Lee County approves $3.27B budget, holds tax rate steady

Lee County commissioners balanced the budget Sept. 15, approving a $3.272 billion revenue and spending package for the coming fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. 

The fiscal 2026-27 budget represents an 8.5% increase over last year. It is supported by a countywide property tax, or millage, rate of 3.7623 mills, or $3.7623 per $1,000 of taxable property value. 

That is the same rate as last year but 0.89% above the rolled-back rate needed to generate revenue equal to last year’s. 

Commissioners also approved fiscal 2027 millage rates for libraries, disaster preparedness and special taxing districts in unincorporated communities. 

The increasing costs and need for greater revenue are “primarily due to continued investment in public safety, the Sheriff’s Office, emergency medical services and transportation, as well as funding the county’s health fund and also, wage adjustments,” Lee County Assistant County Manager and Chief Financial Officer Pete Winton said. 

The county’s expected operating budget for fiscal 2027, including courts and constitutional offices, grew by 4.71% to $1.295 billion. Its budget for capital projects grew by 61.34% to nearly $460 million, led by investment in transportation. The cost of insurance also ticked up by 17.28% to $152 million. County reserves sit at $768 million, a 9.1% increase from last year. 

The Sheriff’s Office is the most expensive item in the county’s general fund. For fiscal 2027, commissioners appropriated $345.4 million for the Sheriff’s Office, a 5.4% increase from last year and an 82.46% increase from fiscal 2020. 

The rest of the county’s constitutional offices and court-related functions make up nearly $109 million in spending, including the Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, courts, Clerk, Supervisor of Elections, Medical Examiner, State Attorney, Public Defender, Guardian Ad Litem program and others. 

This year’s budget also includes a 5% wage increase for Lee County employees who work in its constitutional offices. 

At previous budget discussions this year, county commissioners had tentatively agreed on a 4% raise. Commission Chair Cecil Pendergrass made a last-minute motion, seconded by Commissioner Kevin Ruane, to increase the amount by 1 percentage point. 

The motion passed 3-2, with Commissioners David Mulicka and Brian Hamman dissenting. Both argued for sticking with the tentative 4% agreement, which they said could help protect jobs if revenues decline in coming years. 

“I’m trying to protect whole jobs,” Mulicka said. “I think the deal we made is the deal I support.” 

County operations, such as public safety, human services, parks and other facilities cost $224.7 million. Other appropriations include $15.5 million for Medicaid, $30.9 million for major maintenance and $5 million for Conservation 20/20, the voter-approved land conservation program. 

Commissioners remained wary of a potential steep drop in property tax revenue in coming years if voters approve Amendment 3 in November. 

At previous budget discussions, they also discussed a possible drop in residential real estate values. 

At the Sept. 15 hearing, public speakers asked Lee County commissioners to preserve programs they said could be threatened by cuts or elimination if Amendment 3 passes. 

Lee County resident Marsha Ellis argued for continuing to preserve the Conservation 20/20 program. 

Amy Turner, executive director of the Sally J. Pimentel Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center in Fort Myers, thanked the county for continuing to fund the nonprofit this year with $97,247.70. That’s nearly a quarter of its budget. 

“We are extremely, extremely grateful,” she said. “We are also deeply concerned about the effect of the property tax amendment coming up in November. … I respectfully ask the county to protect funding (for the center), recognizing that even partial cuts would seriously affect small nonprofits like ours that provide significant benefits to numerous county agencies and the residents they serve.”