Atlantic Beach keeps millage at 2.7499 mills, adopts $57.83M FY27 budget with $500K contingency

The Atlantic Beach City Commission adopted the millage rate of 2.7499 and the FY27 operating budget of $57,830,833 on Sept. 28, citing a need to balance infrastructure needs with fiscal prudence.

City Manager Kevin Hogancamp summarized the proposal, saying the revised general fund totals $21,947,294 and the budget contains a $500,000 capital outlay hold to provide flexibility if Amendment 3 poses future revenue reductions. "This balanced financial plan maintains our commitment to transparency, to fiscal discipline, core municipal operations, and community infrastructure," Hogancamp told the commission. He recommended a formal midyear budget review to determine whether to encumber the $500,000 hold depending on the November vote outcome.

Public commenters split on the choice: Brinkley Harrell urged adopting the rollback rate to avoid perceived tax increases, saying "we have the lowest millage rate but the highest taxes because of median assessed values," while Sarah Boren warned that repeated rollbacks shift costs into more expensive deferred maintenance and said, "Deferred maintenance is not a savings account." After discussion the commission adopted the millage and budget by unanimous roll call; commissioners also asked staff to return with midyear analysis.