School Board Final Budget- 9-11-26

The Putnam County School Board held its final public budget hearing on September 11, 2026, to discuss and adopt the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget and millage rates in compliance with Florida statutes. The meeting included a detailed presentation by the CFO on the millage rates, including the rolled back rate, proposed millage, and the impact of a $300 million bond issuance on debt service millage. The board reviewed and unanimously approved various millage rates, including the required local effort, discretionary, debt service, and capital outlay millage rates, culminating in a total millage rate of 7.634 mills, which is 4.23% above the rollback rate. The board also approved the final budget allocations across multiple funds, totaling approximately $484.9 million. Public comments addressed concerns about rising property taxes despite declining student enrollment and questioned salary increases and budget priorities. The board emphasized that much of the millage increase is mandated by state requirements and bond obligations. Additionally, the board approved the annual financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, which will be submitted to the state and audited accordingly.