2026-09-28 - Budget Hearing 2

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09:58>> Okay, I have 501. So, good evening,

10:01commissioners. Good evening,

10:04everyone. Today, we are holding the

10:06second and final public budget hearing

10:08to adopt the military and budget for

10:10fiscal year 2627.

10:13This budget reflects the previous

10:14discussions we've had at our workshop in

10:16July and represents a balanced budget

10:19that does not raise the millage rate.

10:20Our proposed investments continue to

10:23focus on maintaining and delivering core

10:25city services that our residents depend

10:27on. As we discussed two weeks ago, the

10:29budget process comes as Florida voters

10:32prepare to consider amendment three on

10:33the November ballot. The proposed

10:36amendment could significantly impact

10:37future property tax revenues available

10:40to local governments across the state.

10:42This includes the city of Orlando and

10:44our ability to continue providing

10:46services to our residents. We encourage

10:49residents to use the coming weeks to

10:51learn about property tax revenues and

10:54how they fund essential services and

10:56what a reduction in revenue could mean.

10:58Today's hearing will include

11:01brief comments

11:05from Assistant Chief Financial Officer

11:07Jason Wakowski.

11:14He'll tell you how to pronounce it when

11:15he comes up.

11:18>> Okay. Ready?

11:20>> Yes, sir.

11:21>> Here we go. This is second of two public

11:23hearings for the adoption of the

11:25militaryrate and budget for the city of

11:27Orlando for fiscal years 2627. At the

11:30first hearing held on September 14th,

11:32city council adopted the proposed mill

11:34rate and tenative budget. At this second

11:37hearing, city council will consider for

11:38adoption the final millage rate and

11:40budget. Madame clerk, will you read the

11:43title of the millage resolution?

11:45>> Resolution of the city of Orlando,

11:47Florida, establishing the adalorum tax

11:49levy millage rate upon the assessed real

11:51property and business personal property

11:52tax rules of the year 2026.

11:56>> The proposed millage rate for the city

11:57for fiscal year 2627

12:00is 6.6500

12:02mills, which is 4.10% 10% higher than

12:05the roll back rate of 6.3879.

12:09Is there a motion to adopt the millage

12:10rate?

12:11>> Second.

12:12>> Motion by Commissioner Ortiz, second by

12:15Commissioner Burns.

12:18>> Jason.

12:19>> Thank you, Mayor. And good evening,

12:20commissioners. On July 13th, city

12:23council approved a millage rate of 6.65

12:26mills, adhering to all trim guidelines.

12:28That same mill rate was proposed and

12:31approved by city council at the first

12:33budget hearing on September 14th. An

12:35advertisement ran in the Orlando

12:37Sentinel last Thursday, September 24th.

12:41And this final millage rate has remained

12:42the same throughout the entire fiscal

12:44year 2027 budget development process, is

12:48within the parameters outlined by state

12:49formula, has not changed from the prior

12:52year, and is to maintain the city's

12:54levels of service.

12:56I do not have any requests for public

12:58comment. Is there discussion

13:02hearing? None. All in favor of the

13:03motion indicate so by saying I. I. Those

13:06opposed. So the motion carries. Madame

13:09clerk, would you read the title of the

13:10budget resolution?

13:12>> A resolution of the city of Orlando,

13:14Florida, adopting the annual budget of

13:16the city of Orlando, Florida for the

13:17fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2026

13:20and ending September 30th, 2027.

13:23Is

13:23>> there a motion to adopt the budget?

13:25Second.

13:26>> Motion by Commissioner Ortiz, second by

13:28Commissioner Sheen.

13:30Jason,

13:32>> the total proposed budget for the city

13:33is 1 bill881,67,697,

13:39which includes a general fund budget of

13:42$779,944,015

13:47and has not changed since the first

13:49budget hearing on September 14th. Note

13:52though that the budget schedule

13:53formatting was updated to be more clear

13:55and consistent with other documents. The

13:58final commissioner budget notebook was

14:00posted to the city's website in early

14:02September and other preliminary budget

14:05documents, including the July 13th

14:07budget workshop presentation and initial

14:09commissioner budget notebook have been

14:11available on the city's website since

14:13late July.

