WEBVTT
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Welcome back to County Conversations, a St. John's
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County podcast to help keep our community informed
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about the program services and events of St.
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John's County. Welcome back to the show, Wade
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Schroeder, our Director of Management and Budget.
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We've been talking about budgeting 101 and the
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breakdown of revenues and expenses for the county.
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Let's jump right in specifically to the new budget,
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2027 budget, which begins in October and ends
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in September the following year. Let's start
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with the overall. What is the total budget for
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2027 and some of the highlights that the community
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should know about that's contained in this year's
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budget? Sure. The total budget bringing everything
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together is just over $1 .9 billion for a total
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budget. Again, of that total budget, only $426
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million is from property taxes, so certainly
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a variety of other revenue sources out there.
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Some of the highlights for this year's budget
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related to millage rates. The board approved
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flat millage rates from last year, so no increase
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there, no change towards the millage rate. There
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may be an increase related to taxable value of
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a certain property, but no increase to the taxing
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rate of the county. As part of the fiscal year
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27 and really building on what was started last
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year in the 26th budget is emergency reserves.
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So as a coastal community in the middle of hurricane
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season presently, we need to be prepared and
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have funds available if a hurricane does hit.
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Hopefully, we don't have an active season we
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haven't had so far, but knock on wood on that.
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But we need to have funds available if there's
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cleanup or repairs needed as a result of a hurricane.
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And it's important to note, Wade, that this is
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the second year in a row that you've built this
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reserve. Yeah, so in fiscal year 26, we had the
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reserve of $20 million in the general fund. For
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fiscal year 27, we've been able to increase it
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to $25 million. As well, we've also added an
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emergency reserve in the fire rescue fund. So
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whenever there is an event, fire rescue is one
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of the largest areas that has to activate and
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be on the ready to respond. So there is an additional
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cost there. So we have an emergency reserve in
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fire rescue as well. And also some other highlights
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in the budget, which are really exciting when
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it comes to the community and kind of the quality
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of life that St. John's County provides is new
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facilities, parks, libraries, fire stations,
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roadway improvements, all those are contained
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in the current budget. In the current budget,
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some of those are carry forwards from prior year's
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budgets, but it's still the completion of those
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projects or the continuing progress of those
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projects. The board for some of these facilities
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the board approved borrowing in 2025 For the
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construction of these projects the fire stations
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three fire stations were included four regional
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parks as well as additional library facilities
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and as well as a sheriff's office administration
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facility. Also contained in the budget wage for
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fiscal year 2027 that starts October 1st and
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in September the following year is something
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we call FTEs or full -time employees, 32 .25
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if you will, FTEs, but the majority of those
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are public safety. Yes, so for fiscal year 2027
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there's the proposed opening of the Silverleaf
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Fire Station with the opening of the station
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is the operation that needs to begin. So there
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are 30 firefighter positions in the 2027 budget
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related to the operations of that fire station.
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Also in the budget, Wade, we're funding over
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$264 million in new budget allocations for capital
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improvement projects. What's a capital improvement
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project? So a capital improvement project is
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really a one -time, high dollar capital cost
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to provide a new asset, long -term asset to the
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community. And that could be anything from fire
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station buildings for fire stations, it could
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be parks, as well as roads and drainage infrastructure.
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We're using a lot of budgeting terms. I think
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it's important that we break it down a little
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bit for our audience. We've talked about operating
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expenses, general fund, capital improvement,
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and carry forwards. Describe how those are different,
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but they're all contained in one budget. Sure.
