The Polk County Board of County Commissioners in Bartow, Florida, has passed a $2.5 billion budget for 2023/24, a 1.72% increase from the previous year. The budget includes $476 million for the Community Investment Program (CIP), a part of a larger $1.2 billion five-year plan. The CIP will fund infrastructure improvements, with 55% allocated for Roads & Drainage projects. It will also support new fire rescue stations, water quality projects, and a sheriff’s K-9 training facility.
To lessen the impact of rising property values on homeowners, the Board approved a second 3% tax rate reduction. This will help homeowners avoid a large increase in their property taxes, despite a 16% rise in property values.
In November 2022, Polk County voters approved a proposal for additional tax to be used for the purchase and upkeep of selected environmental lands over the next 20 years. This initiative, the first since 2014, is expected to raise $11.3 million in 2023/24.
Residents in unincorporated Polk County will face a 5% increase in their Fire Fee, now at $268. The budget for the Polk County Sheriff Office has risen by $32.7 million to $236 million for 2023/24.
Waste collection fees in unincorporated Polk County will return to the $206.50 fee set in 2021/22. A third waste collection zone, staffed by county employees, will start on October 1, 2024.