Budget Workshop

The City of Freeport held a budget workshop on July 14, 2026, to discuss the fiscal year budget amid uncertainty from a Property Tax Exemption ballot measure. Finance Director Bruce Simmons presented a Capital Improvement Plan and reported that all departments are projected to be under budget. The council decided to keep the millage rate the same, removed the yearly allocation to the Walton County Economic Development Alliance from future budgets, set aside funds for city lighting, and agreed to keep salary and benefits at current levels pending further discussion at another workshop.

The council's budget decisions will determine how the city allocates its resources for the year, particularly given the uncertainty created by the Property Tax Exemption ballot measure and their commitment to keeping the millage rate stable while addressing infrastructure needs like city lighting.