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City workshop previews FY 2025–26 budget as taxable values dip
Summary
At a June 16 Belleair Beach budget workshop, staff presented the first draft of the FY 2025–26 budget noting a projected -0.58% change in taxable value, a steady millage of 2.0394 mills, and capital priorities including beach nourishment, bridge repairs and roof replacement at the community center.
The Belleair Beach council met in a budget workshop Monday to review the first draft of the FY 2025–26 budget and to set priorities ahead of the first public hearing.
Chair (Speaker 5) opened the June 16 meeting and turned the presentation over to city staff. Presenter (Speaker 4) said the draft will be reviewed page by page and returned to the council for a July 21 hearing. "This is our 25/26 budget," the presenter said, and noted the city’s millage rate remains at 2.0394 mills "—we've been at that rate since 2012." He said the taxable-value estimate received June 1 projects a -0.58% change for the year, a decline from prior increases.
Why it matters: a decline in taxable value can reduce property-tax revenue and squeeze the general fund, complicating plans to fund capital projects. Presenter (Speaker 4) walked members through four main funds: general, capital projects, marina and stormwater, and showed revenue pages for general-fund receipts.
Staff highlighted several capital priorities in the draft. Presenter (Speaker 4) noted a pending beach-nourishment project with an August preconstruction public meeting and said the city expects this to change parking- and permit-related revenues in years the project runs. He also listed an upcoming bridge-repair project on 22nd Street and a community-center roof replacement and HVAC work planned from the capital projects fund.
Sanitation and equipment costs were flagged as pressure points. The presenter said the sanitation contractor notified the city of a CPI adjustment and that the city’s calculated total sanitation cost for the year is roughly $430,543. He also flagged rising maintenance on a tractor purchased in 2019; maintenance costs have jumped in recent years and staff proposed considering rental options for some heavy equipment.
Council members asked staff to provide clearer, line-by-line changes once the workshop input is incorporated. Chair (Speaker 5) asked that staff circulate a marked-up version showing edits. Presenter (Speaker 4) said he would return the strategic plan and an updated budget at the next workshop and that staff will solicit firm quotes where needed.
Next steps: staff will incorporate council feedback, gather hard quotes for selected projects and return a revised draft for the July 21 hearing. No formal vote was taken at the workshop.
