City of Palm Coast Shares Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Highlights

With budget season in full swing, the City of Palm Coast is presenting the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund budget at the City Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. This budget reflects a continued commitment to responsible financial stewardship, enhanced services, and maintaining residents' quality of life. The City Council’s priorities remain at the heart of this budget, with a focus on maintaining a healthy FUND balance while investing in public safety, infrastructure, and long-term efficiencies.

With this proposed budget, the City is meeting the City Council’s directive to reduce the General Fund millage rate by one-tenth of a mill, dropping it from the current 4.1893 to 4.0893. 

The FY 2026 budget allocates key resources toward initiatives that directly support the community by investing in priorities that make a difference:

• $1 million for neighborhood street maintenance through the city’s pavement management program (microsurfacing residential roads)
• $1 million in capital investment for the Maintenance Operations Complex (MOC), supporting the city’s growing infrastructure needs
• $500,000 set aside for the saltwater canal dredging initiative to preserve navigability 
• $1.3 million toward economic development incentives that aim to attract quality jobs and expand the local economy

Additionally, Palm Coast continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of residents:

• A 17% increase in public safety funding over the previous year
• Nine new Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies, with five beginning service in October and four more mid-year
• Opening of two new fire stations, fully equipped with new apparatus and staffed to serve our community

The city is also taking proactive steps to improve operations and meet future mandates:

• Implementation of ADA compliance software to meet federal accessibility requirements by April 2026
• Strategic staffing changes, including the addition of two maintenance workers and an inmate work crew to care for new rights-of-way
• Launch of a comprehensive Land Development Code (LDC) rewrite, streamlining processes and promoting responsible growth

In line with Palm Coast’s commitment to efficiency, several delicate adjustments were made to reduce costs while maintaining service levels:

• Elimination of several positions, including the Chief of Staff, a Finance Technician, and part-time hours in Communications & Marketing
• Freezing of one vacant position each in Human Resources and Information Technology
• Significant reductions in IT-related expenses, including:
  • GIS Strategic Plan (shifted to grant-dependent funding): $70,500
  • TCM Enterprise: $29,000
  • VertexOne (Utility Customer Service): $106,000
  • Axon Fusus platform: $300,000

“This budget allows us to prioritize what matters most, while finding smarter ways to serve the community,” said Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston. “As Palm Coast continues to evolve, this balanced approach ensures we protect what makes Palm Coast a great place to live, work, learn, and play—today and into the future.” 

The Palm Coast City Council meets regularly to discuss and vote on official City business. These meetings are open to the public, and Palm Coast residents are strongly encouraged to attend or watch the live stream on the City’s YouTube channel. The next meeting discussing the budget is a workshop scheduled for Tuesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. in the Jon Netts Community Wing of City Hall, 160 Lake Avenue. 

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