Are most active, and we're going to be able to mitigate the population best at those times.

Welcome to the works.

In today's episode, we're taken to the skies with Hillsborough County Mosquito Control to find out how they combat the spread of disease and the rising mosquito population.

So when it comes to mosquitoes, how exactly are we combating them in the sky?

Nobody complains about larvae.

They complain about mosquitoes and specifically adult mosquitoes, female mosquitoes, the ones that bite you, right?

But it's a lot easier to control adult mosquitoes by control at the larva.

What we do is we use a larva side product that attacks the larval in the swamps of uh the bank growth areas along the coast here.

We stop their growth so they never grow up and become adult mosquitoes.

Good evening, and welcome to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners uh final budget public hearing.

Uh there are two public hearings scheduled for this evening, one on the capital improvement program or CIP, and the second on the fiscal year 27 millage rates and budget.

Uh because changes to the budget could impact the first year of the five-year CIP, it is appropriate to conclude the public the budget public hearing prior to concluding the CIP hearing.

I would like to open the CIP public hearing and then entertain a motion to continue that public hearing to the conclusion of the public hearing on the budget.

So moved.

Got a motion by Commissioner Cohen, second by Commissioner Bowles.

Uh, please record your vote.

Motion carries six to zero.

Okay, the purpose of tonight's uh public hearing on the budget is to take public comment on the millagerates and budget uh prior to the board adopting millage rates in a budget to for fiscal year 2027.

In a moment, the budget director will read into the record the change in the aggregate fiscal year 2027 millage rate from the aggregate rolled back rate, after which you will briefly discuss the status of the budget.

At that point, we will take public comment.

At the conclusion of public comment, the board will discuss any final changes uh to the millage or budget.

If necessary, there'll be a short break while the impact of any final changes is calculated.

Finally, state law requires certain information to be read into the record prior to the board adopting resolutions on the millage rates in the budget.

Uh before uh turning over to Mr.

Brookie.

Uh now our county administrator Bonnie Wise has some opening remarks.

Thank you, and good evening, everyone.

As mentioned, tonight's the second of two budget public hearings as required by state statute.

This evening you'll hear a budget update from our budget director, Kevin Brickie.

You'll take public comment, discuss the budget, and adopt the fiscal year 27 millage rates and budget resolutions.

And then the CIP public hearing will follow.

The budget being considered tonight maintains existing county services while also making significant one-time investments in public safety, transportation, stormwater, parks, and other critical needs.

The fiscal year 27 budget process has been transparent and productive, leading to a fiscally sound adopted budget.

And now Kevin Bricky, our budget director will read the required information and give a brief presentation.

Thank you, and good evening, Commissioners.

Kevin Brickie, uh Director of Management Budget.

The calculated change in millage represents a 0.40% increase from the aggregate rolledback rate.

It also reflects the need to provide local government services to a growing population, which includes ongoing funding for transportation and fire rescue services, statutory and contractual commitments, union contracts, technology upgrades, constitutional officers, and certain other county needs.

Commissioner, the the budget the board will adopt tonight reflects the tentative budget approved by the board on September 10th as amended by any updates that have been or may be made.

The FY27 budget is balanced.

Additionally, county continues to maintain its general obligation triple A bond rating from all three major credit rating agencies.

The budget you will vote on tonight reflects investments that are consistent with the county strategic focus.

On uh two weeks ago tonight at the first public hearing, uh the board approved the tentative budget of about $13.78 billion, of which $4.77 billion was the operating budget.

Of that operating budget, about 22% is public safety.

The tentative budget uh tonight also includes a for the third year a millage swap, where there's a reduction in the countywide millage of a tenth of a mill and an increase in the unincorporated millage by a tenth of a mill, uh, further strengthening the financial uh stability of uh that fund in the unincorporated fund where we have uh ongoing uh increases in uh service demands.

The tentative countywide general fund is uh 1.6 uh 48 billion dollars, of which 56 percent is accounted for by uh the sheriff and other constitutional uh officers and some outside agencies.

The tentative unincorporated area general fund budget is 938 million dollars, about 68 percent of that uh goes to public safety.

Tonight, as you've heard, you'll take public comment, uh, followed by board discussion, adopt a final millage resolution first, and then adopt the final budget resolution.

The CIP public hearing will follow immediately.

And as we've seen over the past number of uh meetings of public hearings, the budget calendar once again.

We're at the end, the last day.

I would recommend now that you take uh public comment.

All right, thank you, Kevin.

Uh board members, we have uh 70 individuals that have signed up to speak.

I would ask for a motion for each person to be given two minutes.

Move to approve.

Motion Commissioner Myers and Commissioner Cohen.

Please record your vote.

The motion carry with six to zero.

All right, and then um looking at the speaker list.