BCC adopts final millage rates and budgets for FY24

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday adopted resolutions approving the property tax rates and budgets for Fiscal Year 2024, maintaining the countywide General Fund millage at $4.7398 per $1,000 of assessed value, and reducing the property tax millage in 13 of the 22 entities under the County’s purview.

The County also maintains the lowest per capita debt burden of any major county in Florida. The balanced budget includes the following:

• $18 million for Advanced Traffic Management System/Intelligent Traffic System (ATM/ITS), along with additional funding for roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure to move traffic more efficiently across the county.
• Continued funding for behavioral health services through the Coordinated Access Model (branded as Care About Me).
• Supporting public-private partnerships to build more affordable homes for our workforce. 
• Addressing unfunded state mandates and inflationary pressures, such as greatly increased payments required by the state for the Florida Retirement System, fuel, electricity, and rising insurance costs.

Tuesday’s action concludes the budgeting process for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2023. Details can be found on the County’s budget website at pinellas.gov/budget.

Emergency funding for beach stabilization

In other action Tuesday, the Board authorized the transfer of $21 million from the Capital Projects fund to fund the post-Hurricane Idalia emergency shoreline stabilization project. The County is seeking reimbursement or cost-sharing from the state.