14:17>> Okay. We do have a request for public

14:19comment. Um, if you'll come and state

14:21your name, you'll have three minutes.

14:23Mr. Jeremy Rose.

14:34Just state your name and you have three

14:36minutes.

14:37>> Hi, my name is Jeremy. Um, I live

14:40>> Jeremy, pull that mic closer to your to

14:43you. Yeah, there you go.

14:44>> Hi, my name is Jeremy. I live downtown

14:47um Orlando. I just want to thank you to

14:52the mayor, the mayor and the

14:55commissioners for

14:57our hard y'all hard work to keep our to

15:02keep Orlando beautiful.

15:06>> Thank you very much.

15:10[applause]

15:16Does he get school credit of some sort

15:18for that? [laughter]

15:23>> Okay, Mr. Simson, you signed up for the

15:26downtown development board budget. Is

15:28that when you want to speak? This is the

15:31regular budget. If if you want to speak

15:33now, you can do that or you can wait

15:35till the DDB budget, which would that

15:38just come on up.

15:56Yeah, my name's Tor Simson. As I

15:58explained earlier, I'm living at the

15:59Salvation Army shelter. Probably for

16:01like one more day and then they'll kick

16:03me out or whatever. Um, but uh, you

16:05know, I was trying to explain to the

16:07police earlier today that if they just

16:08simply would uh, post an officer down

16:11there at the Christian Service Help

16:12Center, they could save a lot of money

16:14instead of arresting people by having

16:16people shelter at that uh, courtyard

16:19every night. Uh, because it has space

16:21probably for pretty much everybody else

16:22uh, just to at least put a mat down,

16:24which would be better than sleeping in

16:26the dirt. It smells often of urine with

16:28the cigarette butts that are the current

16:30op, you know, options. uh across from

16:33obviously uh the stadium. Um the other

16:36thing I guess I mean like I said that

16:38saves you on the arrests and everything

16:39else. Right now the way they arrest

16:41people I'm sure you've read the news is

16:42they basically throw you in for about 14

16:44days, don't try you, don't listen to

16:46your legal arguments and then kick you

16:48which is very expensive and will eat

16:50into their retirement funds. And I don't

16:52think the police want that and it

16:54creates a chokeold uh in services and

16:57but that's that's just simple numbers

16:58and stuff. Like I said, the solutions

17:00that Japan adopted back in, you know, in

17:02like 1989 to solve homelessness have

17:04been rejected by a society as

17:06dishonorable as greedy as this one. So I

17:08don't expect any Japanese developers or

17:10Japanese finance companies to come in

17:12and make the money to do the job that

17:14the Americans will simply feed off the

17:17blood and sacrifice the victims who are

17:19homeless. Uh, so I, you know, I got

17:21really little hope for that and that's

17:23why I don't think you see a lot of

17:24homeless people coming down here to

17:25testify because they've lost faith in

17:27their system of government and I don't

17:28blame them. All right, let's get into

17:30the real numbers. Uh, to those who

17:32suggest the terrible experiences are the

17:34motivators uh, for the change of

17:35tomorrow, rest assured that I'm prepared

17:37to change everything without sorrow. Uh,

17:40do the homeless have any faith uh, after

17:42the never- ending existential threat?

17:44Uh, there are no more roads left. I have

17:46wagered every bet. 250 years of white

17:49fears. Watch Cosby and Belair. Nothing

17:51seems too unfair. What's your problem?

17:54As you fall to the bottom in all the

17:55rural areas, the injustices, they have

17:58no ideas. One of us is a dealer and the

18:01other is a squealer. Some offered

18:02treatment. Others get imprisonment. If

18:04we weren't so stupid, we would not do

18:06it. But clowns are down for anything.

18:08So, I'm up for everything. With sleepy

18:10eyes, it is a mystery. Wide awake, you

18:12reject this history. Another rigged

18:15election providing no selection.

18:17White-on black safe zebra. Black on

18:19white hunted panda. Popping the cherry

18:22switches. We get tempted by gaming

18:24riches. They come in many colors. All my

18:27fantasy lovers. And we rock the state

18:29that screwed the people with hate. They

18:31do not miss a soldier or a marine. They

18:33only want lowpriced gasoline. While men

18:36offer a war of despair, women rush in

18:38half price to repair. Our foreign policy

18:41tucks in the children for all the kids

18:44everywhere deserve a chance at heaven.

