City finalizes 2019-20 budget

The Sarasota City Commission finalized its approval of a budget for fiscal year 2020 in a 4-1 vote Monday.

In a unanimous vote, the board maintained the millage rate for 2020 at 3.2632. One mill is equal to $1 in tax for every $1,000 of taxable value on a property. For a property with a taxable value of $200,000, the proposed millage rate would result in $652.64 in city taxes.

Commissioner Hagen Brody was the lone vote against the $256 million budget. Brody said the financial plan did not account for some future expenses he believed the city would have to pay, such as negotiated raises for staff members and six months of operation at Bobby Jones Golf Club not included in the original budget.

City Manager Tom Barwin said those numbers were not included in the budget because it was not certain the city would have to incur them. When staff returns to the commission to discuss the possibility of establishing raises or keeping Bobby Jones open longer than initially intended, Barwin said the budget could be amended if the commission authorizes new expenditures.