The city of Anna Maria’s largest annual spending plan is in the books.
City commissioners unanimously voted Sept. 25 on motions to adopt a $30,151,548 budget and 1.65 millage rate for fiscal 2025-26, which begins Oct. 1.
The 1.65 millage rate is the same percentage as last year, but represents a tax hike due to a 6.48% increase in the city’s total taxable value.
Any rate higher than the rollback rate, a millage that produces the same revenue and spending as the prior year, is a tax increase.
The municipality will net $104,362 more in ad valorem revenue than it did last year as a result.
The $30,151,548 budget is a significant increase from last year’s and marks the largest annual spending plan in the city’s history, largely due to $16,019,000 in capital outlay expenses. Those costs include $8.2 million to rebuild the Anna Maria City Pier’s destroyed walkway, $2.7 million for stormwater improvements and $1.3 million to finish the Pine Avenue paver and crosswalk project.
While the capital outlay budget ballooned, other aspects — such as general government and public works expenses, as well as parks and recreation costs — have deflated.
The budget also includes $1,538,540 less in reserves due to costs related to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Mayor Mark Short has said the lost reserves will be replenished upon receiving reimbursement funding.
There was no public comment.