City of Winter Haven Approves $236 Million Budget for Next Fiscal Year. Here’s What’s Inside
by James Coulter
Affordable housing, homelessness assistance for school-aged children and their families, and a greater focus on community safety are some of the major priorities for Winter Haven’s budget for the next fiscal year.
At their regular meeting on Mon. Sep. 23, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve both the budget and millage rate for the next fiscal year.
The overall budget totals more than $263 million. The adopted millage rate is 6.5900 mills, which is expected to generate more than $27 million for the general fund at a collection rate of 96.50 percent. As such, ad valorem taxes are expected to make slightly more than 10 percent of the budget’s total revenue.
Many of the significant projects and spending within next year’s budget include:
• 250,000 for affordable housing efforts.
• 320,000 for support of non-profit organizations, including 40 agencies to be funded.
• 285,000 for community partnerships with Winter Haven EDC, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Winter Haven, and Polk Vision.
• 295,000 for the commission’s efforts to address homelessness in housing among families that have school-aged children through arrangements we have with Hearts 4 Winter Haven.
• 294,000 for the Lakeland Mass Transit to continue the WH Area Mass Transit program.
The budget supports funding for 630 full-time employees and 106 part-time employees. The budget will also continue to fund the STEP plan, which adjusts employee rates on an annual basis during the anniversary of their employment.
Approximately 45 percent of the budget will go towards capital improvements, including investments in infrastructure like roadways and utilities. About 20 percent of the budget is aligned with personnel and other miscellaneous costs. And 19 percent goes towards operations within the city’s facilities.
The largest expense within the general fund goes toward public safety, including police and law enforcement, fire and rescue services, and code compliance. Another major expense will be CRA revenues, with $3.75 million for Downtown Winter Haven and 1.3 million in Florence Villa, both of which are increases over the prior year’s revenue.
The ordinances for both the millage rate and the city budget were passed through a unanimous vote by city commissioners.
