County approves $2 billion budget

Having been delayed by several days because of Hurricane Helene, the Sarasota County Commission officially adopted the county’s fiscal year 2025 budget during its final budget public hearing Monday evening.

Originally scheduled for Sept. 26, the commission approved the $2.07 billion spending plan in usual fashion at this stage in the process, with only a formal reading of the ordinances and no discussion. County resident and frequent city and county commission public speaker Martin Hyde provided the lone public comment, admonishing the commissioners for continually growing the budget rather than ordering departments to tighten their belts.

The budget lowers the countywide ad valorem tax rate from 3.35 mils to a nearly four-decade low of 3.30 mils. That doesn’t mean property owners will pay lower taxes. The millage rate still projects $25.1 million more in property tax revenue for the coming fiscal year. 

Beginning in March, the budget process includes introduction of the strategic plan in March followed by five workshops and two public hearings. 

“In addition to meeting all your contractual obligations in the forthcoming year, the board was able to do a reduction in the countywide millage rate, about a $3.6 million reduction from what we had presented in the early budgets on the county side,” said County Administrator Jonathan Lewis.

The “county side” is spending under control of the commission. During the early budget workshop sessions, commissioners instructed Lewis to trim that spending plan by $4.4 million, about $800,000 more than the final budget indicates. Funding for the state-mandated constitutional officers’ departments — Sheriff’s Office, Tax Collector, Clerk of Circuit Court, Supervisor of Elections and more — remain unchanged despite being asked nicely.

“It wouldn't disappoint me if any of the constitutionals decided to help a little bit in this process and join us in our efforts,” Commissioner Ron Cutsinger said at the time.

It all adds up to a $2 billion budget including operations, personnel, capital improvement and acquisitions, special taxing districts, fees and other taxes. 

 General fund spending for fiscal year 2025 is set at $462.3 million, nearly $32 million, or about 7.5%, more than the current fiscal year. That includes $265.3 million for constitutional offices and other agencies outside the commission’s spending control.

As is typically the case, the budget increase year-over-year is rooted in personnel expenses and new hires to keep pace with service demands of a growing population.

At 43.03 new full-time equivalents, employment for constitutional offices will increase 3.1% over this year, led by the Sheriff’s Office with 39, for a total of 1,447.5 employees. Meanwhile, BCC-controlled department full-time equivalents will grow by 59.90, or 2.4%, for a total of 2,541.