18:46Sober up and enjoy your credit score

18:47hangover. Financial mistakes are ruinous

18:49and last forever. Calling someone a

18:51number and not a name. Social constructs

18:53cannot have fun and play the game. The

18:55lethal health insurance screams are

18:56every committed terrorist wet dreams.

18:59Financial oppression feeds on a law

19:00degree while an MBA promotes endless

19:02slavery. Blow your brains out with

19:04student loans. Generation upon

19:06generation, never owning homes. Well, I

19:08could go on, but those are some of the

19:09numbers you should be familiar with.

19:12>> Thank you.

19:14Okay, that's all the requests for public

19:15comment discussion. Commissioner Burns.

19:17>> Uh, yes. Thank you, Mayor.

19:19[clears throat] One of the things I'm

19:20I'm definitely in support of this

19:21budget. Uh, and I did realize that we've

19:24only allocated about $8 million for uh

19:27road repairs. And I think we all

19:29probably can agree that um that's not

19:32enough. Uh we that number probably

19:34should be closer to 20 20 million. So,

19:37what I wanted to do is uh just mention

19:39that once we get to the point of

19:41reconciling the budget, I want to make

19:44sure that we are putting road repairs as

19:47a top priority because that's one city

19:49service that every resident uses every

19:52day and the most visible. So, I think I

19:54want, you know, I want to make sure

19:56again I support this budget, but I would

19:58like us to start prioritizing the uh

20:01repaving of our of our streets. Thank

20:03you.

20:03>> Okay. Duly noted. Further discussion

20:08hearing none. All in favor of the motion

20:09indicate so by saying I. I.

20:11>> Those opposed. Motion carries.

20:14Okay.

20:20Let's see. We are going to move on to

20:22the DDD DDB budget. Uh this is second of

20:27two public hearings with the adoption of

20:28the military and budget for the downtown

20:30development board for fiscal year 2627.

20:34At the first hearing held on September

20:3614th, city council adopted the proposed

20:39millage rate and tenative budget. At the

20:40second hearing, city council will

20:42consider for adoption the final mill

20:44rate and budget. Madame clerk, would you

20:46read the title of the millillage

20:47resolution?

20:48>> A resolution of the city of Orlando,

20:50Florida establishing for the downtown

20:52development board the adalorum tax levy

20:54millage rate upon the cestrial property

20:56within the downtown development district

20:58of the year 2026.

21:01The proposed millage rate for the DDB

21:03for fiscal year 2627 is 1 mil which is

21:071.82%

21:09higher than the roll back rate of 9821.

21:12Is there a motion to adopt the millage

21:14rate?

21:15>> Motion by commissioner uh Rose, second

21:19by Commissioner Chapen

21:22Jason.

21:24On July 13th, the city council on behalf

21:26of the downtown development board set a

21:28proposed millage rate of 1 mil. That

21:31millage rate was proposed and approved

21:32by city council at the first budget

21:34hearing on September 14th. An

21:36advertisement ran in the Orlando

21:38Sentinel last Thursday, September 24th.

21:42This final millage rate has remained the

21:44same throughout the entire fiscal year

21:462027 budget development process is

21:48within the parameters outlined by state

21:50formula has not changed from the prior

21:52year and is to maintain DDB delivered

21:55programs.

21:57>> We have no request further requests for

21:59public comment. Is there discussion

22:01hearing? None. All in favor of the

22:02motion indicates so by saying I. I.

22:05>> Those opposed and so the motion carries.

22:08Madame clerk, would you read read the

22:10title of the budget resolution?

22:12>> A resolution of the city of Orlando,

22:14Florida, adopting the annual budget of

22:16the downtown development board for the

22:17fiscal year beginning October 1st, 2026

22:20and ending September 30th, 2027.

22:23>> Is there a motion to adopt the budget?

22:26>> Second.

22:26>> Motion by Commissioner Rose, second by

22:28Commissioner Burns. Jason,

22:31>> the total proposed budget for the

22:32downtown development board is $4,360,558

22:37and has not changed since our first

22:39budget hearing on September 14th. The

22:41final commissioner budget notebook was

22:43posted to the city's website in early

22:45September and other budget documents

22:47have avail been available on the city's

22:49website since late July.

