Read the latest articles about topics that are effecting our community.
Shortfall looms while Tax Collector seeks 52% budget increase
Sarasota County staff is preparing to float new tax options at next week’s budget workshop before the County Commission — including one tax that would not appear on property tax bills — after internal budget documents show spending growth is forcing the county to consider dipping into reserves, shifting money between funds, and reducing services.
Sarasota County kicks off its budget workshops for the year on Thursday, February 26th, and the numbers deserve your attention. The county has budgeted $23 million more in economic uncertainty reserves than it collected in general fund revenue, and that gap has real consequences for taxpayers.
The 9.2% increase in spending in 2026 has commissioners starting the budget process with a $7.1 million gap between expenses and revenues.
Sarasota County budgeting has begun earlier than usual, and as commissioners head into 2027 planning, they have dug themselves a spending hole. They couldn’t say “no” in 2026, and now they’re facing the consequences.
This Thursday, I had the privilege of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for Sarasota Station, a remarkable workforce housing project two decades in the making by One Stop Housing (OSH).
The county commission faces a fiscal challenge demanding immediate action. Current projections indicate the county will spend $24 million more than it collects in revenue this fiscal year—a figure that increased by $1 million at the commission’s final 2025 meeting. This deficit spending threatens long-term financial stability and must be addressed before next year’s budget cycle begins.
