Crestview Council approves $81.2M tentative budget, slight Tax Rate Increase

In Brief:

💰 Crestview adopted a tentative $81.2 million budget and property tax rate of 6.6466 mills.
👥 Resident Jillian Harker questioned staffing, pay, and spending priorities during the public hearing.
🏛 Councilmember Shannon Hayes praised staff for balancing safety and fiscal restraint.

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CRESTVIEW — The Crestview City Council unanimously approved a tentative $81.2 million budget Tuesday, adopting a property tax rate of 6.6466 mills for fiscal year 2026.

The tentative millage rate is slightly above the rollback rate of 6.6225 mills, representing a 0.36 percent increase, according to the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser’s certification.

The budget, which runs from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026, covers citywide operations, capital projects and debt obligations.

Significant spending includes more than $8.5 million for police services, $7.1 million for fire protection, $7.7 million for streets and infrastructure, and nearly $8.6 million for sanitation.

Councilmembers voted 3-0 to approve the tentative budget and millage rate, with two members absent from the meeting. The final budget hearing is set for Sept. 22 at 5:15 p.m. at City Hall, 198 N. Wilson St.

During the public hearing, Crestview resident Jillian Harker pressed the council on priorities, questioning whether the city was addressing staffing shortages in the police department, funding raises for firefighters and paramedics, and ensuring transparency in public records fees.

She also criticized city spending on events like Food Truck Fridays, arguing those dollars should go toward “a fully staffed police force” instead.

Other questions addressed the senior center, community center air conditioning replacement, golf course safety netting, and how the city would adapt if property taxes were abolished or utility franchise fees were reduced.

Following adoption, Councilmember Shannon Hayes praised the work of staff in keeping the budget balanced while continuing to trim the tax burden.

“I think we have a good budget for our city, realizing that every year we’re trying to lower [property taxes], and I think we’re doing a good job towards that,” Hayes said. “So I applaud our finance people as well as our city manager, towards that goal of keeping Crestview safe, but trying to do it within the money we have.”

The Crestview City Council voted 3-0 to advance the budget to a final hearing on Sept. 22. Councilmembers Dusty Allison and Doug Capps were not present during Monday’s meeting.