Hernando County Sets Lower Millage, Redirects Capital Budget Priorities
Hernando County Commission Chairman Brian Hawkins delivered the State of the County address on December 1, announcing the Board set its maximum millage at 3% below the rollback rate, a move the county characterized as a tax reduction. He also outlined a change to capital budgeting that ends a blanket 20% contingency policy and instead ties contingencies to engineering estimates, while highlighting planned investments in roads, utilities, public safety and conservation.
Chairman Brian Hawkins opened the December 1 State of the County address by detailing the Board of County Commissioners decision to set the maximum millage at 3% below the rollback rate. The county described the action as a tax reduction, a decision that will shape the fiscal framework for the coming budget cycle and affect property tax expectations for local homeowners and businesses.
The address emphasized a reformed approach to capital budgeting. The long standing practice of applying a blanket 20% contingency to capital projects will end, with future contingencies to be determined by engineering estimates tied to each project. County officials framed the change as a move toward more precise fiscal planning, which could speed project delivery and better align budgeted reserves with actual construction risk and cost estimates.
Hernando County also highlighted targeted investments. Priorities listed in the address include road maintenance and improvements, upgrades to utilities, bolstering public safety capacity, and conservation initiatives. Officials pointed to the countys relatively low debt ratio as a source of fiscal flexibility to pursue these priorities without large new borrowing.
For residents the immediate effect is twofold. Setting the maximum millage below the rollback rate signals an effort to ease property tax pressure at a time when property values can shift household tax liabilities. At the same time the change in contingency policy could mean more accurate budgeting for visible infrastructure projects, but it may leave less automatic cushion for unexpected cost increases, increasing the importance of project level oversight and contingency planning.
The Board will proceed through the regular budget adoption process where final rates and spending allocations will be set. Hernando Countys choices mirror a broader trend among local governments seeking to balance tax relief with continued investment in infrastructure and services. For local officials and residents alike the coming months will clarify how those priorities translate into completed projects and fiscal outcomes for the community.
