County presents Proposed FY 2025 Budget
Pinellas County Administrator Barry A. Burton on Tuesday presented the County’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to the Board of County Commissioners. The proposed $4.3 billion budget reduces the property rate for the third time in four years.
Prudent fiscal practices, along with sustained local growth, will allow the County to continue providing the same high level of service and meet budgetary goals without raising the General Fund millage – the rate used to calculate the main property tax – for the 11th straight year. The budget proposes a millage rate of 4.5947 mills, which is 0.1451 mills lower than the 2024 rate, and lowers the Countywide Emergency Medical Services millage and seven of the 12 Fire District rates under the Board’s purview. No property tax rates are proposed to increase.
The budget includes $3.3 billion for County operations and $1 billion for capital improvement projects. The Penny for Pinellas sales tax will continue to fully fund projects promised as part of the original plan.
Key budgetary goals over the next year include:
- Continued strong support of Sheriff’s operations, regional 911 services, emergency medical response services and County-supported first responders.
- Continued enhanced maintenance of roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure that would not have been possible without the Board’s commitment of dedicated funds.
- Maintaining our natural assets, especially our beaches, to support the economic engine that tourism provides in our region. This includes fully funding beach nourishment in FY 25 and all future years through the Tourist Development Tax, assuming a worst-case scenario of not having financial assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The County is continuing efforts to change the USACE requirement on easements to urge them to honor existing agreements for nourishment funding.
- Support for the recently launched Care About Me (CAM) coordinated access model that streamlines and improves behavioral healthcare access.
- Advancing affordable housing initiatives in partnership with municipalities.
Next Steps
Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices will be mailed to all County property owners on Aug. 19. The FY 2025 proposed budget will go before the Board at the Sept. 5 and Sept. 19, 2024, public hearings. The new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, 2024.