9.16.25 Pasco Board of County Commissioners Budget Hearing Meeting

[Music] Okay. Let's [Music]

go. [Music] Be careful. Are you getting extra fun? This is how they fight. [Music]

Oh, no way. I took

Wait a minute. I thought you weren't going to be here.

Counterpart.

6:30. I'm leaving. I have a varsity volleyball game and I'm out of

What are you doing City?

Got me till 6:30.

What are you doing in D City?

Well, we should be done.

Oh, Ben. Yeah, he he got to be out by 6:30 or

why I like have everyone cut my

That's why we have three.

That's good.

Or anything.

Can I just

Your dad had a hernia when he was a little baby. They are fixable.

Taxpayer money. Weman, go.

Let's go. Weman. Wait a minute. [Applause]

Okay.

Okay. Uh, welcome to the 5:15 session of the board of county commissioners for September 16th. And, um, you know, I don't have a script. If I did, I threw it away. So, I'm winging it.

Um, let me have this script. I got this very important.

This is our sheet.

Okay. So, this is the final public hearing to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget for the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida. Citizens will pro be provided with an opportunity to speak during the public comment portion of the hearing. Does the clerk have proof of publication?

Yes, madam chair. Proof of publication was in the Tampa Bay Times on Sunday, September 14th, 2025.

Miss Frell, please provide a pres presentation overview of the budget we will be deciding upon this evening. Thank you.

All right. Amy Frell, budget director with um Pasco County's Office of Management and Budget, and we are here tonight for the second and final public hearing to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget. So, what will we be covering today? So, we're going to um go over the purpose of the final public hearing. We're going to look at the board's direction in terms of our general fund millage. We're going to look at the overall resulting total budget. We'll do a dive into the general fund and the capital and then we will um uh pivot back to the uh each unique millillage adopting those and then the overall budget. All right. So there's a large body of work that happens as we go through adopting a budget. It starts very early in January. So we'll be kicking off soon again. Um where we workshop with the board and we get their priorities for the upcoming year so we can take our five-year strategic plan and narrow in our focus into what would we like to tackle in the next upcoming year. And so we'll also be able to give a recap of how the budget that we're presenting this evening encompasses specific areas of our five-year strategic plan. And then we do a big countywide kickoff with the whole county. Um and that's officially budget season for everybody and everyone knows it's time to get to work. So what does that work look like? Well, in February we go through revenue projections. Um, and we look at the state of the general fund at that time and we monitor the general fund and our various MSTUs throughout the course of the cycle. March through May, we've got um kind of behind the scenes, we'll call it sleeves up, diving in with all of our department directors and taking a deep dive into budgets and trying to see where we can find some efficiencies. And later in this presentation, we'll talk high level about some of the ones we were able to find going through this cycle. And then we come back and we workshop with the board in June. We get uh preliminary taxable assessed values. So we like to workshop with the board and show them here's the budget as it sits today. Preliminary taxable assessed values. Here's how we think the general fund is going to look. And then we make sure um these are the priorities we heard. Here's where we're going with the budget. Are we on point or do we need to pivot? And then in July we get final taxable assessed values. And so we come back and we set the trim at that point. And then then we go through some fine muscle movements all the way in August and September. And then we come back here where we can all find consensus on the most appropriate budget to accomplish our body of work while being very cognizant of the impact to our citizens and our taxpayers. All right. So the strategic priorities that the board has set forth for us to focus really laser focus in on this year is around community resilience and sustainability, reducing homelessness, providing access and availability to cultural, educational, recreational, and

social opportunities, meeting affordable and attainable housing needs, focusing on our stressed communities, and supporting our small businesses and entrepreneurship. All right, so during our first public hearing. And then earlier today when we did a regular presentation and we talked about all of the different um fine-tuning that happened from the first public hearing to the final public hearing, the board directed staff to come back with a 0.025 mil reduction to the general fund. And so the question is how did we achieve it? Mike, do you want to take this one over or do you want me to keep going?

