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Manatee County adopts FY 2026 budget, reduces millage slightly
Summary
The Board adopted a $1.368 billion net FY2026 budget and set the final millage, directing funds to the capital improvement plan and confirming a package of budget motions required under TRIM.
The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget and related millage rates on Oct. 7, approving a $1.368 billion net county budget that funds operations and a $2.27 billion capital improvement plan (CIP) for 2026–2030.
The board approved the final aggregate millage at 6.5033 mills, a reduction from the rollback rate; commissioners recorded the millage change as a negative change versus the rollback. The board also adopted the five-year CIP, directed staff on debt and enterprise financing, and completed the TRIM-required motions to finalize the county budget.
The county’s FY2026 package emphasizes pay-as-you-go funding where possible: staff said roughly 84.9% of the CIP is funded with current revenues and grants, leaving 15.1% financed. By contrast, utility and other enterprise items rely more heavily on financing; staff said enterprise spending awaiting financing totals tens of millions of dollars, driven by growth-related wastewater and water projects. The county also budgeted targeted additions, including a $2 million allocation for major road and bridge rehabilitation in Public Works, and continued investment in stormwater.
Commissioners debated reserve levels and the distribution of restricted versus unrestricted funds during the hearing. Chief Financial Officer Sheila McLean told the board unrestricted reserves total about $121.0 million while restricted, dedicated balances total roughly $871.0 million. The board emphasized the policy directive adopted in 2025 to use some reserve capacity to tackle high-priority infrastructure needs while preserving liquidity for rating agencies.
Votes at the hearing followed the sequence required by Florida law. The motions to adopt the final millage and to adopt the budget and supporting resolutions passed with the majorities recorded on the docket; a subset of budget motions carried with Commissioner Bob McCann voting in opposition on the several final motions. County staff published the required notices and will file the adopted rates and budget with the Clerk as required.
The board’s adoption completes the TRIM process this year and sets the county’s operating and capital priorities for the coming fiscal year. The county administrator and finance staff said implementation will now move into the normal purchase-order and project-execution phase and that staff will return if major adjustments are needed later in the year.
