Orlando prepares to consider $1.88 billion budget with no property-tax rate increase
Orlando City Council is scheduled to begin formal consideration Monday of a proposed $1.88 billion budget for fiscal year 2026-27, a plan that would keep the city’s property-tax millage rate unchanged while adding 44 police and fire first responders.
The proposal is not final. The first public budget hearing is scheduled for September 14, 2026, at 5:01 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Orlando City Hall, with a second and final hearing scheduled for September 28.
What the proposed budget would do
The City of Orlando describes the proposal as balanced and says it would maintain the current millage rate for a 13th consecutive fiscal year. That means the city is not proposing an increase in its property-tax rate, although the council’s budget process will determine the final rate and how existing revenue is allocated.
Public safety is the proposal’s most prominent priority. It calls for 44 additional police and fire first responders, along with equipment, technology and training for Orlando police officers and firefighters. The city also says the proposal supports 24-hour police, fire, rescue and emergency medical services throughout Orlando.
Infrastructure priorities identified by the city include road resurfacing and repairs, sidewalk improvements, traffic-signal maintenance and upgrades, and transportation-safety projects connected to the city’s Vision Zero goals. Orlando says it is responsible for approximately 900 miles of streets, 1,200 miles of sidewalks and more than 500 traffic signals.
Parks and neighborhood programs
The tentative plan also provides resources for parks, recreation facilities and neighborhood programs. The city says its current system includes 123 parks, 61 sports fields, 56 playgrounds and 19 neighborhood centers, along with year-round recreation programs and community activities.
The specific final allocations remain subject to council action during the September budget hearings.
City prepares for possible future revenue pressure
Orlando’s budget process comes as Florida voters prepare to consider proposed Amendment 3 on the November ballot. The city says the amendment could reduce Orlando’s future property-tax revenue by up to $35 million in fiscal year 2028 and as much as $50 million by fiscal year 2030.
Those figures are city projections of potential future exposure, not current losses. The city says the amendment’s outcome remains unknown.
To prepare for that possibility, the proposal would place a hold on new positions across departments except public safety and establish a Budget Stabilization Fund using this year’s savings. The city says the fund would help protect essential services if future revenues decline.
How residents can participate
The first hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall at 400 South Orange Avenue. The meeting will also be available through the city’s online viewing options, including its website, YouTube page and television channels listed on the city’s event page.
Residents who want to speak must submit a written request to the City Clerk’s Office. Requests can be made through the city’s online comment form, by email, by mail or in person at the City Clerk’s Office. Speakers are generally limited to three minutes, unless the council sets a different limit. People joining virtually can use the meeting’s raise-hand feature, or dial *9 by phone, when prompted.
If the council approves the proposal after the required hearings, the adopted budget is scheduled to take effect October 1, 2026. Until then, the millage rate, staffing additions and spending priorities remain subject to council action.
Sources
Look for updates to this story
Discover more from Interactive News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.