The Broward County Board of County Commissioners held the second and final public hearing on September 17, 2024, to adopt the final millage rates and budgets for Fiscal Year 2025. The meeting included a presentation of the $7.778 billion total budget (a decrease of $917.6 million from FY2024), public testimony primarily opposing the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) budget increase, and a series of commission discussions on affordable housing, homelessness, and public safety funding. The board adopted the general county millage rate of 5.6690 (unchanged from FY2024) by a 7-1 vote and the general fund budget (including a $59.5 million operating increase for BSO) by an 8-0 vote. All dependent district millage rates and budgets were also adopted unanimously.
I call this budget meeting to order. Good evening. This Commissioner Goward just checking this. Yes, I can hear you. I can. Senator Gallery can hear you. Thank you. Quiet. Okay. All right. Good evening. I'm Nan Rich, Mayor of Broward County. Tonight, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners will conduct public hearings on the final millage rates and final budgets that will support county services during fiscal year twenty twenty five. This is the last of two public hearings as required by law. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments from the public and provide information on the county's proposed budget and tax levies. County staff is also available near the entrance to answer questions about the county's budget and taxes. If anyone has questions about property value assessment or exemptions, the property appraisers office staff is available near the entrance and can be reached at 954 357 6830. That's 954-357-6830, or Marty Kier, that's KIAR, at BCPA.net, or in room 111 on the first floor of this building from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The last date of file and appeal with the value adjustment board to challenge your assessment is September 18th. That would be tomorrow. If anyone has questions about the VAB process, staff is available near the entrance to discuss. With that introduction, let's begin. For fiscal year 2025, there is a proposed 9.49% aggregate increase in property taxes when compared with taxes generated from the aggregate rolled back rate. The rollback rate generates approximately the same amount of taxes as the prior year, plus taxes generated from new buildings added to the tax roll. The aggregate millage rate of 5.6722 as compared to an aggregate rolled back rate of 5.1804 includes all advalorum taxes levied by the county and its dependent districts, with the exception of voted debt service taxes. This aggregate millage rate is the basis for the state required advertisements concerning budget and taxes. The rollback millage rates and the percentage change in property taxes are based on the assessment roles certified by the property appraiser. The public hearing is open on the general county millage rate and budget. The final millage rate proposed for general county purposes exclusive of debt service is 5.6389, which represents a 9.53 percent increase in property taxes as compared with a rollback rate of 5.1481. The final millage rate for voted debt service is 0.0301. When combining the two elements, the final millage rate for all general county purposes, including debt service is 5.6690, the same as last year. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Today we are presenting a budget for fiscal year 25, totaling $7.778 billion, which is $917.6 million less than fiscal year 24. The operating budgets reflect an increase in the amount of $307.7 million dollars, largely due to increases in Port Everglades, transit, public works, and resilient environment departments. It also reflects a decrease in the capital budget of 1.193 billion dollars, largely due to the budgeting in the prior year of the Forensic Science Center and a lawyer lower surtax budget in fiscal year 25 due to Broward Commuter Rail South and large airport-related projects also budgeted in fiscal year 24. Finally, there's a decrease in the debt service budget of $32.9 million. The general fund budget proposed for fiscal year 25 totals 1.924 billion dollars, which is an increase of 103.9 million dollars. The general fund regional Broward Sheriff's Office recommended budget increased by $59.5 million. As referenced in the September 13 budget memo, adjustments from the recommended budget were made transferring funds from operating expenses and administration, community services and professional standards to personnel services and administration, community services and professional standards, regional law enforcement and investigations, detention and community programs, and regional fire rescue, as well as to operating expenses and those areas based on cost pressures identified in the latest information provided by BSO at that time. Additionally, as reflected in the September 17, 2024, substitute Schedule B 10.2 million dollars is transferred from nondepartmental reserves to fund personnel services and capital outlay for BSO. Also, in the general capital fund, 24.5 million dollars is reallocated from three capital projects to fund the balance of three BSO helicopters. In addition, for the other constitutional officers, the property appraiser's office recommended budget increases by 1.9 million dollars. The supervisor of elections budget decreases by $5.3 million million dollars due to the different elections planned in fiscal year 25 compared to fiscal year 24. The clerk of courts budget increases by 0.4 million dollars, and the budget for nine months of the tax collector is $8.6 million. That begins in January 2025. Additionally, tax increment payments for municipal redevelopment continue to grow due to an increase in the tax rolls, which is an increase of $9.2 million compared to fiscal year 24. Other recommended changes for the coming year are an increase in mental health for jail diversion of $0.5 million, and an addition of $0.5 million for legal assistance for eviction prevention and an increase of $1.5 million for cultural local sponsorship activities and $5 million for the county share of the Central and Southern Florida flood resiliency study. Other recommended changes in reserves are an increase in reserves of $10.3 million for future funding for capital facilities for county facilities, and an increase in reserves of $3 million for emergency preparedness, an increase in reserves of $3.5 million for revenue fluctuations to safeguard against economic trends, and an increase in reserves of $5 million for emergencies and cash flows.