MONROE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Keys governments begin finalizing fiscal year 2026-27 budgets this week, with public hearings scheduled through Sept. 22 before the fiscal year starts Oct. 1. Property-taxing authorities also will set the millage rates residents will pay.
Several hearings are scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10, when Key West, Key Colony Beach, Islamorada and the South Florida Water Management District will consider tentative budgets or tax rates.
Monroe County’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget totals $695.7 million, including county government, constitutional officers, the Tourist Development Council, capital projects and reserves. The county says $181.1 million would come from property taxes, with 69.9% of that ad valorem revenue supporting public safety.
Here is the current schedule, with links to watch or join meetings and review available budget material.
Monroe County School Board
Hearing schedule
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 8
Time: 5 p.m.
Meeting status: The district’s latest notice does not separately identify this meeting as the final budget hearing, but it is.
Location: Marathon High School, 350 Sombrero Beach Road, Marathon.
Participation
The district will broadcast the meeting live through its Granicus meeting portal.
Budget documents
Monroe County Schools proposed-budget notices and budget summary
Meeting and livestream information
Monroe County School Board livestream and agenda portal
The district previously posted its proposed-budget hearing notice, capital-outlay tax notice and budget summary on its public live feed. The district’s latest Sept. 8 meeting notice, however, describes public hearings on policies and a job description and does not separately identify the meeting as the final budget hearing. Because of that discrepancy, Above the Fold is not characterizing the Sept. 8 session as a final budget hearing without further confirmation from the district.
Following a glowing first-year evaluation, the Monroe County School Board will consider a new contract Tuesday for Superintendent Ed Tierney that would raise his annual base salary from $199,500 to $245,000 — an increase of $45,500, or 22.8%. Board member Mindy Conn called Tierney’s evaluation “impressive” and his first year “incredible,” while the school district described the overall review as “near perfect.” Board Chairman John Dick directed the board attorney to prepare the agreement, which would also extend Tierney’s tenure as superintendent. It remains unclear whether board members will approve the hefty raise, particularly while the district is still negotiating with United Teachers of Monroe over raises for teachers and other represented employees for the 2026-27 school year.
Download Tierney’s proposed contract
Read the district’s official review summary
Keys Energy Services
Hearing schedule
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9
Time: 4 p.m.
Hearing: Budget public hearing
Location: Keys Energy Services Board Room, 1001 James St., Key West.
Participation
KEYS does not currently advertise a livestream or remote participation option for the hearing on its official meeting notice.
Budget documents
KEYS budget and financial plans
Meeting information
KEYS official meeting calendar
The meeting also serves as the board’s regular and organizational meeting. KEYS’ financial-information page currently displays its 2026 Budget & Financial Plan; a separate fiscal year 2026-27 plan was not listed there as of Sept. 7.
Monroe County
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Tentative fiscal year 2026-27 budget and millage rate
Location: Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo.
Final hearing
Date: Monday, Sept. 14
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Final budget and millage rate; commissioners are scheduled to adopt both.
Location: Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave., Key West.
Participation
Both meetings are hybrid and may be attended in person or through Zoom.
Budget documents
Monroe County fiscal year 2026-27 proposed budget, summary and timetable
Meeting and Zoom information
Monroe County meetings and Zoom access
The county’s proposed $695.7 million fiscal year 2026-27 budget includes $181.1 million supported by ad valorem taxes. County officials say nearly 70% of those property-tax dollars support public safety, including law enforcement, fire rescue, detention operations and the medical examiner.
Key West
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Fiscal year 2026-27 budget and millage rate
Location: Commission Chambers, Key West City Hall, 1300 White St., Key West.
Final hearing
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 22
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Final millage rate and annual budget
Location: Commission Chambers, Key West City Hall, 1300 White St., Key West.
Participation
City Commission meetings are broadcast live on KWCTV, Comcast Channel 77 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 and may also be streamed online.
Budget documents
City of Key West budget information and fiscal year 2026-27 budget process
Meeting and livestream information
KWCTV live City Commission meetings
The Sept. 22 date is important because the city’s earlier fiscal year 2026-27 budget calendar listed Sept. 23 as a tentative final-hearing date. The city’s current meeting calendar supersedes that earlier planning document and now schedules the hearing for Sept. 22.
Key Colony Beach
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Fiscal year 2026-27 budget
Location: Back patio of the Key Colony Inn, 700 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach.
Final hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Second and final budget hearing
Location: Back patio of the Key Colony Inn, 700 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach.
Participation
Zoom conferencing is available.
Webinar ID: 883 1459 2550
Passcode: 807767
Budget documents
Key Colony Beach fiscal year 2026-27 hearing agenda and budget material
Meeting and Zoom information
Key Colony Beach budget hearing and Zoom information
The city’s Sept. 10 agenda also confirms the Sept. 17 final-hearing date.
Islamorada
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Hearing: Tentative fiscal year 2026-27 budget
Location: Founders Park Community Center, 87000 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Final hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 17
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Hearing: Second and final budget hearing
Location: Founders Park Community Center, 87000 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Participation
Village Council meetings may be viewed online. Islamorada also provides remote participation through Zoom.
