VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Vero Beach City Council on a special-call meeting vote approved ordinances to correct an understatement in the citys reported ad valorem taxes and to confirm the citys fiscal 2025-26 budget, keeping the millage rate unchanged.

City staff told the council the Department of Revenue notified the city on Nov. 4 that reported ad valorem taxes were understated by $174,112, about 1.25 percent. "This hearing is required to correct that understatement," staff said.

Council members voted to adopt the ordinance levying a general ad valorem tax at 2.9816 mills for fiscal year 2025-26 (2.9816 per $1,000 of assessed value). Staff noted that rate is 14.96 percent greater than the rolled-back rate of 2.5935 mills. The ordinance passed on a 5-0 roll call.

The council also read and approved the annual budget ordinance for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 30, 2026, which appropriates funds for operations, supplies, personnel and carryforwards, and provides processes for amending the budget for grants and outstanding purchase orders. Staff stated the general fund budget figure would not change as a result of this correction; the general fund budget as stated in the meeting was $35,946,860, and the total tax levy remained $14,661,275.

Staff gave specific arithmetic impacts: the 95% ad valorem tax figure increased from $13,754,099 to $13,928,211, and the unappropriated surplus in the budget rose from $112,037 to $286,001.48, reflecting the understated amount.

A council member asked what changes the city would implement to reduce the chance of similar errors. City staff said, "We are in the process of hiring additional staff in the finance department that will have an opportunity to have another set of eyes to look over these" before publications are issued, and explained the error occurred when a number tied to a transfer to the economic development TIF account was pulled from the wrong line.

The meeting record shows required notices were published and affidavits were filed. Both ordinances were approved on recorded 5-0 votes; the meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.

(At the meeting, council identified those present during roll call as Mister Voss, Missus Moore, Mr. Carroll (appearing remotely with approval), Vice Mayor Dingle and Mayor Cucino.)

Next steps: the ordinances will stand as adopted; staff indicated additional finance hiring and internal review processes are underway to reduce the risk of similar reporting errors in future budget publications.