 1, 2025), a state repeal of motor-fuel taxes on certain aviation fuels (effective Jan. 1, 2026), and an anticipated increase in employer contribution rates to the Florida Retirement System. Personnel assumptions in the draft include a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and up to 2% merit increases for general employees.
The calendar the county will follow: staff will incorporate any board direction this week; the board will set the proposed millage rate at its July 24 meeting; and tentative public hearings are scheduled for Sept. 11 and Sept. 25 (final adoption). Deb warned that hearings must be scheduled after 5 p.m. and cannot conflict with school-district dates.
The draft presentation included fund-by-fund changes (transportation trust declines because some FAA/FDOT awards are not yet in; capital improvement spending declines mainly because major projects completed in FY25), and a list of department capital requests. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the collection assumptions, the CPI used for solid-waste fees and the timing for adopting the millage.
What’s next: staff will revise the draft based on board direction this week and bring a millage-setting item to the July 24 meeting; public hearings on the proposed millage and special assessments follow in September.
