St. Johns County adopts tentative FY2027 millage and $1.94 billion budget; final hearing set for Sept. 15

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners adopted tentative millage rates and a tentative fiscal year 2027 budget during a special meeting Thursday evening, then scheduled the final public hearing for 5:01 p.m. Sept. 15 in the County Auditorium.

Wade Schroeder of the Office of Management and Budget presented the budget, reporting a recommended budget of $1.45 billion plus roughly $484 million in carry forwards that brought a tentative total to about $1.939 billion. Schroeder said the board is proposing flat millage rates and listed the aggregate rollback rate at 6.6143 mils and the county's proposed tentative aggregate millage at 6.7559 mils — a 2.14% increase over rollback.

Commissioner Winters moved to adopt Resolution 2026-294 (tentative millage) and Resolution 2026-295 (tentative budget). Both measures passed on recorded votes of 5–0. The budget resolution used a certified taxable value of $63,056,698,242, which the motion said would generate an estimated $426,006,002 in property tax revenue for FY2027.

Schroeder told the board the tentative budget includes about 33.25 net new FTEs, over $264 million in new capital funding in the CIP, and roughly $126 million in borrowing for utility and infrastructure projects. He emphasized that any millage approved tonight serves as a ceiling and may be lowered but not increased at the Sept. 15 hearing.

The board also set the final hearing date and time: Sept. 15, 2026 at 5:01 p.m. in the County Auditorium, continuing the formal process required under Florida law.