Lakeland officials gave their first vote of approval to the city's 2027 budget on Sept. 10, which could cause many homeowners to pay more on their property taxes this year.
The city has proposed a $197.9 million General Fund budget for next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1, with a focus on shoring up public infrastructure and adopting technology to enhance public safety.
The city commission will meet at 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at City Hall, 228 S. Massachusetts Ave., for a second hearing on the budget. There is opportunity for members of the public to comment.
So we're breaking down what Lakeland residents and homeowners need to know about the 2027 budget:
Total budget: $864.2 million: Includes all the city's enterprise funds and utilities such as Lakeland Linder International Airport and Lakeland Electric.
General Fund budget: $197,911,593: Includes day-to-day operating costs such as police and fire departments, parks and recreation.
Estimated property taxes to be collected: about $65.2 million, up $2.3 million from last year.
Balancing the budget: $18.7 million in surplus to balance the budget.
Proposed millage rate: 5.4323 mills. What's that cost? $5.43 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Average assessed value, single-family home: $190,202, this is the value of single-family house, minus any tax exemptions, such as homestead.
Estimated annual taxes, for average single-family home: $761 per year.
Compared to 2026: Increase of $49, due to increased property values.
Here's a breakdown of how the General Fund Budget is spent:
$138.7 million on personnel expenses, city employees' salaries and benefits across all departments.
General city employees proposed to receive 2% across-the-board annual wage increase with a possible 2.5% to 3% wage increase for those eligible.
City will add eight new full-time positions, while deleting a vacant position for an increase of seven full-time employees.
Lakeland Police Department $72.7 million.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts: $38.9 million.
Lakeland Fire Department $35.8 million
Information Technology department $35.3 million
City Manager Shawn Sherrouse told commissioners there is more than $47 million invested in new strategic projects in Lakeland's proposed 2027 budget.
Here's a quick breakdown of some of the highlights of spending on new projects within the city in 2027:
Lakeland Electric: $2.9 million on Larsen Plant improvments.
Lakeland Electric: over $2.8 million for McIntosh Unit 5 upgrades.
Lakeland CRA: $1.5 million of Rose Street reconstruction.
Lakeland CRA: $700,000 for South Florida Avenue streetscape improvements in summer 2027.
Lakeland CRA: $500,000 for Memorial Boulevard streetscape improvements.
Lakeland Police Department: $439,000 to purchase and use the Peregrine program, a centralized database for public safety investigations.
Mass Market area: $1.5 million on urban design plans.
Affordable housing programs: $1.9 million.
More than $3 million for Housing Rehabilitation and Home Purchase Assistance programs
Capital Improvement Fund: $750,000 to replace Barnett Park's splash pad.
Capital Improvement Fund: $800,000 for new LED lighting at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Capital Improvement Fund: $180,000 for Washington Park playground equipment replacements.
Read more of The Ledger's coverage on City of Lakeland's proposed 2027 budget.
The detailed line-by-line of the city's proposed 2027 budget is now available on the city's website at lakelandgov.net/departments/finance/annual-budget.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland property taxes could rise under 2027 budget. Here's why