Okeechobee County adopts tentative 7.5000-mill rate and $176.15M FY2027 budget

The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners on Thursday adopted a tentative general millage rate of 7.5000 mills for the 2026 tax year and a tentative fiscal year 2027 budget totaling $176,154,523. The Clerk read the required statutory disclosures, noting the millage is greater than the rollback rate of 7.1382 by 5.07%.

"The tentative general millage rate of 7.5000 mills is allocated entirely to the general fund," the Clerk said while presenting the fiscal figures. The Clerk also said the proposed expenditures total $120,414,551 and proposed reserves total $55,739,972; a copy of the tentative budget will be filed in the office of the Okeechobee County Clerk of Circuit Court as a public record. The board approved the tentative millage (Resolution 2026-59) and the tentative budget (Resolution 2026-60) by unanimous voice votes and scheduled a final hearing to adopt the final millage and budget for Sept. 24, 2026, at 5:01 p.m. at the Historical Courthouse, 304 Northwest 2nd Street.

The hearing drew no public speakers before the board moved to close public comment and adopt the tentative measures. The chair noted a clarification attributed to "Miss Lisa" that roughly $55 million of the $176 million is held in reserves and is not part of operating expenditures.