Zoom webinar ID: 911 0656 4166
Budget documents
Islamorada budget documents and annual budget reports
Meeting and remote-participation information
Islamorada meeting viewing and remote participation information
Islamorada’s website currently provides its fiscal year 2026-27 budget calendar and related budget process material, although its adopted-budget page had not yet posted a final fiscal year 2026-27 budget as of Sept. 7.
South Florida Water Management District
Hearing schedule
Tentative hearing
Date: Thursday, Sept. 10
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Hearing: Tentative fiscal year 2026-27 millage and budget
Location: SFWMD headquarters, B-1 Building, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.
Final hearing
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 22
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Hearing: Final millage and budget
Location: SFWMD headquarters, B-1 Building, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach.
Participation
Both meetings are hybrid, with public participation available through Zoom.
Budget documents
SFWMD budget and finance reports
Meeting and Zoom information
SFWMD public meetings and Zoom registration
The district levies property taxes in Monroe County as part of its 16-county jurisdiction.
Florida Keys Mosquito Control District
Hearing schedule
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 15
Time: 5:05 p.m.
Hearing: Final fiscal year 2026-27 budget hearing
Location: FKMCD Marathon Board Room.
Participation
Meeting and viewing information is provided through the district’s board-meeting page.
Budget documents
FKMCD budget hearing workbooks and meeting documents
Meeting information
Florida Keys Mosquito Control board meetings and hearing materials
The district’s official meeting schedule lists the final budget hearing for Sept. 15 following its tentative hearing Sept. 3. The Sept. 3 hearing page also includes the tentative budget workbook, providing the public with the district’s working budget material.
Marathon
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 16
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Hearing: Fiscal year 2026-27 budget
Location: Marathon City Hall, Council Chambers, 9805 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
Final hearing
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 22
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Hearing: Final budget hearing
Location: Marathon City Hall, Council Chambers, 9805 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
Participation
Marathon broadcasts City Council meetings live online and on Comcast Xfinity Channel 77.
Budget documents
Marathon fiscal year 2026-27 draft General Fund budget
Meeting and livestream information
Marathon Government TV livestream
The dates are confirmed on Marathon’s current city calendar and meeting schedule. The city has also published its draft fiscal year 2026-27 General Fund budget.
Layton
Hearing schedule
First hearing
Date: Sept. 3
Time: 7 p.m.
Hearing: First fiscal year 2026-27 budget hearing
Location: Not specified in the available notice.
Final hearing
Date: Not yet posted
Time: Not yet posted
Hearing: Second or final budget hearing
Location: Not yet posted
Participation
The city’s current public page includes Zoom access for the Sept. 3 hearing. The city has not posted a date for a second or final budget hearing as of Sept. 7.
Budget documents
Layton fiscal year 2026-27 budget hearing documents and resolutions
Meeting information
City of Layton meetings and budget documents
Rather than publish an assumed date, Above the Fold will add Layton’s final hearing when the city posts an official notice.
What Comes Next
The heaviest concentration of hearings comes this week. Tuesday brings the Monroe County School Board meeting in Marathon. Wednesday brings Keys Energy in Key West and Monroe County’s first budget hearing in Key Largo. Four authorities — Key West, Key Colony Beach, Islamorada and the South Florida Water Management District — hold hearings Thursday.
Final hearings then begin Sept. 14 with Monroe County, followed by Mosquito Control on Sept. 15, Key Colony Beach and Islamorada on Sept. 17, and Key West, Marathon and the South Florida Water Management District on Sept. 22.
Those hearings are the public’s final opportunity in many cases to comment before elected boards lock in tax rates and spending plans for fiscal year 2026-27, which begins Oct. 1.
Amendment 3
If approved by 60% of voters in November, Amendment 3 would increase Florida’s homestead exemption for non-school property taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, potentially reducing money available to counties and municipalities for police and fire protection, roads, parks and other services, according to the Florida Department of State.
State analysts initially estimated Monroe County would lose about $9 million in the first year and $17.5 million the following year. However, Monroe County Property Appraiser Scott Russell’s more detailed analysis found the Keys could be affected less severely than many Florida communities because much of the county’s tax base consists of second homes and other non-homesteaded properties that would not qualify for the larger exemption. Based on Russell’s projections, Monroe County budget officials now estimate countywide property-tax revenue could still increase by about $287,000 in 2027 and a cumulative $1.52 million in 2028 as property values rise, although the additional revenue may not keep pace with inflation and growing service costs.
The Lower and Middle Keys fire-and-ambulance district remains an exception, with projected revenue losses of about $430,000 in the first year and $607,000 the next. Municipalities could face similar pressure depending on how much of their tax base is homesteaded. And second homes would not be entirely insulated: As Florida TaxWatch explains, Amendment 3 also would reduce the annual assessment-growth cap on second homes, rental properties and commercial real estate from 10% to 5%, potentially constraining future county and municipal revenue growth.
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