Mayor says Hollywood enters 2026 on ‘strong financial foundation,’ cites $900M budget and tax-rate cuts

Mayor (unnamed) delivered the State of the City address Wednesday, saying Hollywood "enters 2026 on solid footing with a strong financial foundation." He told residents the fiscal year 2026 adopted budget "has reached over $900,000,000, net of transfers," roughly $100 million higher than the previous year.

The mayor framed the figures as enabling continued investment without dipping into reserves or relying on one-time revenues. "These investments support implementation of the stormwater master plan, enhanced public safety, improved city services, workforce investment, upgraded technology, and the maintenance and preservation of our very important infrastructure," he said.

On taxable value and taxes, the mayor said Hollywood’s certified taxable value has reached a record $27,400,000,000, about double the level from 10 years ago. He also said the city commission reduced the operating property tax rate to "the lowest level since 2011," noting incremental reductions over the past two years.

The address tied the financial position to the city’s ability to pursue multi-year projects, from infrastructure to housing programs, while aiming to preserve long-term structural balance. The mayor emphasized fiscal discipline as a way to plan for downturns and protect services for homeowners, small businesses and families.

The mayor closed the financial portion by stressing the link between budgets and visible projects on the ground, saying the city is “investing with discipline, and we are planning not for headlines, but for long term stability and sustainability.”