Proposed Sumter County budget does not include millage increase

The start of the 2024-25 fiscal year is coming up on July 1, and locals will soon see first reading of Sumter County's budget.

The budget must pass three readings by council to become official, and the first reading will be on May 14, the second will be on May 28, and the third and final reading will be on June 11.

County officials estimate $61,331,199 in total revenue and other financing sources. Last year, the county had $59,514,776 in total revenue and other financing sources.

To break that down, for the 2024-25 fiscal year, the county estimates raking in $35,299,382 from taxes, $11,276,026 from intergovernmental sources, $6,370,352 from service and revenue charges, $3,674,500 from licensing and permits, $1,622,700 from fines and forfeitures, $1,154,694 from other financing sources and $1,933,545 from miscellaneous revenue sources. This totals the estimated $61,331,199 in total revenue and other financing sources.

Breaking down a few of those categories, the $11,276,026 from intergovernmental sources includes grants, city hospitality and accommodations tax, voter registration, Sumter Economic Development and other sources.

The $1,622,700 from fines and forfeitures includes court fines, ticket fines, filing fees, family court fees, probate judge fines and other sources.

County leaders expect to bring in $1,560,000 in interest, which falls under that $1,933,545 from miscellaneous revenue sources.

County leaders do not anticipate any millage increase at this time.

Last year, according to reporting from The Sumter Item, there was a millage increase, but it did not hugely impact taxpayers.

There was a 2-mill increase - $659,546 - to bump the county's millage rate to 85.9 mills, but thanks to a LOST credit offset, taxpayers were not hugely impacted. The state reimbursed the county $600,000, which is more than half the cost.

Notably, a starting salary increase for sheriff's deputies was worked into the 2023-24 budget. And council unanimously approved to amend the budget to make that possible with the increase in deputies' starting salaries.

The city of Sumter did something similar for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

According to former reporting from The Sumter Item, the previous city budget included a tax increase, the first one in 15 years.

It was a 5-mill tax increase that would reel in $781,013 to help pay for public safety increases. The salary adjustment was for both Sumter Police Department and Sumter Fire Department - fire starting at $40,000 a year and police starting at $45,000 - and then increases through the ranks from the starting point. The fire department's starting salary used to be $35,000, and the police department's was $40,000. There were also adjustments to retirement and police department overtime pay.