I think you're doing

I can keep going. All right. All right. So, we got here through a myriad of different ways. So, the first thing we looked at was reducing travel, not just in the general fund, but across all funds. Um, so a 5% travel reduction and really are charging our departments with try to be as judicious as you can and if we have online trainings, do that. Let's try to give some of the money back from travel and just be as judicious as possible and try to really maximize um the virtual environment that has been around since COVID really, right? Um then we looked at our operations subsidy to the road and bridge fund with our uh multimodal tax increment financing and found some opportunities for refinement there. And then we looked at some what we're calling good faith reserves to reduct uh reduction to reserves where we expect that some of our innovative ideas through operation operating. We're going to be able to put some savings throughout the year back into reserves. So we will be monitoring that very closely in the upcoming fiscal year and putting money back into reserves everywhere we can. And then the last bit um is what I like to call some midday number crunching between earlier this afternoon and today to uh really massage that number to the 0.025 reduction that we're able to present to you today. And in that we are able to give back over $1.4 million to the taxpayers. All right. So what does our total budget net of inter fund transfers look like? So um we talked so I said I was going to give some highle insight on some of the work that we did to try to refine and find efficiencies in the in the budget. So let's take a look big picture. So this total budget that I'm presenting to you right now is $6,174,119 less than the fisc year 25 adopted budget that we operated in this year. So, we found $6 million where we could find efficiencies and trim down that budget. Now, in the general fund, we were able to find before we even got to a millage reduction, we were able to find over $3 million of efficiencies. Now, for those of us who are more visual like myself, um we've got the table in a pie chart. So that way it's a little bit more visually uh uh representative of the how the different components are in relation to each other. So you'll see the biggest component of our budget is the operating bit. So that day-to-day work that we're doing. If you go clockwise, that next piece is capital. So, we've got $411 million planned investment into capital. We've got about that little sliver iss 54 million of debt service for other capital projects that we financed. And then the last sliver is reserves, which is roughly 20% of our overall budget. All right. All right. So, let's take a look at that reserve pie a little bit a little bit more because it seems like $453 million might be a lot. However, we have almost 200 funds and so those reserves are components of those almost 200 funds with which we operate. So, that top bit that are enterprise funds. So, these are solid waste and our water

utility funds. And so there are some bond covenants that that dictate very heavily how much we need to keep in reserves um in order to maintain our uh those different bond covenants and stay in alignment with those. So our internal service fund so that's our fleet fund. Um so in there we try to keep a reserve

Amy. So just just a I think a big highlight that 168 enterprise fund part of that's a waste energy plan. Correct.

Yes. And part of that is Yes. Thank you commissioner. part of that is um okay so how can I word this in a way that makes sense to more than just my brain all right so part of how we fund it's a very expensive capital project right and so we had to find a varying methodology to fund it so we've got some debt service funding it but we're also doing some what we call pay as you go where you build up a reserve over time so you can cash you can pay cash for some of the projects and then you can also um use financing and debt service for the remainder. It makes it a little bit more palatable, especially to our rate payers. And so, yes, Commissioner, a portion of that fund is where we're going to be um doing pay as you go. And so, we expect that will come down in the next year as well.

And how how much was that expansion?

Roughly 200 250 million.

Yeah. Yes.

All right. So then the next piece of the pie is our internal service fund. So in here we have things like the fleet fund and so the reserve we try to keep in our fleet fund is we are self-insured on um a specific type of our vehicle. So we like to make sure let's say we were to lose a quarter of our fleet in a in a storm or an emergency we would be able to replace that fleet without having to come back and impact our customers. Um the next piece of the pie is our general fund reserve. So that is the the bit of reserve held in our fund that houses our prop our general fund property taxes, our halfsent sales tax, those things. Um and in that reserve we also carry reserve for the constitutional officers who are not able to carry their own reserve. So the board holds reserves for rainy day for them as well

and that's should be at 16%.

So um

right. So, uh, Government Finance Officers Association recommends 16.7% or 60 days of operating in reserves. And what we presented to you right here is 12.5% or 46 days. So, we are shy of that 60-day recommendation,

Madam Chair.

Yeah.

And we were there before the hurricanes hit. That's 60 days.

Yes, we were there before. And then um our special revenue funds. So these are things like um our fire municipal um municipal services taxing unit is in there. The road rehabilitation MSTU is in there. Um and all all those kinds of funds. Next is debt service where there's certain places where we need to hold some reserve for debt service. And then the last bit which seems like a really small sliver is for capital projects. And you might say, Amy, why do we have such a small reserve in capital projects? And I would say because we really don't want to have a reserve for capital projects. We want to spend and execute. However, some of our capital dollars build at a rate where we need to carry kind of like we were talking about the solid waste expansion where we have to let it build up over time. So then we could turn around and execute a project. And so what you're seeing there is capital a capital reserve across easily 20 funds, right? Where we're just trying to in some of those funds we're trying to build up so we have enough to execute a capital project, but as opposed to the other funds there, we have a target of 0%. Anything else before I move on from reserves?

All right.

