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City manager presents $372 million tentative FY27 budget, emphasizes utility capital investments
Summary
City Manager Stavros presented a tentative FY27 budget of $371.8 million, saying most of the year‑over‑year increase is one‑time capital spending—especially water and wastewater projects—while proposing a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment for non‑bargaining staff and holding the millage at 6.59 mills.
City Manager Stavros presented the Winter Haven City Commission with a tentative fiscal‑year 2027 budget of $371,845,646, which he characterized as “very conservative” on recurring spending but heavily weighted toward one‑time capital investments in utilities.
Stavros said the increase versus FY26—about $120 million—“is tied directly to one‑time capital investments,” including upgrades to water and wastewater plants. He said the budget is balanced at the current millage of 6.5900 mills and that the rollback rate is roughly 6.55 mills.
Why it matters: The budget lays out a multiyear program of capital work the city says will serve residents for decades, but the emphasis on nonrecurring capital requires careful choices about recurring personnel and operating costs. Stavros pointed to projected ad valorem revenues and other funding sources as constraints on what the commission can approve for recurring expenses.
Key details: Stavros told the commission the total taxable property value in Winter Haven is about $5.61 billion and that gross property values rose roughly 4.97% year over year. He projected ad valorem revenue in the mid‑$32–33 million range. The general fund is shown at about $85.5 million and the overall budget is presented as roughly $372 million with approximately $177.5 million dedicated to capital investments.
On personnel and compensation, Stavros recommended a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment for non‑collective bargaining employees while maintaining an existing step program for merit increases; negotiations with police and fire unions were ongoing. “This is one of those years where coming out of our retreat, you all made it abundantly clear that you were very interested in taking care of our employees,” Stavros said. He added the budget supports 776 budgeted positions and recommends six new positions next year, with one half‑year hire contingent on the outcome of potential property‑tax reform.
Reserves and one‑time allocations: The city forecasts an unassigned general‑fund balance of about 33% at fiscal‑year end and a fund balance of roughly $2.5 million. Stavros proposed moving roughly $1.1 million of the excess to the Sertoma Park project and holding the remainder until post‑election and audit results are available.
Selected capital items highlighted in the presentation include a $10.5 million downtown parking garage, one‑time utility capital of roughly $110 million, $1 million for pickleball courts, $500,000 for roof/HVAC work at cultural facilities, and $720,000 to replace a fire engine damaged in an accident.
Next steps: Stavros recommended the commission set the tentative millage rate at the current 6.59 mills at a Monday meeting and certified required budget notices by August 4. The commission will consider the tentative millage and set dates for public hearings on the budget.
Stavros said the full tentative budget is posted on the city’s OpenGov platform and encouraged residents to review the detailed cost‑center information online.