22:53We have no request for public comment.

22:55Is there discussion? Hearing none. All

22:57in favor of the motion indicate so by

22:59saying I.

23:00>> I.

23:01>> Those opposed?

23:01>> No.

23:03>> Okay. Those opposed. 61. Um motion

23:07carries.

23:10>> All right. Um hearing for the Downtown

23:14South Neighborhood Improvement District.

23:16This is the second of two public

23:18hearings for the adoption of the millage

23:19rate and budget for the Downtown South

23:21Neighborhood Improvement District for

23:23fiscal year 2627.

23:25At the first hearing held on September

23:2714th, city council adopted the propos

23:29proposed millage rate and tenative

23:31budget. At this second hearing, city

23:33council will consider for adoption the

23:35final mill rate and budget. Madame

23:37clerk, would you read the title of the

23:39millillage resolution? A resolution of

23:42the city council of the city of Orlando,

23:43Florida, and the board of directors of

23:45the downtown south neighborhood

23:46improvement district leving an adorum

23:48tax at the rate of $1 per $1,000 of

23:51assessed value on non-exempt real

23:53property located within the

23:55jurisdictional boundaries of the

23:56downtown south neighborhood improvement

23:58district. providing certain findings,

24:00providing for administrative millage

24:01adjustment in accordance with Florida

24:03statutes, providing for the collection

24:05of taxes, providing for servability,

24:07correction of scrier's errors, repeal

24:09conflicting resolutions, and an

24:10effective date.

24:13>> Motion by Commissioner Sheen, second by

24:14Commissioner Rose. The proposed millage

24:17rate for the downtown south NID for

24:19fiscal year 2627 is 1 mil, which is

24:225.26% higher than the rolled back rate

24:25of N50.

24:28We have a motion, Jason.

24:32>> On July 13th, city council as board of

24:34directors of the downtown south

24:36neighborhood improvement district set a

24:37millage rate of 1 mil. That millage rate

24:40was proposed and approved at the first

24:41budget hearing on September 14th. An

24:44advertisement ran in the Orlando

24:46Sentinel last Thursday, September 24th.

24:49This final millage rate has remained the

24:51same throughout the entire fiscal year

24:522027 budget development process is

24:55within the parameters outlined by state

24:57formula has not changed from the prior

24:59year and is to provide administration

25:01and infrastructure projects within the

25:03district.

25:05>> We have no request for public comment.

25:07Is there discussion? Hearing none. All

25:09in favor of the motion indicate so by

25:11saying I. I. Those opposed so the motion

25:15carries. Madame clerk, would you lead

25:18the title of the budget resolution?

25:22>> A resolution of the city council of the

25:24city of Orlando, Florida, and the board

25:25of directors of the Downtown South

25:27Neighborhood Improvement District

25:28adopting the fiscal year 2026 2027

25:31budget for the Downtown South

25:32Neighborhood Improvement District,

25:34providing certain findings, providing

25:36certain budget accounting procedures,

25:37providing for separability, correction

25:39of scrier errors, repeal of conflicting

25:41resolutions, and an effective date.

25:44Motion by Commissioner Sheen and second

25:46by Commissioner Rose Jason.

25:49>> The total proposed budget for the

25:51Downtown South Neighborhood Improvement

25:52District is 1,32,223

25:56and has not changed since our first

25:58budget hearing on September 14th. The

26:00final commissioner budget notebook was

26:02posted to the city's website in early

26:04September and other budget documents

26:06have been available on the city's

26:07website since late July.

26:10>> We have no requests for public comment.

26:12Is there discussion hearing? None. All

26:14in favor of the motion indicates so by

26:15saying I. I.

26:17>> Those opposed. And so the motion

26:19carries. All right. Without objection,

26:21we're going to recess the city council

26:23meeting and convene the board of

26:24directors of the downtown south

26:26neighborhood improvement district.