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Our operating expenses primarily consist of everything
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to run the day -to -day operations. That could
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be anything from salaries and benefits to the
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employees, as well as any operating needs for
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that operation. Capital is again the high dollar
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could be a capital improvement project or it
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could be what we call operating capital if a
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department needs a replacement or a new vehicle
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That's not necessarily going to be a capital
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improvement project, but it is that operating
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capital related to that to that department And
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additionally or really added on top as I mentioned
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the kind of tail end of the budget process is
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that carry forward component And again, those
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are those projects, capital improvement projects
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and or grant balances where the funding has already
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been approved. The funding was approved as part
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of the 26 budget, but those projects are not
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yet complete. So in order to complete the projects
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within the 27 budget, we need to carry that funding
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forward from one year to the next. In an earlier
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episode of County Conversations, you helped guide
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us through the building of the budget or the
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puzzle pieces, if you will. And a part of that
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is the different percentages of the budget that
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go to specific service areas. We lightly touched
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on it, but to break it down a little bit further
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for our audiences, you've got things such as
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public safety broken down by sheriff's office
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and fire rescue. You've got rogen transportation.
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I want to dive a little bit into, people may
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see the general fund and the property tax millage
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rates, but there's also the fire district. Let's
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break down St. John's County Fire Rescue and
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how we fund that service in terms of, you've
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got property tax allocations, but then there's
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also a fire district millage rate. Sure. So fire
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district millage rate is a separate millage rate
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from the general fund millage rate. The general
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fund millage rate is a countywide millage rate.
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So all properties within the county are levied
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that assess that millage rate, pay taxes based
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on that millage rate. And those are for services
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that are provided countywide. So EMS, the county
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provides services countywide to all areas of
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the county, all municipalities. So that's a countywide
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general fund millage rate operation. The fire
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district fund and that millage rate is not countywide.
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So the city of St. Augustine, they have their
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own fire station, provide their own fire services.
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Therefore that fire district millage rate is
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everything except that city of St. Augustine.
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So we're providing services, everything, every
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area outside of the city of St. Augustine. And
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of course they have, you know, mutual aid agreements
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where if necessary, they certainly do respond
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within the city if needed. So when we break down
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the property tax allocation again, I think it's
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important to note what percentage overall goes
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to Totality of public safety here in our community
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when it comes to property tax allocation So between
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both the sheriff and that fire rescue EMS component
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about 58 % of property taxes almost 60 % of your
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property taxes are going towards that public
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safety component. And it does include beyond
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fire rescue, includes emergency management, and
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certain other public safety service area departments.
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And I would guess some people may not know we're
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unique because we're a coastal community. St.
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Johns County Fire Rescue also provides protection,
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lifeguards, and coastal public safety as well.
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Yes, the lifeguards are primarily funded within
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beach services. So that's a separate special
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revenue fund. The beach tolls, the beach access
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fees are going to support that. However, the
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beach access fees do not fully support all of
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beach operations, not just the lifeguards, but
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the habitat conservation and other beach operations.
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So there is some level of contribution from other
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funds. Tourist development is fiscal year 27
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providing funding towards both beach operations
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and lifeguards but in the past the general fund
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and fire district fund have also contributed
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towards the lifeguard component. As we finish
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up this episode of County Conversations, Wade,
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could you walk us through a little bit? We talked
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about the big picture of capital improvement,
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but there are some really neat projects that
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are going on in the CIP, as it's called, when
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it comes to capital improvement. What are some
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of the things folks can look forward to in the
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2027 budget when it comes to building of roads
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and facilities and just infrastructure to keep
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a really good community looking and feeling and
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operating good? Yeah, so you mentioned $264 million
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in new funding for capital projects. When you
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add carry forwards on top of that, again, those
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are previously approved projects that are not
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yet complete. The fiscal year 27 budget has over
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$700 million towards capital improvement projects.
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And again, that can range from anything from
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roads to utilities to drainage infrastructure,
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parks and libraries. Wow, amazing, amazing story.
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So, Wade, thank you so much for being on this
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episode of County Conversations, walking us through
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the 2027 budget. There's quite a bit there when
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it comes to people, programs, and places, and
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keeping the infrastructure going, public safety.
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We really appreciate you being on the program.
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Wade Schroeder, Director of Budget and Management
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for the county, thank you so much. Thank you.
