{"id":12842,"date":"2026-03-16T12:32:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T16:32:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spotlightonlevycountygovernment.com\/?p=12842"},"modified":"2026-03-16T12:32:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T16:32:55","slug":"levy-county-budget-talks-begin-tuesday-watch-your-wallet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spotlightonlevycountygovernment.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/16\/levy-county-budget-talks-begin-tuesday-watch-your-wallet\/","title":{"rendered":"Levy County Budget Talks Begin Tuesday \u2014 Watch Your Wallet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Levy County budget process starts Tuesday, and it will determine how your tax dollars are spent.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Linda Dean Cooper<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between now and September, commissioners will decide spending priorities and set the property tax rate. For taxpayers who expect fiscal accountability rather than a tax-and-spend government, this is the time to pay attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With elections approaching, campaign talk will start getting louder. Talk is cheap.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, residents will be able to watch and hear the budget discussions on video<\/strong>, giving taxpayers the chance to see for themselves what is real leadership \u2014 and what is just campaign rhetoric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What the Budget Calendar Reveals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The agenda item asks commissioners to approve the FY 2026\u20132027 Budget Development Calendar<\/strong>. In simple terms, it is the timeline that guides how Levy County builds and adopts its annual budget. <\/strong>Several key milestones appear in the calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early Budget Setup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 7, 2026 \u2013 Budget Workshop #1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This workshop will include the county\u2019s financial overview, forecasts, budget assumptions, and initial discussions about spending priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department Requests (March\u2013May)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this period, county departments submit requests for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Personnel
\u2022 Operating expenses
\u2022 Capital projects<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These requests help shape the first draft of the budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Revenue and the Tax Base<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two important steps occur in early summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 1, 2026<\/strong>
Constitutional officers,  including the Sheriff, Clerk of Court, and Supervisor of Elections, submit their tentative budgets to the Board of County Commissioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 1, 2026<\/strong>
The Property Appraiser, Jason Whistler, certifies the county\u2019s taxable value using Form DR-420.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a critical moment because it determines how much property value exists to tax.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That number becomes the tax base commissioners rely on when setting the county budget and millage rate.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tax Decisions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the process moves toward the final decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 21<\/strong> \u2013 Proposed Budget Book presented<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 8<\/strong> \u2013 Tentative millage rate hearing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 22<\/strong> \u2013 Final millage rate and final budget adoption<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, the key tax decisions for Levy County will take place between July and September.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Beat-Down Taxpayers Have Questions \u2014 And We\u2019re Watching Every Step<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On its face, the calendar looks routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But behind schedule sits a much bigger question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What data will the Property Appraiser rely on when certifying the county\u2019s taxable value this year?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those numbers determine the tax base commissioners rely on when setting the county budget and property tax rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the data used to determine taxable value is incomplete or inaccurate, several questions follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Will commissioners be building the budget on reliable numbers?<\/strong>
\u2022 Will spending decisions be made before the full tax picture is known?<\/strong>
\u2022 If the BOCC concludes there is a shortfall, will taxpayers be expected to cover the difference instead of county government trimming the fat?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, leaders across Florida are talking about reducing property taxes<\/strong>, which raises another question for Levy County:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is the Board of County Commissioners prepared to trim the fat if the tax climate changes?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples taxpayers often point to include take-home government vehicles and possible duplication of services, both between county departments and between agencies already funded by taxpayers, such as county operations overlapping with services provided by state forestry or other public agencies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those are the kinds of issues residents will be watching as the budget process unfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Watch Your Wallet \u2014 The Decisions Start Now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between now and September, commissioners will decide how millions of taxpayer dollars are spent \u2014 and how much property owners ultimately pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For taxpayers who feel like their wallets keep getting lighter while government keeps getting bigger, this is the process to watch.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to know what\u2019s happening to your tax dollars, tune in \u2014 the show starts Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\udcc5 BOCC Meeting<\/strong>
Tuesday, March 17
9:00 AM<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\udfa5 Watch Live:<\/strong>
levycfl.portal.civicclerk.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cannot watch live, the meetings will remain available afterward so the public can review what was discussed \u2014 and more importantly, ask questions about decisions that affect taxpayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n