Nothing. All right. So, now let's start talking about the different kinds of revenues that come into the county. So, that um that top piece of the pie, which is purple, that is our property taxes. So, in that pie, there's the general property tax, your general operating property taxes, your fire municipal services tax, the road rehabilitation tax, and then all of our voter approved or general obligation bond um tax is in that top pie. that next bit because uh finance people are quirky. Um that's our beginning fund balance or reserves. It's beginning fund balance if it's a revenue and it's reserves if it's an expense because we like to keep you on our toes. But we already talked about that so I'm going to keep going. That bottom bit of the pie chart where it says charges for service fees and assessment. So think of the this bucket as transactional revenues. I pay this thing, I get this service, I pay this thing, I get this item. Um so in there are um so ambulance billing, we've got solid waste assessments, storm water assessments, permitting fees, things like that. So it's one for one transactional. If we keep moving to that last bit of the pie where it says other sources, think of these as money comes into one bucket and then it then it comes out for different purposes. So in there we've got penny for Pasco, right? So, we all contribute to Penny for Pasco and then there's certain buckets it funnels into um our fuel taxes. So, that funds some of our operating costs for roads that also fund some of our capital construction. Um our federal and state grants are in that bucket. Those types of things. Um under other, we've got like the communication service tax. um if we have any donations, the tourism tax, those types of things. All right, so we were looking at the macro 60,000 foot view and now I'm going to bring us down a little bit into our general fund. And so the column here that says tenative, so that was where we sat at the first public hearing and final is where we sit now with the budget that we are proposing to you. And so just some small muscle movement adjustments here. Um, even though there's a little bit less in reserves, we're still at the math is weird, but we're still at 46 days, but we are at 12.5% rather than the 12.7, but we're still holding firm at 46 days. Now, Commissioner Waitman's going to ask me, if we had FEMA reimbursements, where would we be? And my answer would be roughly 52 days. All right. So, now, how are we spending that money in the general fund? So you

But can I can I say

absolutely

I told you while I was on that call with Bay County 10 years from their hurricane. They have not gotten their FEMA reimbursement yet. I

hoping that we certainly don't have to wait that long. That's something we should have talked to our legislators about

if

we do we do very good we do a very good job with our paperwork. So we're hoping it won't be that that long. But we'll stay the course.

Um, do we know where we ended up with raises for everybody? All right. Um, so property appraiser I believe is at 5%. Um the supervisor of elections was at 3.5. Um and the clerk I know is tracking with us as well at 3.5%. So we didn't get any traction on

uh

everyone at three and a half.

It's it's my understanding it would require an appeal to the Department of Revenue and and resubmitting the budget would actually probably cost more than it would save at this point. Okay. All right. And then I would be remiss if we didn't um take an opportunity to talk about the execution of our new road rehabilitation MSTU. Um Jason Mikl was charged with $17 million to put back into the community and spend. And you can see from this slide based off of what has gone out the door and what is encumbered, which basically means we are under contract, so will be spent. he has met that $17 million charge. And so how is he planning to spend um his revenue next year? And so here you'll see FY26 plan 27 and 28 his plan based off of um treat treatment type. So rejuvenation, microsurfacing, milling and resurfacing um all of those different components. All right. So, when we look at our five-year capital improvement plan, so this includes everything except for the general fund because we've already talked about that. Um, we've got a $1.8 billion five-year plan. Uh, we do only adopt the 26 plan, but we like to show the five years that we have planned out. And then because it is a the largest piece of our five-year plan, we have a separate slide dedicated to our transportation engineering capital. And here on the bottom, you can see those major capacity projects and when they're slated to come online and how much we're estimating. And then um it was very much a hot topic with our board. You will see that in FY26, we have some money um slated for a sidewalk on Shady Hills from Mary Gella Elementary to Bosley Drive. All right. And then here is a list of updated millage rates from our daytime meeting. And at this point, um, chair, if we can go back to the bottom page of the bottom of the first page of the script.

In accordance with Florida statute 200.065, the first issue to be discussed is the recommended millage rates and the percentage changes from the roll back rates. Chairman, members of the board, the aggregate millage rate being proposed is 9.8433 mills, which is lower than the aggregate mill rate sent out on trim notices and represents a 1.11% increase from the aggregate rolled back rate of 9.7350 mills. The reason the aggregate millage rate is higher than the rolled back rate is because the total taxable value total taxable value increased between last year and this year. Table one in your handout shows the millage rates for the various county levies and a comparison of the recommended millage rates to the roll back rates and the prior year adopted millage rates. Rather than read this chart into the record, we have provided copies to each commissioner board records and members of the audience. At the first public hearing on the budget, the board of county commissioners adopted a budget based upon the millage rates used in the trim notices each property owner received. During the morning board meeting earlier today, the commissioners directed staff to return to the final public hearing with a reduction to the general operating millage of 0.0250 mills. I'd like to give a summary of the resulting general fund and transportation trust fund budget stating the mill rates, the percentage change from the rolled back rate, and the reasons for such a change. The millage rate for the general fund is 7.4042 4042 mills, which is a 3.57% increase from the rolled back rate of 7.1489. This millage rate is a 0.250 mil reduction from last year's millage rate. The county realized an 11.2% increase in taxable assessed values over the past year. The increase in property tax values based on the recommended millage rate of 7.4042 4042 mills and the taxable assessed value increase results in in an additional 42.1 million in property tax revenue. The additional revenue will in part be used to increase the funding for parks capital maintenance, renovate the Hudson Library, provide operational resources for the expanded detention center, and provide wage increases for all employees. Prior action by the Florida legislature eliminated the requirement for a mandatory transportation advalorum tax. No transportation millillage was levied last year and we propose no millage be assessed this year for the transportation trust fund. I would ask the board to accept public comment and then vote on the general fund and the transportation trust fund mill rates. The minimum vote required to levy the general fund mill rate is a simple majority or three votes according to maximum millage rate calculations.

