City of Winter Haven Approves 1st Reading of Next Year’s $263.6 Million Budget
by James Coulter
A brand-new recreational center, resurfaced streets and sidewalks, and a focus on community safety are some of the highlights of the $263.6 million budget being considered by the Winter Haven City Commission.
At their regular meeting on Tuesday evening, Winter Haven City Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of next year’s city budget.
City Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the city’s 6.5900 millage rate, which is expected to generate more than $27 million for the city’s general fund at a collection rate of 96.50 percent.
City Manager T. Michael Stavres explained that the millage rate is higher than the rollback rate. In comparison to the 18 other taxing authorities in Polk County, Winter Haven’s millage rate is ranked at 9th. The city’s tax rate was last raised in 2018, but it was lowered by two-tenths of a mill in 2022.
The total budget for the next fiscal year is $297.6 million; however, when internal transfers are considered, the budget is $263.6 million.
The upcoming budget will include $250K for the affordable housing trust fund, $320K earmarked for non-profits (40 agencies), and $295K for homeless initiatives targeting families with school-age children, an effort coordinated with Heart 4 Winter Haven.
The budget also includes $294K for the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District to offset the costs associated with the Winter Haven Area Transit fixed route system, and $285K for community partners, which include the Winter Haven EDC, the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Winter Haven and Polk Vision.
The budget includes 630 full-time employees and 106 part-time employees for a total of 736 employees. These employees include six new police officers to help address the growth happening in the community, and 24 part-time employees to assist with the renovations to the recreational center.
City Manager Stavres also highlighted that 45 percent of the budget (or a little more than 134 million) will go toward capital and investments in new roads, facilities, and other major expenses of things “that will last longer than five years and have a higher dollar value.”
The largest expense in the city’s general fund is in public safety, with the total cost of police, fire, and code compliance being 30.7 million, or 42 percent of general fund operations. City Manager Stavres insisted that these expenses were money worth spending, as “we want to make sure people are safe at all times.”
Also included in the budget are two community redevelopment districts: the Downtown CRA at $1.3 million, and the Florence Villa CRA at $3.75 million.
The budget includes various projects, including renovations to fire stations, the women’s club, and resurfaced streets and trails in city parks.
By far, the most prominent project is the Winter Haven Recreational and Cultural Center Improvements Project. At a projected $21 million, the project will construct a 37,616 square-foot facility, which will include a double gymnasium, along with a new swimming pool, playground, and splash pad area.
During public comments, one resident, Craig White, raised concerns about what he assumed was a millage increase. He said that many people living in the city are on a fixed income and thus have not received a wage increase. City Manager Starves corrected White, assuring him that the millage rate was not increasing, but rather staying the same.
City Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of the millage rate and the city budget. The second reading will be held at the meeting scheduled for Mon. Sep. 23 at 6 PM.