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Thank you so much for watching and listening
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to this episode of County Conversations. Thanks
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for joining us. We'll see you again soon. That
00:10:50.429 --> 00:10:53.490
is sjcfl .us.
00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:11.519
Welcome back to County Conversations, a St. John's
00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:13.859
County podcast to help keep our community informed
00:00:13.859 --> 00:00:16.280
about the program services and events of St.
00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:18.839
John's County. Welcome back to the show, Wade
00:00:18.839 --> 00:00:20.620
Schroeder, our Director of Management and Budget.
00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.039
We've been talking about budgeting 101 and the
00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:25.820
breakdown of revenues and expenses for the county.
00:00:26.219 --> 00:00:29.579
Let's jump right in specifically to the new budget,
00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:33.240
2027 budget, which begins in October and ends
00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:35.979
in September the following year. Let's start
00:00:35.979 --> 00:00:38.340
with the overall. What is the total budget for
00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:41.359
2027 and some of the highlights that the community
00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:43.399
should know about that's contained in this year's
00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:47.679
budget? Sure. The total budget bringing everything
00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:51.299
together is just over $1 .9 billion for a total
00:00:51.299 --> 00:00:54.820
budget. Again, of that total budget, only $426
00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:56.979
million is from property taxes, so certainly
00:00:56.979 --> 00:00:59.219
a variety of other revenue sources out there.
00:00:59.960 --> 00:01:02.280
Some of the highlights for this year's budget
00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:05.900
related to millage rates. The board approved
00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:10.079
flat millage rates from last year, so no increase
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:11.900
there, no change towards the millage rate. There
00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:14.900
may be an increase related to taxable value of
00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:17.319
a certain property, but no increase to the taxing
00:01:17.319 --> 00:01:21.640
rate of the county. As part of the fiscal year
00:01:21.640 --> 00:01:24.579
27 and really building on what was started last
00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:28.439
year in the 26th budget is emergency reserves.
00:01:28.459 --> 00:01:31.540
So as a coastal community in the middle of hurricane
00:01:31.540 --> 00:01:35.480
season presently, we need to be prepared and
00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:38.500
have funds available if a hurricane does hit.
00:01:38.900 --> 00:01:41.099
Hopefully, we don't have an active season we
00:01:41.099 --> 00:01:43.420
haven't had so far, but knock on wood on that.
00:01:45.090 --> 00:01:48.829
But we need to have funds available if there's
00:01:48.829 --> 00:01:51.969
cleanup or repairs needed as a result of a hurricane.
00:01:52.349 --> 00:01:54.370
And it's important to note, Wade, that this is
00:01:54.370 --> 00:01:56.510
the second year in a row that you've built this
00:01:56.510 --> 00:01:59.650
reserve. Yeah, so in fiscal year 26, we had the
00:01:59.650 --> 00:02:02.450
reserve of $20 million in the general fund. For
00:02:02.450 --> 00:02:05.629
fiscal year 27, we've been able to increase it
00:02:05.629 --> 00:02:10.439
to $25 million. As well, we've also added an
00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:14.300
emergency reserve in the fire rescue fund. So
00:02:14.300 --> 00:02:17.280
whenever there is an event, fire rescue is one
00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:19.500
of the largest areas that has to activate and
00:02:19.500 --> 00:02:23.319
be on the ready to respond. So there is an additional
00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:25.939
cost there. So we have an emergency reserve in
00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:29.280
fire rescue as well. And also some other highlights
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.219
in the budget, which are really exciting when
00:02:31.219 --> 00:02:34.159
it comes to the community and kind of the quality
00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:36.900
of life that St. John's County provides is new
00:02:36.900 --> 00:02:39.699
facilities, parks, libraries, fire stations,
00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:41.639
roadway improvements, all those are contained
00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:44.620
in the current budget. In the current budget,
00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:48.219
some of those are carry forwards from prior year's
00:02:48.219 --> 00:02:50.379
budgets, but it's still the completion of those
00:02:50.379 --> 00:02:52.659
projects or the continuing progress of those
00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:55.400
projects. The board for some of these facilities
00:02:55.400 --> 00:02:59.439
the board approved borrowing in 2025 For the
00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:01.539
construction of these projects the fire stations
00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:04.539
three fire stations were included four regional
00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:07.919
parks as well as additional library facilities
00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:11.460
and as well as a sheriff's office administration
00:03:11.460 --> 00:03:14.319
facility. Also contained in the budget wage for
00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.060
fiscal year 2027 that starts October 1st and
00:03:17.060 --> 00:03:20.419
in September the following year is something
00:03:20.419 --> 00:03:25.919
we call FTEs or full -time employees, 32 .25
00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:29.280
if you will, FTEs, but the majority of those
00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:34.280
are public safety. Yes, so for fiscal year 2027
00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:37.819
there's the proposed opening of the Silverleaf
00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:40.580
Fire Station with the opening of the station
00:03:40.580 --> 00:03:43.400
is the operation that needs to begin. So there
00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:47.460
are 30 firefighter positions in the 2027 budget
00:03:47.460 --> 00:03:50.240
related to the operations of that fire station.
