ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Pinellas County leaders laid out their spending goals in the proposed 2025 budget, where they plan to spend more than $4 billion.
According to the county, $3.3 billion will be spent on county operations, and $1 billion will go toward capital improvement projects. There will also be a property rate decrease, according to a news release.
This year's budget is a slight increase from last year's $3.8 billion that was proposed. Here are some of the goals for the upcoming budget:
- Support of sheriff's office operations, 911 services, emergency medical response services and county-supported first responders
- Maintenance of roads bridges and transportation infrastructure
- Beach nourishment
- Behavioral healthcare access
- Affordable housing
Some of the specific numbers include $13.5 million toward subsidizing 911 services, $42.2 million toward transportation and a 3% increase in pay for deputies, according to county documents.
The budget includes funding for reunification efforts after a natural or man-made disaster with more money for food service, medical service at the jail and engine overhaul for one helicopter.
Improving behavioral health care access will happen through the county's Care About Me program, which helps residents access services through call, text or chat.
Most of the money in the $3.3 billion operating budget will go toward the sheriff's office with the agency receiving $457,484,020. The enterprise category gets the largest chunk of the capital budget with $415,749,850, and the second largest chunk will go toward transportation, according to county documents.
The proposed budget will go before the Board of County Commissioners at the Sept. 5 and 19 public hearings with the new fiscal year starting on Oct. 1.
Last year's budget also focused on behavioral health, transportation, affordable housing and workforce retention. These are the same goals outlined in the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
You can read the full proposed budget here.
