Volusia County Council adopts $1.419 billion budget, approves millage rates after heated debate on CRAs and constitutional budgets

The Volusia County Council voted 7–0 on Sept. 16 to adopt the fiscal year 2025–26 operating budget of $1,419,238,478 and a set of millage rates that together raise the county’s aggregate levy 2.83% above rollback. The council also approved non‑operating budget items totaling $331,458,198.

The action followed a staff presentation and a statutorily required second TRIM hearing. Ryan Osofsky, the county chief financial officer, told the council the proposed general‑fund operating millage of 3.2007 mills is 5.06% above the rollback rate of 3.0464 mills; he detailed an expected $5.3 million reduction in state revenue sharing, $1.8 million lower constitutional‑office excess fees and the use of roughly $19.7 million in prior‑year reserves and $10.9 million in one‑time transfers to balance the budget.

“Part of why we’re able to reduce the transfer on EMS this year is because of our implementation of the PEMT program,” Osofsky said while describing a package of state supplemental payment programs the county uses to leverage federal matching dollars.

Why it mattered: Council members and public speakers framed the vote as a trade‑off between maintaining county services and offering taxpayer relief. Dozens of residents urged the council to lower the proposed rates or use reserves; others defended programs supported by targeted millages, including Volusia Forever and Echo land‑conservation programs.

Key debate: Council members spent extensive time after the staff presentation pressing staff and each other about three themes: greater transparency in TRIM notices that show how constitutional officers’ budgets affect the county tax bill; whether county‑funded Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) use tax increment funds appropriately; and changes to employee health coverage and bonuses that county members say increase the county’s fiscal load.

Councilman David Santiago asked staff to explore whether the council has legal options to review or dissolve CRAs that do not follow their enabling ordinances. “I asked staff to look into the possibilities of what authority the county may have with CRAs that may be in violation of their terms,” he told colleagues, adding later that the council should consider audits of specific CRAs.

Several residents who testified during the budget hearing focused on stormwater and flooding, including calls for the county to seek revocation of a 2017 water‑management permit that residents say changed flows into Miller Lake and local retention ponds.

What passed: In addition to the general fund millage, the council approved a law enforcement fund millage of 1.5994 mills (above rollback) and set Volusia Forever and Echo at 0.2 mills each; the library and fire rescue district remained at rollback in the ordinances read into record. The millage motions and the budget were adopted in two Council votes and carried unanimously.

Next steps: Councilmembers asked county staff for a plain‑language notice to send to taxpayers explaining the year‑over‑year changes and which constitutional officers’ budgets contributed to them. Staff said it will draft a transparency notice and return with cost and distribution options for council review.

All recorded votes referenced in this article are reflected in the public minutes and the meeting transcript.