00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:54.240
Also in the budget, Wade, we're funding over
00:03:54.240 --> 00:04:00.419
$264 million in new budget allocations for capital
00:04:00.419 --> 00:04:03.000
improvement projects. What's a capital improvement
00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:06.740
project? So a capital improvement project is
00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:11.740
really a one -time, high dollar capital cost
00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:16.379
to provide a new asset, long -term asset to the
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community. And that could be anything from fire
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station buildings for fire stations, it could
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be parks, as well as roads and drainage infrastructure.
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We're using a lot of budgeting terms. I think
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it's important that we break it down a little
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bit for our audience. We've talked about operating
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expenses, general fund, capital improvement,
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and carry forwards. Describe how those are different,
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but they're all contained in one budget. Sure.
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Our operating expenses primarily consist of everything
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to run the day -to -day operations. That could
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be anything from salaries and benefits to the
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employees, as well as any operating needs for
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that operation. Capital is again the high dollar
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could be a capital improvement project or it
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could be what we call operating capital if a
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department needs a replacement or a new vehicle
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That's not necessarily going to be a capital
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improvement project, but it is that operating
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capital related to that to that department And
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additionally or really added on top as I mentioned
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the kind of tail end of the budget process is
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that carry forward component And again, those
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are those projects, capital improvement projects
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and or grant balances where the funding has already
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been approved. The funding was approved as part
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of the 26 budget, but those projects are not
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yet complete. So in order to complete the projects
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within the 27 budget, we need to carry that funding
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forward from one year to the next. In an earlier
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episode of County Conversations, you helped guide
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us through the building of the budget or the
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puzzle pieces, if you will. And a part of that
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is the different percentages of the budget that
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go to specific service areas. We lightly touched
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on it, but to break it down a little bit further
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for our audiences, you've got things such as
00:06:06.069 --> 00:06:08.889
public safety broken down by sheriff's office
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and fire rescue. You've got rogen transportation.
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I want to dive a little bit into, people may
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see the general fund and the property tax millage
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rates, but there's also the fire district. Let's
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break down St. John's County Fire Rescue and
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how we fund that service in terms of, you've
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got property tax allocations, but then there's
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also a fire district millage rate. Sure. So fire
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district millage rate is a separate millage rate
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from the general fund millage rate. The general
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fund millage rate is a countywide millage rate.
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So all properties within the county are levied
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that assess that millage rate, pay taxes based
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on that millage rate. And those are for services
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that are provided countywide. So EMS, the county
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provides services countywide to all areas of
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the county, all municipalities. So that's a countywide
00:07:02.579 --> 00:07:06.290
general fund millage rate operation. The fire
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district fund and that millage rate is not countywide.
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So the city of St. Augustine, they have their
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own fire station, provide their own fire services.
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Therefore that fire district millage rate is
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everything except that city of St. Augustine.
