BRADENTON — Manatee County Government kicked off its FY26 budget process this week, with three work session meetings held Monday through Wednesday. The County Administrator is recommending an annual budget of $1.37 billion, representing a 3.48% increase from the previous fiscal year. The recommended five-year Capital Improvement Plan for FY26-30 is $2.46 billion.
On Monday, County Administrator Charlie Bishop presented his recommended budget in a video message to commissioners. As part of the Decision Unit Review, county department directors presented the proposed budgets for each of the county’s 15 departments.
The recommended budget includes a total of 131 new positions added across county departments, with 33 additional positions added to Public Safety, 25 in Utilities, 22 in Sports and Leisure, 12 in Community and Veteran Services, 10 in Public Works, 9 in Property Management, 8 in Development Services, 7 in Information Technology, 4 in Natural Resources, and one in Financial Management.
Click here to view the FY26 Budget Presentation PowerPoint as presented during Monday’s work session, and click here to view the Decision Unit Review PowerPoint. Use the video below to replay Monday’s work session meeting and presentations.
Tuesday’s BOCC budget work session was focused on the recommended budgets for the county’s constitutional officers and judicial programs.
There are five constitutional officer budgets funded within the annual budget: Clerk of Court, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Collector. The four judicial programs include Court Administration, Guardian Ad Litem, Public Defender, and the State Attorney.
Each officer presented their requested budgets before the commissioners. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office historically comprises the largest share of the budget's combined funding for constitutional officers and judicial programs.
For FY26, the Sheriff is requesting $275 million, an increase of 16.8% over the last fiscal year, with some of the increase allocated to fund 64 new positions.
Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation slideshow of the FY26 Recommended Budget of Constitutional Officers and Judicial Programs. Click the video below to replay Tuesday’s budget work session meeting and presentations by officers.
On Wednesday, Manatee County CFO Shelia McLean presented the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for FY26-30 as well as the FY26 fund summary.
The recommended CIP includes funding for a total of 815 projects, 53 of those being new projects.
Click here to view the recommended CIP FY26-30 presentation slideshow, which includes a funding source overview. Click the video below to replay Wednesday’s budget work session meeting.
In May or June of each year, the County Administrator will present the recommended annual budget to the Board of County Commissioners, marking the start of Manatee County’s annual budget process.
On July 1, the county receives the Property Appraiser’s finalized tax rolls, which include updated tax information used to identify any necessary changes to the previously recommended budget and to finalize a budget for adoption.
By the end of July, commissioners will complete the reconciliation review and set the annual tentative millage rate.
In September, two public hearings are held as part of the formal process for adopting the budget and millage.
Manatee County’s fiscal year begins on October 1st.
For more information about the county’s budget process or to view published literature for the current or past fiscal years, visit mymanatee.org, navigate the Financial Management Department webpage, and select to view the Financial Management Budget Division.
For information about Manatee County’s past and current years’ CIP, including the recommended CIP for FY26-30, visit the Budget Division Capital Improvement Plan webpage.
To read the County Administrator’s written budget message for FY26, click here.
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David Daniels
Year after year after year, the Sheriff asks for and receives, no questions asked, double digit budget increases. This year a whopping 16.8%. The sheriff department could successfully invade a small country. They have military equipment, a fleet of helicopters, multiple mobile command centers, a fleet of SUVs. Hundreds of new deputies are added each and every year. They are a small army that no commissioner ever questions. Every year, another increase of 12,14, 16%. How much is enough?
Sunday, June 15 Report this