Are you on to me?

Yes. Page four. Okay. Does anyone wish to speak to the board regarding the general fund and transportation fund?

Madam Chair, I do have uh three people who signed up to talk.

Okay. So, we'll take it in order. Um we have Judy Ostein, followed by Janine Duffy, followed by Kathy Julian.

Hello, my name is Judy Ostein. and I live at 7650 Ostein Road, Newport Richie, Florida. I've been married to Richard Ostein for 57 years and he will be 76 years old come October the 12th who has lived at this property all his life. He was born there 76 years ago. A neighbor of mine drew this to my attention. They want to open Ostein Road from Massachusetts Avenue to Orchard Lake Road, bringing it through our property and into a subdivision that is closed in. It would be like taking and putting mass transit uh traffic through a locked gated community. I don't know why you want to do this. She tried it in 200 2003 and it didn't happen because it went to a 90 degree curve from Ostein onto Orchard Lake Road. Why are you doing this now? It's She sent me this. It says Ostein Road connection feasible study.

This is

that she found on the internet.

Budget. This is the budget hearing. It has nothing to do with a transportation study. Well, I would like to let you know that I'm against this as a land owner.

I can have public works I ma'am if you'd like.

Yes, we can. Someone can meet you in the back.

Thank you.

Are you telling me you don't want to hear from me?

If you're if you're if you're commenting on the budget and the and the

I put on the note there that it was for the opening of Ostein Road.

That's not what this public hearing is about.

It's a county commissioner meeting, correct? It's on the budget.

It's a special meeting. We had our meeting today earlier.

Um public comment uh happens in the morning. Um this is our budget meeting. So

Okay, then I will be back. I totally oppose this.

Hey ma'am, I'm your commissioner and I'm having my assistant meet you out back. Okay. So she can talk to you, my aid. Okay, there she is. If you turn

No, I prefer to talk to you. You can call me anytime.

Absolutely. Are you related to Katherine?

Catherine.

All right. Janine Duffy.

Hi, my name is Janine Duffy, 5550 Front Drive, Holiday, Florida 34690. Last year, my property's just value was listed at $257,127. This year that number actually decreased slightly to 2300 $235,260. However, during the the same time my assessed value went up from $213,730 last year to $219,920 this year. There have been no improvements made to the property, no repaved road, no extra features. In fact, it has gotten to be impossible to travel safely with the amount of traffic that is on the roads without proper infrastructure. Your math is very frustrating to figure out. The only thing I can figure is that you up the taxes by 3% regardless if the value goes down with inflation insurance costs and the rise in cost of living with the equal rise in without equal rise in wages, HOA fees, CDD fees, and higher taxes, families are already under tremendous pressure. And with the substantial growth Pasco County is experiencing, the tax base is already expanding. So revenue should not have to come from the raising raising the burden on individual homeowners. In fact, this growth should allow for tax relief, not increases. All I'm asking for is fairness. I respectfully request that the board consider not just mine, but all properties assessed value and ensure it reflects both the reduction in just value and the reality that that this is not the right time to increase taxes on Pasco County residents struggling to keep their homes. With a 2.2 2 billion a mere 0.01% equals about 220,000 divided by the number of taxable properties is merely pennies. Um, also I would like to mention um that our mosquito control district is a separate taxing district and they are out of control. I would really like to see the county assume them and uh reallocate those funds. They have 10 million that they consider a slush fund. Um, that is our money. Um, I'd rather see that money go towards the county and allocated properly. Please consider these things. Thank you.

Um, county administrator, we had this same um math question come to the last meeting. So, in case there's anyone else here, can we explain

certainly why that happened?

The the just value on your trim notice is is the value for taxing purposes. the assessed value is is ultimately what what the number will be calculated against. Right? So in this particular case um her just value went from 257,000 to approximately 235,000. Uh her assessed value was 213,000 the previous year. So the difference between 213 and 257 probably represents a homestead exemption or or something like that. um if the assessed value is lower than the just value, the maximum that that assessed value can go up is 3% or the cost of inflation due to save our homes. And so what she has seen is even though her property may be valued less as the just value, she is still paying uh the the value of taxes is is lower and below that number. So until they reach par, you'll see that increase regardless of what what your number does.

Okay.

Chair.

Yes. So for clarity I don't know the the property we're the property is based on 85%. Right.

