The Fort Lauderdale City Commission held the first of two required public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget on September 9, 2026, at 5:01 PM in the Fort Lauderdale Police Department Community Room. All five commissioners were present: Mayor Dean J. Trantalis, Vice Mayor Ben Sorensen, Commissioner John C. Herbst, Commissioner Steven Glassman, and Commissioner Pam Beasley-Pittman. The hearing covered the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District budget, the citywide tentative millage rate, the five-year Capital Improvement Plan, and the overall tentative budget and personnel complement. No members of the public spoke during any of the public comment periods.
BGT-1 – Fiscal Year 2027 Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District Tentative Millage Rate and Tentative Budget
The acting city manager presented that the district’s board had voted on May 26, 2026, to set a millage rate of 1.000 mil, which would generate an estimated $230,072 in tax revenue to support a $230,072 operating budget. This millage rate is 1.62% above the rolled-back rate of 0.9841 mils. The commission voted unanimously to adopt both the tentative millage rate and the tentative budget.
BGT-2 – Fiscal Year 2027 Tentative Millage Rate (4.1193) for the City of Fort Lauderdale
The acting city manager explained that the city’s recommended tentative millage rate of 4.1193 maintains the current rate (unchanged for 19 years) but exceeds the rolled-back rate of 3.9408 by 4.53%. The aggregate tentative millage rate including the Sunrise Key dependent district is 4.128, which is 4.52% above the aggregate rolled-back rate of 3.9444. The millage rate supports $14.4 million in salary and wage increases, $27.5 million in transfers to the capital projects fund, and $6.1 million in fringe benefit increases. The resolution also set debt service millage rates: 0.0168 for 2011A bonds, 0.0745 for the public safety bond, 0.1138 for the parks bond, and 0.0165 for the 2015 refunding bonds. The resolution was adopted 4-1, with Commissioner Herbst voting nay.
BGT-3 – Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan (FY 2027-2031)
The commission tentatively approved the Capital Improvement Plan covering October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031. The resolution also tentatively appropriated the FY 2027 portion and reappropriated unspent balances from FY 2026. The vote was 4-1, with Commissioner Herbst dissenting.
BGT-4 – Fiscal Year 2027 Tentative Budget and Personnel Complement
The acting city manager presented adjustments made since the July 2, 2026, proposed budget. General fund revenue increased by $1,287,635 (updated ad valorem estimates, in-house litigation staffing revenue, Wilton Manors fire prevention services revenue) and decreased by $786,725 (updated state revenue estimates, completed cost allocation study). General fund expenditure adjustments included a $2,165,105 decrease in transfers to the capital projects fund, a $1,577,843 increase for the microtransit program, a $532,517 net increase in salaries/wages/operations, a $337,294 increase for in-house litigation staff, a $193,899 increase for fire rescue staff supporting Wilton Manors, and a $24,462 increase in the CRA transfer. The tentative general fund budget is $560,602,242. Other fund changes included a $7,333,324 decrease in the water and sewer fund (using interest earnings instead of fund balance, with no impact on capital improvement schedules), a $2,727,257 decrease in the transportation surtax fund, a $2,070,042 decrease in the stormwater fund, and several smaller adjustments. The annual fire assessment rate increases by $403 to $444 per residential unit. The total all-funds tentative budget is $1,283,327,106. The resolution was adopted 4-1, with Commissioner Herbst dissenting.
Good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the City Commission uh budget um budget hearing, our first budget hearing of uh of several tonight. Today is September 9th, 2026. What I didn't get to mention today at our ribbon cutting is uh I wanted to invite everybody uh on Friday to the um fire museum where we will be commemorating the 25th um anniversary of uh 911. Um those of you who are watching remotely, uh everyone's invited. We welcome everybody since Sailboat Ben. And uh we have this every year, and there will also be a another recognition of this uh event at the uh at the uh Nova Southeastern uh Science Museum down on uh Las Alas Boulevard at 11 o'clock, I believe. Our museum, sorry, our museum, pardon me, art museum uh at 11 o'clock, correct? Yes. Thank you. So this is the first of two public hearings as required by law. First of all, we should take uh roll. Commissioner Herbst, Commissioner Glossman? Here, Commissioner Beasley Pittman? Here. Vice Mayor Sorensen? Here, Mayor Trentals. Here. So this is the first of two public hearings as required by law on the City of Fort Lauderdale Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District Millage and Budget for the fiscal year 2027. The purpose of the hearing is to receive requests and comments regarding the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District's budget and to explain the budget and any amendments there too. The public hearing is now open. The acting city manager will now present the tentative millage rate and tentative budget. The Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District taxes the residents of this special district to provide security to their neighborhood at its May 26, 2026 meeting. The district voted its millage rate at 1.000 mil, which will generate an estimated tax collection of 230,72 to support an operating budget of 230,072. This millage rate is 1.62% more than the rolled back rate of 0.9841 mils and is necessary to maintain services for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District. This concludes my report on the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District. Thank you. This is the time for anyone in the public to speak or ask any questions about the budget. No one has signed up to speak. Anyone wish to speak on this item? There being none. So if there's no uh any further comment, do I hear a motion to close public hearing? Second. Seconded, please call the roll. Commissioner Herbst? Yes. Commissioner Glossman, yes. Commissioner Beasley Pittman. Yes. Vice Mayor Sorensen. Yes. Mayor Trentals. Yes. The public hearing is now closed. So the tentative millage rate for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District purposes will be 1.00 mil, which represents an increase of 1.62% over the rollback rate of.9841 MILS. So someone likes to introduce the resolution adopting the tentative millage rate for the Sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement District for fiscal year 2027. Introduce. A resolution of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida, adopting a tentative millage rate of one mil to be levied by the City of Fort Lauderdale for the sunrise Key Neighborhood Improvement. We left out a few zeros, Mr. Clerk. 1.000 mil.