Pinellas County sets tentative FY27 millage at 4.4989 mills after amendments

Pinellas County staff presented changes to the proposed FY27 budget and the board adopted amended tentative millages and budgets in a unanimous vote. Chris Rose, director of the Office of Management and Budget, summarized a memo of changes that restored funding for Weed and Island and Shell Key ($555,000), capped park parking fees, and adjusted airport and Medicaid revenue estimates.

"We are building capacity for future bond payments for the new administrative campus," OMB director Chris Rose told the board as he reviewed technical adjustments and restored line items. After a prolonged public and commission debate about preserving social‑action funding for nonprofits versus increasing the rollback toward a lower millage, the board agreed to a compromise: the county will cover one year of ongoing social‑action funding from one‑time reserves while reducing the proposed millage. The adopted tentative countywide general‑fund millage is 4.4989 mills; the aggregate millage across dependent districts and MSTUs was reported as 6.1141 mills, slightly below the nominal rollback aggregate.

Commissioners debated program priorities. Commissioner Peters urged caution about cuts that could affect drainage and flood mitigation, saying roads and culverts are a core government responsibility. Commissioner Flowers and others argued for a phased approach that preserves some funding for nonprofits serving veterans, seniors and people experiencing homelessness while moving toward longer‑term policy changes.

The board closed the first public budget hearing and scheduled the final hearing for Sept. 24, when staff will publish required notices and bring the budget back for final adoption.