Right. 85% of the appraised value of the home not the full 100%. So that leaves a discrepancy there.

Yeah.

Let's say our homes artificially caps has artificially but thankfully uh capped the amount that can increase. So that's why when you sell a house, it gets adjusted to the true value. Um, but you're paying le you're paying less. And you can see that number on your tax bill, right? It says that this home I think it says at this home somewhere you can see that true number.

Yeah, it it's spelled out on on on the trim. Yes, ma'am.

On the trim. Okay. Okay. Who's next? Kathy Julian.

Hi. Hope you're all doing well tonight. Um, I'm not actually speaking for myself. Somebody asked me to come and speak on their behalf tonight. Um, I'm really kind of tied up with doing stuff with mosquito and I haven't been really paying attention, but what Janine said is really very true. They say they're protecting public health. I would much rather see that $10 million sled fund that they have go into protecting our roads. It should go to the sheriff's department. They're not protecting our health. Um anyway, I I had heard that there was going to be a 01 decrease in the millage rate and that would equal 68 cents per property. I see you increased that quite a bit more and it's now 1.4 million which equates to four $4.70 per property. So that's a big increase. Um, I don't understand how all these property things are calculated. I've got to go back and look at it more, but um, it does seem kind of crazy that I live in a house that's got a sinkhole under it that's never been repaired and our property value went up 10% this year on the tax rules. And maybe it's I'm reading it wrong. I don't know. I need to call the appraisers's office and find out. Um, but I do think we need to be saving tax dollars. And it also kind of hit me weird when it was said earlier in the meeting that the sheriff's department put $2 million back so money could go to something else. And I agree our parks are very important. I think I heard Seth speak about it at a meeting and he was saying how we need to have more parks because you know these kids need to have the parks. Totally agree with that. They were very important to me when my kids were little. But um it bothers me that we're taking it out of the sheriff's department because we're constantly hearing that the sheriff's department is underfunded. So I know it's a balancing act. I don't know where where that whole balance comes down, but um we need to have more. There's very little traffic enforcement and that needs to be something. I'm sure the sheriff has told you that, but we need to be putting money into public safety. That's really the big thing in my behalf. But anyway, thank you for cutting the taxes a little bit, even though I don't think it's enough because our house taxes are crazy. They're over $7,000 a year. I don't live in a mansion and um we shouldn't be paying so much for taxes and I there've got to be ways to cut and I'm you know your employees here are getting probably a bigger raise than most of the people in the private sector and from looking at things in at the mosquito and I would assume it's the same here those employees are very well taken care of financially I mean they make a lot of money and they have a lot of they have great pensions and you know people in the private sector don't have that and it's all well and good it used to be if you work for the government, you like make less money. But now I hear that commissioners who make $400 a month get a pension. Really? Really? They work one meeting a month and they get a pension from that. That doesn't happen

in the public sector. I mean, the private sector. So, you know, the government needs to be toning everything down. Look at their budget. It says right on there if they put 55% of their salary into retirement.

The mosquito.

Yes. and the the director of the mosquito who I've been extraordinarily critical of um 40% of her salary is put into her retirement fund.

Well, we we don't control that.

I I'm well aware of that. Do in the near future.

Okay. Thank you. Um

that's all I have signed up in

current raised his hand.

Uh yes. And I and Representative Steel, you want to speak? Is there anyone else here who would like to address the county commission? Please feel free to come up after.

Uh, thank you for recognizing me. I was in a meeting, so I didn't get to sign up and I apologize for for that tardiness of myself. Um, I drove back from Miami just for this meeting, believe it or not. Actually, my family is still in Miami, so I'm going to drive back after this. But, um, I I I meant I meant to be here for the last one and I was out of town, so I made it a point that I I would be here. Um, as a as a company, you have to stay within your means and and confines of of revenue versus expenses. And if you don't have the revenue, you don't you don't raise taxes. You have to start making cuts cuts where they belong. Any any organization has had to do that. I don't think the a single government agency, whether it's a state, municipality, or or um um county, has has ever done that. They don't cut back. They just they adjust millage rates. They add MSTUs as special taxes or they increase the value of your home. And so I ran a I ran a bill last session. I don't I'm sure you guys all heard about it. It actually ran three bills. Uh, one of them was to bring the value of your home back to what you paid for your home because it's the only asset that you buy in the United States that continues to grow in value and and you get taxed on that value. If you think of anything else, a boat, a car, a building, uh your chairs that you buy in your office, it's all depreciated values. The this is the only asset that you buy as an American citizen that continues to inflate. And it's kind of like and I I know I brought this up to you and this is not this is not you. This is more the tax assessor I mean the internal revenue uh uh department but we we shouldn't be taxing people on a value on something that they have not realized. There's no other capital gains that we pay taxes on that's above the value you have when you sell it. Not while you have it and carry that asset. That's what Camala Harris wanted to do is tax on unrealized capital gains. And this is the same same concept. you're taxing on unrealized capital gains. So you shouldn't inflate the value of the home. It should stay what you paid for the house. And that's that's another bill that's going to be actually I think the whole house is now on board with that in the Senate. So you guys need to be prepared for that. Uh we are adjusting the taxes and that's one of the biggest pushes that we're doing at the state level. Um so I just wanted to come in and and express my concern that we started to raise them again. I and I see that you guys worked hard. Um the funny math though and I I had to ask because I And I I understand math pretty well. Um but I I had to ask to confirm what I saw. Um because it looks like we're going down 3%, but we're only going down 1.64%. And that's because of all of the other areas that we're moving the money around in instead of it being just removed altogether. It's being put into different MSTUs and different categories. So it's not a total of 3% coming down. It's 1.64%.

