Clearwater sets tentative millage, schedules budget hearings amid concern over statewide referendum

Clearwater City Council on July 16 set a tentative millage rate and scheduled two public hearings on the proposed fiscal‑year 2026–27 budget after a staff presentation that outlined a roughly $800.2 million total budget and several capital priorities.

Budget Director Kaelin (Kailene) Castle told council the proposed total budget for all city funds is $800,214,596 with operating and special revenue funds of $609,673,696 and capital improvements budgeted at $190,540,900. The proposal includes nine additional full‑time positions, mostly in public safety, and capital projects such as automated meter reading, water reclamation facility consolidation, well‑field improvements, and stormwater and sewer repairs.

The city manager recommended a tentative millage rate of 5.8850 mills; during council discussion members debated whether to set that rate or adopt the rollback rate as the tentative maximum. City staff explained the preliminary figures and estimated the per‑homehold impact of moving to the rollback would be modest — about $0.77 per $100,000 of taxable value (roughly $1.92 on a $250,000 taxable value). Council members emphasized the importance of continued belt‑tightening in departmental budgets while acknowledging the budget maintains public safety and adds nine firefighters.

Patrick Raftery, a resident, urged the city to lead public education about a pending statewide property‑tax referendum in November and to explain how the measure could affect the city’s budget and services.

After discussion council voted unanimously to set the tentative millage (council recorded support for a rollback rate during discussion and moved the item forward). The two public hearings on the budget are scheduled for Sept. 15 and Sept. 21, both to begin at 6 p.m., with a special work session on August 11 for further departmental review.

What happens next: The tentative millage and budget will appear on TRIM notices sent to taxpayers; council may lower the rate before final adoption but cannot raise it above the tentative ceiling without additional notice.