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Alachua County manager outlines FY26 tentative budget: lower millage, 4% COLA and $18.50 minimum wage proposed
Summary
County Manager Michelle Lieberman presented the fiscal year 2026 tentative budget June 24, proposing a ninth consecutive millage decrease, a 4% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, and an increase in the county minimum wage to $18.50.
Alachua County Manager Michelle Lieberman presented the fiscal year 2026 tentative budget to the Board of County Commissioners June 24, calling it a “balanced budget” that continues multi-year trends of lowering the property tax millage while maintaining core services.
Key numbers: Lieberman recommended a general fund millage of 7.6 mills and reported $180,773,649 in property-tax revenue for the general fund and total general fund revenues of $319,481,440. The budget continues large investments in public safety and transportation: approximately $143 million for law enforcement, $96 million for fire rescue and $104 million for road and bridge work across the county.
Employee compensation: The manager recommended a 4% across-the-board cost-of-living adjustment for county employees and a raise in the county's minimum wage from $18.00 to $18.50 per hour. Funding was also set aside to cover bargaining unit negotiations and to include constitutional and judicial offices.
Housing and capital projects: The tentative budget keeps the board's commitment to housing initiatives and long-term capital investments including the judicial complex, renovation of motel properties into permanent supportive housing, and the new fire-rescue headquarters and emergency operations center.
Fiscal context: Lieberman told the board the budget assumes a 6.85% increase in taxable values for the general fund and a 5.48% increase in the municipal service taxing unit for law enforcement, based on certified estimates as of June 1. She cautioned about state-level and federal uncertainties—possible changes to FEMA disaster funding rules and a proposed state tax change—that could affect infrastructure surtax receipts and sales-tax revenues.
Actions taken at the meeting: The board voted to adopt FY25 budget amendments and approve line-item adjustments the clerk had identified in the audit of the FY25 budget. Those amendments were approved by roll-call voice vote; the FY26 budget was transmitted as the tentative budget for further hearings and final adoption later in the summer.
Why it matters: The recommended spending prioritizes public safety and transportation while also seeking to preserve staff recruitment and retention through wage increases. The board must hold a formal millage adoption hearing and final budget vote at a later scheduled meeting.
Next steps: The board will hold further budget hearings, with a tentative millage adoption scheduled for July 8, 2025; staff said certified property values due July 1 will be used to finalize numbers and any required adjustments.