I don't know if you guys understood that or not, but thank you guys for your time.

Well, it's a portion. A portion comes down. Yeah. Not the whole thing. Okay. Is there some anyone else who wants to speak to us?

Madam Chair, I don't know if uh the person that registered to attend online is online.

Okay. Um

the name is uh Vincent Garaniano. Okay.

All right. We'll elevate him.

Okay. Mr. Gariano, you should um be able to um unmute and and speak.

I'm fine at this time. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Okay. Um I think I just want to address one thing to Miss Julian on the sheriff's budget. sheriff did get um I don't know where she went over there. The sheriff did get um a big increase, but he tightened his belt like the rest of us. So um before we ever came to this meeting, I don't know if you want to explain how you go through your budget process. Yeah, with the with the sheriff the the agreed upon methodology currently uh with with the board and the sheriff is is 40% of new revenue uh is going to help him catch up so he can he can again to provide services. Uh as a result he would have been titled is a bad word but I'll just use it uh to to approximately 19 million. He took 17 in his in his budget where this board was able to reallocate those those dollars too to reinvest in parks. So,

and another um interesting thing about this board, Commissioner Mariana was on the board back then. This is to Representative Steel and we we can get you the numbers. This county uh in the early 2000s did roll back greatly the millage rate. I think when I moved here was in the nines, um maybe eights or nines, but it was only homes and there were no businesses here. So, the

You were near your cap. Yes.

Yes. Yeah. we were very near our cap. Um but since uh and then the the county started rolling back the millage rate, rolling it back, rolling it back and then save our homes came and

No, it was then the legislature imposed roll back rates and that's that during

and they got stuck. Yeah. Um we had to close parks, libraries. We literally had um uh um machines in front of the parks that you had to pay to go in. Um it was it was a difficult time and we we still have not recovered from that. Um but as one of the fastest growings in America and providing what we think is a pretty good um uh lifestyle here um but still rolling our millillage back every year. This is our third year in a row. um we try and strike a balance between providing the services that we need um and the uh keep our county affordable. So I'll just say that. Okay. Does anyone else want to talk about anything here? Okay. Is there a motion to adopt the millage rate for the general fund of 7.4042 mills?

Uh no.

No. Well, that's that's why I'm offering the whole class. That's what I'm saying.

I'll make a motion.

Okay. No discussion. Okay.

Um there was a motion. Is there a second?

Commission Oakley.

Yeah, second.

Okay. Under discussion. Okay. Um quick question and I thought of it late and my apologies, but other than um fire safety, the sheriff's office, corrections, things like that, how many open jobs do we have right now that aren't currently filled? I do not have that information in front of me.

Our our rolling average is approximately 10% vacancy rates overall. That could be across various departments. Many are in corrections right now.

Okay. So many are corrections. Okay. Because my question was if they were not in corrections, public safety, anything related that if we didn't need those positions, could we get do away with them?

I would not recommend that.

Okay. Uh my other question is or comment um instead of 5% going to 7% for travel. Anybody thoughts on that? Because we're already saying right now we're at travel 5% bumping it up to seven and then also implementing if there's an online option everybody has to do online instead of traveling. So if you have a if you need a certification or something or want to go to something if there's an online option you take it

understand that. So you are you recommending increasing the tri travel tribal budget by 2%

right? Well from five to seven

taking it off from five.

You're talking about deducting it from from five.

She's saying% right make the cut

make the cut bigger to seven.

Oh I'm sorry.

That has nothing to do with the millillage. That's

No, but I'm just seeing if you know we're trying to to get everybody on board to that extra 500,000

to get to.3.

Yeah, we're already working on plans to get that obviously. You know, we made the additional, you know, 500s or 5,000s of a of a cut. We're, you know, we we've got, you know, an approach that we're going to go and as I committed to this board as well as we find and realize those savings, again, I'll use the IT group as as a prime example. We're going to plow those money back those monies back into into our reserves. And if we find deeper savings, we'll we'll do the same thing. Um you know, the the 7% uh commissioner that that would represent probably another $13,000 of of savings to the general fund departments. Um

it' be 27,000 total.

