By Matt Hoffmann, WVTC
The Leon County Commission held its budget workshop Tuesday, where commissioners met to discuss the preliminary budget.
During the workshop that lasted over three hours, the budget director revealed that next year’s proposed budget is about $26 million more than this year, totaling just over $404 million.
The commission voted to keep the millage rate, a property tax rate, steady. The increase in spending will be covered by an increase in property values and other fees or taxes.
Because the legislature just finished its budget after the county staff drafted their proposal, the county is currently facing a $565,000 deficit.
As a result, Commissioner Nick Maddox said they won’t be able to accept the budget as-is.
“Finding the $565,000 won’t be easy,” he said. “If you’re so reliant on one source, you’re in trouble.”
During the Tuesday meeting, commissioners also voted unanimously to advance the Leon County Sheriff’s Office budget for the 2026 fiscal year.
The proposed budget for the sheriff’s office is up 9%, spending $10 million more. Additionally, it includes pay raises, new deputies and more overtime.
If ratified, LCSO would hire one new school resource deputy, one Homeless Outreach Team Deputy and higher wages and overtime for jail staff.
Assistant County Administrator Ken Morris explained that since the Leon County Detention Facility was built in the 1990s, it isn’t designed to current standards.
Sometimes, there is only one detention deputy for every 94 offenders, something he says is dangerous.
“[The sheriff] is requesting to add a second deputy to some of the largest pods in the jail right now,” Morris said. “The sheriff’s also got a lot of vacancies for detention deputies and needs additional overtime funding to support this initiative.”
Leon County commission leaders addressed affordable housing, unanimously advancing a measure to allocate $250,000 in gap funding for this initiative.
Maddox and Commissioner David O’Keefe thanked the Capital Area Justice Ministry for their efforts in advancing the affordable housing proposal.
The commission previously voted down a $1.2 million ask from the non-profit group, but CAJM and the commission compromised on the $250,000 allocation, bringing the total amount in that account to $500,000.
Commissioner Bill Proctor said the commission should’ve funded CAJM’s full ask.
“The sheriff didn’t have the additional $10 million this year and he survived,” Proctor said. “They [CAJM] didn’t get it.”
Final votes regarding LCSO’s proposed budget and the measure to allocate funds for affordable housing are expected to take place on July 8.
A final vote on the millage rate is expected in September. The commission voted 5-1 to keep the rate steady, with Commissioner Christian Caban voting against and Maddox absent for that vote.
View the original story here.
