Lee County approves $3B budget, holds tax rate steady

Lee County Commissioners balanced the budget Sept. 16, approving a $3 billion revenue and spending package for the coming fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. 

The total $3.016 billion budget is a 5.27% increase from last year. The county’s total operating budget of $1.23 billion is up 5.61%. Its capital projects budget of $371.2 million is up almost 19% and reserves sit at $704.1 million, up 3.87%. 

An increasing population, inflationary pressures, health care cost increases and pay increases were factored into this year’s budget, county staff said. The Sheriff’s Office was the county’s single largest expenditure, while its Conservation 20/20 land acquisition and stewardship program drew the most vocal public support at the meeting. 

The Sheriff’s budget of $327.7 million was up from last year’s $308.8 million and the largest item in the $732.6 million general fund.  

During the meeting’s public comments, a speaker asked to address a question regarding that cost to Sheriff Carmine Marceno, but he wasn’t present at the meeting.  

In his budget request in July, Marceno wrote that the agency’s budget included operationally essential items with capital requests held to “the most urgent and mission critical needs,” such as cybersecurity and IT infrastructure.  

Increased costs included a 5% salary bump request costing $9.8 million and rising health care costs. 

“While preparing this year’s request, we recognize the financial uncertainty facing the county this year, including a lower-than-expected increase in the tax rolls,” Marceno wrote. “…We have and will continue to consistently work with county commissioners and administrators to ensure fiscal responsibility and accountably during periods of economic growth and uncertainly, all while representing the best interests of the taxpayers of Lee County.” 

The rest of the county’s constitutional offices all together take up $104.6 million, including the Tax Collector, Courts, Clerk, Supervisor of Elections, Medical Examiner, State Attorney, Public Defender, Guardian Ad Litem program and others also are represented.  

County operations such as public safety, human services, parks and other facilities cost $211.7 million. Other costs include $15.3 million for debt services, $15 million for Medicaid and $31.8 million for major maintenance.  

The county budgeted $4 million for Conservation 20/20 in 2025-26, the popular land conservation program that began in 1996.  

More than 20 public speakers at the Sept. 16 meeting urged commissioners to continue to support the program that voters approved and replenish its dwindling fund. 

Lee County’s Land Development Code requires the conservation fund to be replenished when it drops below $40 million but does not state when officials must do that. It recently dropped to $19 million due to budget constraints after recent hurricanes, county staff said. 

Several times during the meeting, Commissioner Kevin Ruane assured speakers that the commission will continue to support 20/20, pointing out that there is a $95.2 million reserve in the general fund that could be used to cover the cost to replenish the conservation fund. He also said that the county will hold a separate workshop on 20/20 soon. 

“I assure you every commissioner here wants to go forward with the 20/20 project,” he said. 

Since it began, Lee County has purchased 31,722 acres at a cost of $407.1 million for the program. Combined with other county, federal, state, city, nonprofit and private lands, a total of 141,758 of the county’s 520,576 acres are held in conservation.  

Commissioners on Sept. 16 also set the 2025-26 property tax rate at 3.7623 mills or a little more than $3.76 per $1,000 of taxable property value.  

That’s the same rate as last year but 4.04% higher than the rolled-back rate that would have generated the same amount taxes as last year. 

With county property values increasing by 8.17% this year, the millage rate is set to generate $657.5 million in ad valorem taxes for 2025-26. The next highest source of revenue is expected to come from $582.6 million in charges for services.