Wakulla County's 2025-2026 Budget: A Simple Guide for Everyday Folks

You’ve been asking, “What’s this budget stuff mean for me?” – and you’re right to dig in. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is set to finalize next year’s money plan (Fiscal Year 2025-2026, starting October 1) at a public hearing on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers (1500 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville). You can join in person, speak up, or watch online at mywakulla.com. Item 1 is about setting the property tax rate (called the millage rate) and approving the full budget.

Think of it like a family budget: Money coming in (taxes, grants, fees) has to pay for what we need (roads, safety, parks). They started with $199.6 million in July, added $19.5 million in August (mostly grants for projects), and now tack on another $15.3 million with smarter guesses on fees and insurance. That brings us to $234.4 million – a 17% jump! Here’s the easy rundown, no government gobbledygook, just what affects you. Plus, we’ll touch on past grant hiccups that could stir trouble again.

The Big Picture: How the Budget Grew

Why the growth? More cash for roads, extra firefighters and deputies, and big grants for sewer and park upgrades.

The SORTA good part? Grants cover 40% of the increase – it's still your tax dollars from the state or feds - federal tax? Sales Tax?.

The worry? If projects stall or grants flop (like before), we might dip into our savings or raise bills.

Your Taxes? The millage rate decides how much you pay per $1,000 of your home’s value. Notices mailed in August show the “rolled-back” rate (keeps taxes steady -there is no savings that seems to "sound" like a WalMart "rollback").

The final vote’s September 15. No big hikes planned, but if it jumps, you can speak out!

Where’s Our Money Going? (Simple Breakdown)Split into:

• County Money (our taxes/fees for daily stuff) and

• Grants (outside help for big projects).

Changes show ups and downs.

• County Money Changes (July to August): Mostly for people and basics.

• Net cost: +$1.5 million extra.

Grants Changes (July to August): Net gain: +$16.9 million.

County Money Tweaks (August to Now): Small fixes. Net: +$219K surplus.

Grants Tweaks (August to Now): Project updates. Net: -$205K.

Past Grant Messes: Could It Happen Again?

Wakulla’s had some rough spots with grants before. Take the March 2025 audit – it showed a $6 million blunder with sewer connection fees. The county counted on a Northwest Florida Water Management District grant to cover costs for 1,489 homes in Wakulla and Magnolia Gardens. When the grant fell through (no clear reason given – maybe a mix-up or no funds), they just waived the fees instead of fighting for answers. That left taxpayers footing the bill, and worse, they skipped BOCC approval, breaking their own rules. Plus, a shaky USDA loan workaround dodged oversight, risking future debt trouble.

With $34.7 million in new grants now, history says we should watch close. If a grant gets denied or delayed (like roads or sewer projects), the county might lean on our taxes or savings again. They’re betting monthly sewer bills ($40-$41) and fees will cover it, but that’s a gamble. No one asked hard questions last time – let’s hope they do now to avoid another “oops” moment.

• Good Stuff: Better roads, more safety folks, and park upgrades with grant help.

• Heads-Up: Pay raises and project costs come from us if grants fail. Fewer recreation sign-ups might mean quieter fields.

• Taxes: Should stay steady, be sure to monitor.

You can view the entire BOCC Agenda Here.

You can view the Budget Changes Detail Here.

Stay sharp, Wakulla!