26:28This is the second of two public

26:30hearings for the adoption of the mill

26:31rate and budget for the downtown south

26:33neighborhood improvement district for

26:35fiscal year 2627. At the first hearing

26:38held September 14th, the board of

26:40directors adopt the proposed millage

26:41rate and tenative budget. At this second

26:44hearing, the board of directors will

26:46consider for adoption the final millage

26:47rate and budget. Madame clerk, would you

26:50read the title of the millage

26:51resolution? A resolution of the city

26:54council of city of Orlando, Florida, and

26:55the board of directors of the downtown

26:57south neighborhood improvement district

26:59having an adalorum tax at the rate of $1

27:01per $1,000 of assessed value on

27:04non-exempt real property located with

27:06the juris within the jurisdictional

27:08boundaries of the downtown south

27:09neighborhood improvement district.

27:11providing certain findings, providing

27:12for administrative millage adjustment in

27:15accordance with Florida statutes,

27:16providing for the collection of taxes,

27:18providing for serverability, correction

27:20of scriveners errors, repeal of

27:21conflicting resolutions, and an

27:23effective date.

27:26>> Motion by Commissioner C and second by

27:27Commissioner Rose. The proposed millage

27:30rate for the downtown South NID for

27:32fiscal year 2627 is 1 mil, which is

27:355.26% 26% higher than the roll back rate

27:39of 0.95000.

27:41Is there a motion? Let's see. We had a

27:43motion. So Jason, on July 13th, city

27:46council as board of directors of the

27:48downtown south neighborhood improvement

27:50district set a millage rate of 1 mill.

27:52That millage rate was proposed and

27:53approved at the first budget hearing on

27:55September 14th. An advertisement ran in

27:58the Orlando Sentinel last Thursday,

28:00September 24th. This final millage rate

28:03has remained the same throughout the

28:04entire fiscal year 2027 budget

28:06development process is within the

28:08parameters outlined by state formula has

28:11not changed from the prior year and is

28:12to provide administration and

28:14infrastructure projects within the

28:15district.

28:16>> We have no request for public comment

28:18discussion hearing none. All in favor of

28:20the motion indicates so by saying I I

28:24those opposed and so the motion carries.

28:26Madame clerk would you read the title of

28:28the budget resolution?

28:30A resolution of the city council of the

28:32city of Orlando, Florida, and the board

28:34of directors of the downtown south

28:35neighborhood improvement district

28:36adopting the fiscal year 2026 2027

28:39budget for the downtown south

28:41neighborhood improvement district

28:43providing certain findings, providing

28:45certain budget accounting principles,

28:46providing preservability, correction of

28:48scrier's errors, repeal of conflicting

28:50resolutions, and an effective date.

28:54>> Motion by Commissioner Sheen, second by

28:56Commissioner Rose. Jason,

28:59>> the total proposed budget for the

29:01downtown south neighborhood improvement

29:02district is 1,32,223

29:07and has not changed since our first

29:08budget hearing on September 14th. The

29:10final commissioner budget notebook was

29:12posted to the city's website in early

29:14September and other budget documents

29:16have been available on the city's

29:17website since late July.

29:21>> We have no requests for public comment

29:23discussion.

29:26Um hearing none. All in favor of the

29:28motion indicates so by saying I.

29:31>> Those opposed and so the motion carries.

29:35We will adjourn without objection

29:36adjourn the board of directors for the

29:38NID meeting. We will reconvene the city

29:41council meeting for the purpose of

29:44thanking our financial staff who have um

29:48ensured that we delivered our budget on

29:51time um and in top form. I especially

29:54want to thank all of the teams. So

29:56that's Jason, Anthony. Everybody stand

29:59up,

30:01Chris, [snorts]

30:02Miriam, Nicole, and Tisha.

30:08[applause]

30:15So you can have the rest of the fiscal

30:17year off

30:20[laughter]

30:21which runs through tomorrow I think.

30:24>> I say there's a day or two left here.

30:26[laughter]

30:30>> But you you guys have done a great job

30:32and we deeply appreciate that. So and

30:35thank you for the leadership Jose and

30:38Martin as well. So, all right. Any other

30:41business to do before? Anything you guys

30:43want to say? You just spent a lot of

30:46money.

30:48>> Okay, we stand adjourned.

30:50>> All right.

31:00Hey,

31:17hey, hey.