Um no, I think closer to 48 I think total on the on the general fund, which which is not insignificant. Um

right, but before the break we were at 0 25 2 point 2 2.5

0025. Correct. Correct.

Boy, it's been a long day.

Yes, it has.

Anyway, so I'm trying to get to 03.

We've already

I'm Well, I'll defer to the board.

I help.

Yes,

chair.

We've already voted.

We We are under discussion.

Props though,

you know,

it's not endless.

Go ahead, chair. So, remember earlier we were talking about the DR disaster relief fund reimbursements as of right now. conservatively that this county can be reimbured for the work that's done today all the way up until this protest. Mr. Brightenbucks conservatively figured $318,000 in reimbursement already today for the for the staff time. So when we look at trying to cut to get to the the.3 mills addition, you know, it's 500 grand. We're we're there by 318K just by reimbursement uh from the DR funds leaving us a small balance. So we can get to the.3 mil cut 03

03 mil cut um you know I think relatively easily easily if there's a you know collective decision-m process here which we have to have but we're there with the 318K which is probably higher and going to keep growing um through the DR process. So um I'm fully confident of of of moving um the the the cutting the mill rate to 0.03. I think we can get there and I'm confident the budget team and department heads um in managing their funds appropriately and

remaining whole.

I I just want to say I I feel like we owe it to our citizens. We're we're almost there. We can do it and we won't fail it. So I I hope you guys will support 003. So we when we started we were at point what what was the very first one where my well we we were originally flat.

Yes we were flat

and through through trim uh we then committed uh to a point. 01 to look at that. We we went into that and we came back with 0.02. Yes. And then this this body had deliberation this morning on it. Um went back and forth on on an additional 0.01 and landed collectively at 0.025. Um, so I feel like we've

we've tightened tighten tightened and um but I but to Commissioner Weightman's thoughts, I'm hopeful that next year um with the DR uh CDBGDR money, we can continue to um find more savings, but I until we have it, we can't say that we have it and we're still awaiting the FEMA money. So, um I I'll let you know that I got a call, my office got a call from a constituent who, sorry, Keith, um was out on the Sun Coast Trail today, sat on a bench and sat on nails that that tore his clothes and injured him. So, we have a lot of work to do here. Um

can I just

And so I'm I'm thinkurther than we ever thought we were going to at 0025 and that's where I am. So,

yeah,

we can have them speak a little more, then we'll call the question.

One thing, if if we're we're that close, we could take 200,000 out of the reserves, which is nothing, and we're there.

It's 25 It's 25 cents a house, 10 cents a house, and we can fix benches so people don't get their their bodies ripped up. So, Commissioner,

Madam Chair, as we talked about the um by getting rid of the paving assessment program, I have got a list of people that are want to get in the list. I know everyone else has got people that want to get their roads done. They don't want to ride around with potholes. They you can go to West Wir, you can go to Trinity, go wherever you want. There's not enough parks out there as well. So, I think we made a great move by making the first cut, the second cut, and the third cut is a good compromise. I'm comfortable with a motion.

Yeah.

Well, if you call

I am too.

Okay. So, all in favor

I

signify by saying I

I

nay.

Nay.

Okay. Is there a motion to adopt the No. Is there a motion to adopt the millage rate for the transportation trust fund of 0.00 mills?

So move.

Second.

All in fa. Any discussion?

All in favor? I

I

I will now provide a summary of the fire municipal service taxing unit budget stating the millage rate, the percentage change from the roll back rate and the reasons for the change. The fire municipal service taxing unit fund has a recommended tax levy of 2.1225 mills. This represents a 5.62% increase from the roll back rate of 2.0096. Taxable values for this municipal service taxing unit increased 11.7%. The increase in property tax val property values results in an additional 12.5 million in property tax revenue. The additional revenue will be used to fund wage increases for the firefighter union, four additional emergency medical services supervisors and four additional fire arson investigators. I would ask the board to accept public comment and then vote on the fire municipal service taxing unit fund military. The minimum vote for this final hearing is four votes. Okay. Is there anyone here who wishes to speak to this item? Actually, I I didn't say my whole paragraph. I would ask the board to accept public com No, you said that. Yeah. Is there anyone here to speak to the fire municipal serving service taxing unit constitution? Okay. Is there a motion to adopt the mills rate of 2.1225 mills?

So move.

Second.

All in favor? I

I

I will now provide a summary of the other two municipal service taxing unit budgets stating the millage rates, the percentage change from the roll back rate, and the reasons for the change. No millage was levied last year. No mills were were adopted during the first public hearing for the parks capital maintenance MSTU fund. I would ask the board to accept public comment and then vote on the park's capital maintenance MSTU millage rate. Since this millage rate is unable to increase at this final public hearing, a simple majority vote is all that is needed to maintain the levy of zero mills.

