ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando city leaders will hold the first of two public hearings Monday night on a proposed $1.88 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed budget is about $81 million more than the city’s current budget. Spending priorities are focused on infrastructure, parks and public safety.
Nearly $270 million in the General Fund is set aside for the Orlando Police Department. District 5 City Commissioner Shan Rose says the budget includes dozens of new first responders.
“We will have 44 new first responders that will be part of the new budget and this is to make sure we have proper public safety protection as well as all the technology that we’ve invested in from drones to making sure that our response times are immaculate,” Rose said.
Some city leaders have raised concerns about how a property tax amendment on this year’s ballot could affect future budgets. City staff said Orlando could lose up to $35 million in fiscal year 2028, with that amount rising to as much as $50 million by 2030.
The city is preparing for this by pausing new positions in all departments except public safety and creating a Budget Stabilization Fund to set aside savings.
“I’m very optimistic about amendment three, in a sense that I hope that people realize the need for us not to vote for that particular amendment to decrease the budget,” said Commissioner Tony Ortiz, who represents District 2. “But of course, we have our reservations, and we have to be very careful and make sure that whatever we consider for the budget, it will be subject to a sudden change based on that particular amendment change. If it was to happen.”
The public hearing begins at 5 p.m. at Orlando City Hall.
The second public budget hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. before the budget goes into effect on Oct. 1.