Orlando City Council adopts budget and 6.6500-mill tax rate
A $779,944,015 General Fund anchors the spending plan for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — orlando adopts fy 2026–27 budget and, mayor’s update, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Commissioner Burns supported the budget but said road repairs should receive closer to $20 million because residents use city streets every day.
Orlando’s next budget puts road repairs and property taxes in focus. The Orlando City Council unanimously adopted its FY 2026–27 budget after the second and final public hearing. The plan includes a $779,944,015 General Fund budget, and the City Council set the city property tax rate at 6.6500 mills. The fiscal year runs from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
Assistant Chief Financial Officer Jason Wakowski said the budget had not changed since the first hearing on September 14. He said the city had updated the format of its budget schedules to make the documents clearer and more consistent. Wakowski said the final commissioner budget notebook was posted on the city’s website in early September; preliminary documents, including a July 13 workshop presentation, had been available since late July.
Two people spoke during public comment. A downtown resident thanked the mayor and commissioners for their work, while a speaker staying at a Salvation Army shelter raised concerns about homelessness and policing and suggested assigning an officer to the Christian Service Help Center. Commissioner Burns supported the budget but said the $10 million allotted to road repairs should be closer to $20 million. Burns argued that repaving deserves priority because residents use city streets daily. The Mayor urged residents to understand how property tax revenue supports city services as discussion continues over a possible statewide ballot amendment. The City Council adopted the budget without opposition.
Mayor’s Update: Community Events, Elections, Grants, and Pulse Memorial Consent Item Highlight
At the Orlando City Council meeting, Mayor Dyer invited residents to a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Marriott Downtown Creative Village and promoted the coming Saturday’s Pride festival and parade. He reminded residents of the November 3 general election, saying 27 early-voting sites were open and vote-by-mail ballots could be requested.
Mayor Dyer recognized grant awards to 64 for-profit community service and arts organizations, along with the panel that reviewed applications. He described the organizations’ services as critical and asked their representatives and the reviewers to stand for applause.
Mayor Dyer highlighted an Orlando City Council consent agenda item for a Pulse Memorial construction contract with Gomez Construction Company. He said it would move the memorial from design to construction, honoring the 49 people killed on June 12, 2016. According to the mayor, community donors contributed $7.5 million beyond funding from the city, county and state. He thanked the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee for its conceptual design and Commissioner Sheen for advocacy. Construction is expected to begin in fall and finish by the end of 2027.
OCPS seeks renewal of one-mill school tax
At the Orlando City Council, OCPS presented a proposed four-year renewal of its one-mill school tax, beginning July 1, 2027. OCPS said it could generate $255 million, including a required $28.2 million share for charter schools, and that the remaining revenue supports 1,842 instructional positions.
Voters will decide whether to renew a tax OCPS says supports teachers and other instructional positions.
Orlando City Council adopts downtown tax rate
The Orlando City Council unanimously adopted the Downtown Development Board’s FY 2026–27 budget of $4,360,558 and its 1.82-mill property tax rate. The budget had not changed since its first hearing on September 14, and no one spoke during public comment on the tax rate.
The 1.82-mill levy applies to property within the downtown development district.
Commissioner Sheen urges safer school crossings
At the Orlando City Council, Commissioner Sheen urged the city and OCPS to coordinate on crosswalks and traffic signals near schools. She described children being dropped off along a road with a 45 mile-per-hour speed limit at Millennia Elementary; a developer later installed a signal and crosswalk there.
School pickup traffic can leave children crossing busy roads, while responsibility for improvements remains a concern.
OCPS reports decline in student enrollment
At the Orlando City Council, OCPS reported losing 19,000 students since 2022, a decline it linked to birth rates, housing trends, immigration policy and vouchers. Scott Howitt said fewer students are entering the district, reducing school-level funding and prompting staffing adjustments and discussions about school facilities.
Fewer enrolled students mean less school-level funding and may affect staffing and the use of school buildings.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
ORLANDO had 28 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEMayor’s update: recognition of Florida Division I football teams; agenda highlights and economic development/Main Streets acknowledgments. Mayor Dyer recognized Florida’s Division I football teams and highlighted agenda items related to the downtown canopy project, $1 million for entrepreneurs and small businesses, and annual agreements with economic development organizations and Main Street districts, noting program outcomes and thanking participating partners.
- GOVERNANCECouncil Q&A: Property Tax Concerns, Amendment 3 Impacts, Larger School Models, Healthcare Costs, and Student Meals. Commissioner Sheen raised concerns about property tax perceptions and the impact of “amendment three” on local government revenues, noting school taxes may not be affected and seniors’ frustrations. OCPS discussed millage/trim disparities, rising healthcare costs (23% increase), operational efficiency of larger school models, staffing sharing, and changes to free meal eligibility.
- GOVERNANCEDowntown South district adopts budget and 5.26-mill rate. The Downtown South Neighborhood Improvement District adopted its FY 2026–27 budget and a 5.26-mill property tax rate. The rate was above the stated rolled-back rate, and both actions passed unanimously without public comment.
- GOVERNANCEResolution Adopting 2026 Inventory of Real Property Appropriate for Affordable Housing. Council adopted a resolution approving the 2026 inventory list of City-owned real property deemed appropriate for affordable housing, as required by Florida statutes. No public speakers were indicated.
- GOVERNANCEAmendment to red light camera contract (extension during procurement). Council approved item 8A to extend the city’s existing red light camera agreement to avoid interruption while a competitive procurement process is completed, maintaining service for 45 camera approaches across 25 intersections.
- GOVERNANCECouncil Q&A: Class Size Targets and Special Education Funding Basics. Commissioner Rose asked about class size adjustments to meet parent needs and whether OCPS aims to lower class sizes. OCPS responded with target ratios by grade bands and noted constraints due to certified teacher costs. Rose also asked about special needs funding; OCPS described base allocation plus add-ons based on disability level.
- GOVERNANCECommissioner Reports: District Updates and Community Announcements (Ortiz, Chapen, Sheen, Rose, Burns, Keane). Commissioners delivered district updates covering grants, housing, National Night Out, business openings, school and neighborhood visits, public safety meetings, homelessness initiatives, Pride reflections, infrastructure work, and upcoming events.
- GOVERNANCECommissioner district updates (consent agenda pre-vote remarks). Commissioners provided district updates, highlighting community events, public safety and transportation initiatives, business and workforce development, Main Street district activities, and specific agenda items they supported.
- GOVERNANCEFirst Reading: Growth Management Plan Amendment Updating Capital Improvements Fund Schedule (Figure CI-5, 2026–2031). Council approved Ordinance 2026-28 on first reading to amend the City’s adopted growth management plan by updating Figure CI-5 (2026–2031 capital improvements fund schedule) and amending policy CI.
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