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So we're providing services, everything, every
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area outside of the city of St. Augustine. And
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of course they have, you know, mutual aid agreements
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where if necessary, they certainly do respond
00:07:32.949 --> 00:07:35.740
within the city if needed. So when we break down
00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:38.360
the property tax allocation again, I think it's
00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:41.379
important to note what percentage overall goes
00:07:41.379 --> 00:07:44.540
to Totality of public safety here in our community
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when it comes to property tax allocation So between
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both the sheriff and that fire rescue EMS component
00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:56.439
about 58 % of property taxes almost 60 % of your
00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:59.709
property taxes are going towards that public
00:07:59.709 --> 00:08:02.709
safety component. And it does include beyond
00:08:02.709 --> 00:08:06.649
fire rescue, includes emergency management, and
00:08:06.649 --> 00:08:09.449
certain other public safety service area departments.
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And I would guess some people may not know we're
00:08:12.870 --> 00:08:14.910
unique because we're a coastal community. St.
00:08:15.009 --> 00:08:20.230
Johns County Fire Rescue also provides protection,
00:08:20.449 --> 00:08:23.310
lifeguards, and coastal public safety as well.
00:08:23.420 --> 00:08:28.240
Yes, the lifeguards are primarily funded within
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beach services. So that's a separate special
00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:35.200
revenue fund. The beach tolls, the beach access
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fees are going to support that. However, the
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beach access fees do not fully support all of
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beach operations, not just the lifeguards, but
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the habitat conservation and other beach operations.
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So there is some level of contribution from other
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funds. Tourist development is fiscal year 27
00:08:55.340 --> 00:08:59.120
providing funding towards both beach operations
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and lifeguards but in the past the general fund
00:09:01.580 --> 00:09:04.379
and fire district fund have also contributed
00:09:04.379 --> 00:09:07.259
towards the lifeguard component. As we finish
00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:09.940
up this episode of County Conversations, Wade,
00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:11.679
could you walk us through a little bit? We talked
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:13.980
about the big picture of capital improvement,
00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:16.159
but there are some really neat projects that
00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:19.100
are going on in the CIP, as it's called, when
00:09:19.100 --> 00:09:20.820
it comes to capital improvement. What are some
00:09:20.820 --> 00:09:23.299
of the things folks can look forward to in the
00:09:23.299 --> 00:09:26.460
2027 budget when it comes to building of roads
00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:28.860
and facilities and just infrastructure to keep
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a really good community looking and feeling and
00:09:32.379 --> 00:09:36.220
operating good? Yeah, so you mentioned $264 million
00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:39.820
in new funding for capital projects. When you
00:09:39.820 --> 00:09:41.899
add carry forwards on top of that, again, those
00:09:41.899 --> 00:09:44.559
are previously approved projects that are not
00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:48.100
yet complete. The fiscal year 27 budget has over
00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:50.980
$700 million towards capital improvement projects.
00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:53.879
And again, that can range from anything from
00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:56.879
roads to utilities to drainage infrastructure,
00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.559
parks and libraries. Wow, amazing, amazing story.
00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:03.539
So, Wade, thank you so much for being on this
00:10:03.539 --> 00:10:05.759
episode of County Conversations, walking us through
00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.440
the 2027 budget. There's quite a bit there when
00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:11.980
it comes to people, programs, and places, and
00:10:11.980 --> 00:10:14.159
keeping the infrastructure going, public safety.
00:10:15.059 --> 00:10:16.980
We really appreciate you being on the program.
00:10:17.179 --> 00:10:20.399
Wade Schroeder, Director of Budget and Management
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.120
for the county, thank you so much. Thank you.
00:10:22.889 --> 00:10:25.230
Thank you so much for watching and listening
00:10:25.230 --> 00:10:28.210
to this episode of County Conversations. Thanks
00:10:28.210 --> 00:10:50.429
for joining us. We'll see you again soon. That
00:10:50.429 --> 00:10:53.490
is sjcfl .us.
