ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County commissioners advanced a proposed $9 billion budget to a second hearing Thursday after residents questioned an 11% increase in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office budget during public comment.

During Thursday’s Orange County Board of County Commissioners budget hearing, several speakers raised concerns about the $46 million increase to the Sheriff’s Office budget when residents are facing higher everyday expenses.

“The $46 million price tag for the Orange County Sheriff at a time when the cost of living was so high is concerning to me,” one speaker said during the meeting.

Another speaker questioned the county’s priorities, saying: “I think we need to ask ourselves what safety are we actually investing in?”

According to information from the county, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office has more than 1,900 sworn deputies who serve 1.6 million county residents and an estimated 76 million tourists each year.

Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad said the proposed budget reflects what the department requested: $470 million.

“We’re very proactive to bring that budget way back to the essentials that the department needed to keep up with modernizing of apps, and software, and technology,” Martinez Semrad said.

Speaking outside the Orange County Administration Building, Louis Gray, with Grays Project, said he supported the investment. His work focuses on mentorship opportunities for children in Orange County, and he said public safety funding can help keep young people away from crime, drugs and gangs.

“Investing in public safety, and the crime safety task force, is really helping keep our youth out of the judicial system,” Gray said.

County officials say the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget has a strong focus on public safety, affordable housing and transportation. The current fiscal year 2025-26 budget totals $8.3 billion.

Mayor Jerry Demings said the proposed $9 billion budget reflects rising costs, including inflation and fuel prices, as well as the looming vote on Amendment 3, which could significantly decrease the amount of property tax funds the county receives. Demings described the proposal as balanced.

“If they layer on additional costs, our reductions in the revenues that we have, that means that we have to reduce services,” Demings said.

The second public hearing on the budget is set for Sept. 24 at the Orange County Administration Building.