Polk County’s next budget clocked in at a jaw‑dropping $3.91 billion on Friday, as the Polk County Board of County Commissioners huddled in Bartow for a work session that served as the public’s first real look at the proposed fiscal year 2026–2027 spending plan.
The draft is balanced and built on an assumed 4.83% countywide rise in property values. It keeps the countywide millage rate unchanged, carves out a $764.3 million general fund for day‑to‑day operations, and sets aside about $297.3 million for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Commissioners used the work session to hear department pitches, quiz staff and map out the schedule for public hearings ahead of a final vote later this year.
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