Does anyone wish to speak to the board regarding the parks capital maintenance maintenance MSTU of zero?

Not you, Keith. I had to say that. Sorry. Of 0 000.

Um, okay.

Move approval.

Second.

All in favor?

I

should say nay.

Okay. The roads

the roads rehabilitation and MSTU fund has a recommended tax levy of 0.4052 mills. This represents a 5.3% increase from the rolled back rate of 0.3848. This millage rate will generate 21.6 million in property tax revenue to maintain the county's roadway network. I would ask the board to accept public comment and then vote on the roads rehabilitation MSTU millage rate. The minimum vote for this final hearing is four votes.

All right. Does anyone wish to speak to the board regarding the roads rehabilitation MSTU and you have no one online? Correct.

I have no wants to speak. I just want to make sure

that gentleman. Okay.

All right. To the board.

Move approval.

Second.

All in favor? I

I

I will now provide a summary of the nine voter approved debt service millage rates. These mill rates are levied to repay the debt service for the general obligation bonds to include two tranches each for the jail project, the parks and recreation projects and the libraries projects as well as three tranches for the fire rescue projects. The nine individual millrates are listed on table one in your handout. Rather than read this chart into the record, we have provided copies to each commissioner, board records, and members of the audience. The total of the nine voter approved debt service millage rates is 0.2188 mills. This is a decrease of 0.0213 mills from the 2025 actual millage rates of 0.2401 mills. I ask the board to accept public comment and then vote on each debt service millage rate. There is no vote requirement for these millage rates. So a simple majority or three votes is needed. All right. Okay. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to the board regarding any of the nine bond millage rates? Okay. Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0229 mills for the 2019A jail facility bond?

Approve. Second.

All in favor?

I. Is there a motion motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0182 mills for the 2019b fire rescue bond?

Approval. Second.

I.

All in favor?

I.

Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0086 mills for the 20119 C parks recreation and natural resources bond?

Approve. Second.

All in favor? I.

I.

Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0 0081 mills for the 2019 D libraries bond.

Approval. Second.

All in favor? I

I.

Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0364 mills for the 2020A fire rescue bond?

Approval second.

All in favor? I.

I.

Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0077 mills for the 2021 aid libraries bond?

Approve. Second.

All in favor? I. I

is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0953 mills for the 2021 B jail bond

approval? Second.

All in favor?

I. Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.0116 mills for the 2022 A parks recreation and natural resources bond?

Approve. Second.

All in favor?

Is there a motion to adopt a millage rate of 0.01000 01000 mills for the 2024A fire rescue bond.

Approval second.

All in favor? I

I will now provide a summary of the remainder of the budget. If you refer to table two in your handout, you will see the revenue sources and allocations identified by type without regard to individual funds as stated prior to any action taken by the board tonight. The budget totals 2 bill243,769,298 net of inter fund transfers. I would ask the board to accept public comment then vote on the budget. There is no vote requirement for the budget. So a simple majority or three votes is needed.

All right, we will now accept public comment on the budget.

I see no one. I will entertain a motion. Do we want to have anyone on WebEx?

Okay. No.

I will entertain a motion to adopt this

Excuse me.

I will entertain a motion to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget as outlined by staff, including those adjustments made since the tenative public hearing presented to the county commission at its regular meeting earlier today.

I'll take a motion.

Second.

All in favor? I

uh Okay.

The actions you have taken today have set the final aggregate millage at 9.8433 mills which reflects an increase of 1.11% above the rolled back rate. I will now read the resolution adopting the millage rates by title only. A resolution of the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida adopting the final levying of advalorum taxes for Pasco County for fiscal year 2026 providing for an effective date.

Okay. Is there a motion for approval of the resolution adopting the final leving of advalorum taxes for Pasco County for fiscal year 2026?

So move.

Second.

All in favor?

I.

I will now read the resolution adopting the budget by title only. A resolution of the board of county commissioners of Pasco County, Florida adopting the final budget for fiscal year 2026 providing for an effective date. Is there anyone who wish to speak to this?

Is there a motion for approval?

So move second.

All those in favor? I

I

This concludes the final public hearing to adopt the final millage rates and the final budget for fiscal year 2026. And uh thank you everybody. I'm I'm really proud that we rolled it back. We went deeper than we originally thought we would. Yep.

And um

this one was

it's a good thing for our citizens. So, thank you for everything everyone did and thank you to your department. Amy, go uh go have a beer or a glass of wine

or tea.

They've earned it. [Music]

Pasco County Waterways and Wildlife. depend on you to keep them healthy. Excess fertilizer, grass clippings, trash, oils, and pet waste wash into gutters and storm drains when it rains.