The new budgets are in for Sarasota County and its three cities, with a mix of spending increases, cuts and largely steady property tax rates as officials brace for a potential revenue hit if voters approve Amendment 3.
The proposed amendment would increase the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and then to $250,000 by Jan. 1, 2028. That potential loss of property tax revenue helped shape the county’s budget and those of North Port, Sarasota and Venice for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The county and cities’ fiscal years start Oct. 1 and end Sept. 30.
A modest millage rate decrease for Sarasota County
Sarasota County’s $2.45 billion fiscal year budget is built around an overall countywide mileage rate of 3.833 mills, which is technically a reduction of 0.0009 mills from
the 2025-26 fiscal year millage rate.
But decreases in the millage rate for the mosquito control program as well as to finance the Environmentally Sensitive Land Protection Program and the Legacy Trail offset a 0.044 mill increase in the general operating millage rate to 3.2317 mills.
That general operating millage rate is projected to raise about $332.3 million.
A mill raises $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value.
Two consecutive days of budget workshops, June 16 and 17, confirmed that belt-tightening had eliminated a projected 2027-28 budget deficit, as county staff came in at or under the 1.6% growth limit for the 2026-27 fiscal year — with Sheriff Kurt Hoffman coming in at only a 1.5% increase.
Sarasota budget increased by more than 6%
The city of Sarasota built its $322.36 million budget on a tax rate of 3.273 mills plus a debt service millage rate of 0.1348 mills for the 2015 bond that financed the police headquarters.
That means property taxes in the city will account for $57.65 million of Sarasota’s $113.04 million general fund budget.
The general fund budget increased by almost $4.67 million, or 4.31%, while the overall budget, which includes enterprise funds, internal services and debt service, increased $18.79 million, or 6.19%.
Sarasota City Manager Karie Friling, who started in late May, praised city staff for cobbling together a budget while dealing with three separate city managers.
“It’s never easy having more than one boss, let alone three,” Friling said.
North Port leaves millage rate unchanged
The North Port City Commission kept the ad valorem property-tax rate at 3.7667 mills — unchanged since 2021.
The overall $338.5 million budget represented a 1.3% increase from the previous year.
The city cut almost $6 million through a variety of cost-saving measures, ranging from reduced travel and training, elimination of vacant positions and a reduction of community events.
The city also capped pay increases for non-union employees at 3%.
The budget does not include the proposed one-time Solid Waste assessments of $128.01 per developed dwelling unit and $150.49 per vacant or future residential-density unit, which were expected to generate more than $9 million to pay for a proposed Solid Waste Transfer Station. There is no increase to the Solid Waste rate.
The Road and Drainage assessment also remains unchanged rather than increasing by the recommended 5%.
Investments include $1 million for online permitting and virtual inspections that will expand and improve customer service; $5.3 million in federal and state grants for neighborhood wastewater extensions; $350,000 for the Dallas White Park boat launch; and funding for emergency response, vehicles and equipment, after-school programming, Utilities backup systems and more.
Venice trims spending, adds two police officers
The city of Venice’s $161.5 million budget calls for a reduction of roughly $11 million in spending compared to the 2025-26 budget, which was balanced by using more than $9 million in reserves.
As part of the process, the city added 3.5 positions to public works fleet maintenance, which moved into the former Douglas Jeep facility on U.S. 41 Bypass. The city also trimmed eight vacant positions elsewhere.
Following a council directive at the last budget workshop in July, the city trimmed funding from a variety of sources so it could pay to add two police officers, following recommendations from a staffing study by Palm Bay, Florida-based Jones Solution Group.
The budget was built on the existing tax rate of 3.8450 mills — which is anticipated to raise $28.14 million — plus a 0.3451 millage rate for debt service, primarily for the 2016 bond issues to build a new police station and repave roughly 70 lane miles of roads.
Earle Kimel primarily covers local governments in Sarasota County as well as land development and environmental issues for the Herald-Tribune. Follow him on Facebook and X. He can be reached by email at earle.kimel@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota braces for Amendment 3 with spending cuts and new budgets
