City of Winter Haven Gives Preliminary Approval to $250M+ Budget and 6.590 Millage Rate
by James Coulter
New vehicles for the police department, a new air conditioning system for the fire department, and improvements to the city swimming pool. These are some of the projects proposed for next fiscal year’s $250 million budget.
At their meeting on Wed. Sep. 10, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the city’s budget and millage rate for next fiscal year.
The millage rate is planned to be set at 6.590 mills. Under that rate, homeowners with a property assessment of $10,000 are estimated to pay $6,950 in property taxes next year, according to calculations through Anytime Estimate. Winter Haven will also remain as the 8th lowest millage rate in the county.
Next fiscal year’s budget has been balanced at $250,280,102. The budget’s general fund totals more than $3 million, with ad valorem revenues having increased by $3 million and gross taxable property values increasing by 12.3 percent to 5.45 billion.
Proceeds from ad valorem will go toward funding the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) at more than $4 million, and $1 million will fund both the Downtown District and Florence Villa District.
Community partners to be funded include Polk Vision at $5,000, Main Street Winter Haven at $20,000, the Chamber of Commerce at $70,000, and the Economic Development Council at $200,000.
Nearly 88 non-profit organizations will be funded, which includes $250,000 allocated to affordable housing.
Major investments and projects will include $390,000 for new police vehicles, $120,000 for a new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for Fire Station 1, $100,000 for a new HVAC and flooring for the Rotary Park clubhouse, and $70,000 for improvements to the Rowdy Gaines Pool.
Budgeted positions include 652 full-time positions and 113 part-time positions for a total of 776 positions. These include 3 new police officers, four new firefighters, and one maintenance operator.
The budget will also include a proposed base rate adjustment of $16.80 per hour for city employees, a five percent increase. This increase has been proposed due to a recent study revealing the City is on average 5.5 percent below the local labor market and 9.61 percent below local and regional labor markets combined.
The second reading of the budget and millage rate has been scheduled for the next city commission meeting on Mon. Sep. 22 at 6 PM at Winter Haven City Hall.
