Commissioners coalesce around 7.5-mill tentative target in budget workshop

Okeechobee County commissioners discussed tentative millage-rate options in a budget workshop and several members recommended a compromise of 7.5 mills for the 2026-27 budget.

Administrator Jessica presented millage scenarios based on an updated taxable value and reminded the board it must set a tentative rate at the July 23 meeting. One commissioner framed the choice as balancing reserve cushions and taxpayer relief: “7.5 would be the number that I'd like to see,” said the commissioner who advocated the compromise. The chair cautioned that a chosen millage does not automatically raise a homeowner's tax bill unless the property's assessed value increases: “If you stay with a 7.8...your taxes don't go up on your home unless your assessment went up,” the chair said.

Debate centered on several values advanced in the workshop: one scenario (7.4691) would leave roughly $500,000 above the board's estimated needs; other scenarios left larger or smaller reserve buffers. Commissioners exchanged competing priorities: some urged a lower millage to give taxpayers relief, while others warned that lowering the millage too far had previously forced service cuts the following year.

Staff told commissioners the final decision should wait for an imminent audit and updated revenue figures (including small-county surtax receipts), which could change the available cash balance. Jessica said staff hopes to receive the audit "sometime next week," potentially before the July 23 meeting. For now the board treated the 7.5 figure as a working recommendation and directed staff to use that number in further planning and outreach ahead of the formal tentative-millage vote.