Fiscal year 2025 earns final approval from Longboat commission

Fiscal year 2025 will be a busy year for Longboat Key’s capital improvement plan. 

On Sept. 23, Longboat Key town commissioners approved the FY25 budget in the second public hearing of the budget and millage rate. Town staff noted that inflationary pressures attributed to some rising costs across the budget.

The town’s General Fund revenues totaled $23,070,624, which is an increase of $1,946,499 from fiscal year 2024. 

Certified property values from July 1 — which factor into the ad valorem revenue — showed an increase from the previous year as well. The values in Sarasota County were up 8.55% from FY24 at a total of $6,230,214,973. In Manatee County, the certified property values were $2,963,620,882, which represents a 14.47% increase from the previous year. 

Millage rates remained similar from FY24 to FY25, with the final millage approved at 1.9600. Including beach debt millage and facility millage, the total millage for the Bayside District is 2.1519 and the millage for the Gulfside District is 2.6072.

Expenditures from the General Fund are projected to exceed revenues in FY25. The total expenditures — including personnel, operating expenses and general fund capital — were estimated at $24,739,014. That means expenditures will exceed revenues by $1,688,390. 

The upcoming fiscal year will also be a big year for the town’s capital improvement project. 

The five-year capital improvement plan includes an estimated $145.4 million of spending In FY25, the town expects to complete $76,898,307, about 53%, of that spending. 

The big ticket projects included in that $77 million include a new fire ladder truck, the town hall hardening project, an interim beach renourishment, the Country Club Shores asbestos cement pipe replacement project and the subaqueous force main replacement. 

Commissioners approved the FY25 budget at the final hearing on Sept. 23, and the new budget cycle will go into effect on Oct. 1.