City Council members tweaked a proposed City of Vero Beach budget during a five-hour workshop last week, restoring three slashed police department positions and imposing new fees, while increasing others, to pay for the officers and craft a balanced budget for 2026-2027 that will not increase the property tax rate.
The proposed budget amount following the workshop was $37,242,588. The council can still adjust the budget at its Aug. 11 and Aug. 15 regular meetings. After that, the public can comment on the proposal at 5 p.m. hearings on Sept. 10 and Sept. 22. The council will vote to adopt a final budget and property tax rate following the Sept. 22 public hearing.
At the July 22 workshop meeting, the budget that City Manager Monte Falls presented to council members eliminated three open positions for police officers. But council members said they preferred to fund those positions, if possible, and find other ways to pay for them…