Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Winter Garden public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
9 issues in taxes budget
Purchasing Manual Update for State Compliance
The city's purchasing rules would be updated to match new state procurement requirements — the fine print that governs how the city buys goods and services and awards contracts.
Lien Search Fee Increase
The city wants to raise the fee it charges for lien searches — title companies and homebuyers pay these during real estate closings — with automatic annual inflation adjustments going forward.
Cybersecurity and Server Investments
The city plans to spend about $280,000 combined renewing CrowdStrike cybersecurity protection and replacing seven aging servers — keeping resident data and city systems safe from hacks and outages.
Solid Waste Rate Increases
Trash bills are going up starting in 2027 — residential up 6.5% that year (~$1.74/month) with smaller increases through 2031, to fund reserves and post-storm cleanup. Want to pay less? Request the new 65-gallon cart, which stays at its current price for two years.
Amendment 3 Fiscal Uncertainty
Residents repeatedly asked how the November 3 property tax Amendment 3 could affect hiring, the drainage project and street resurfacing. Staff says funded positions will be filled only after the vote, but drainage comes from the stormwater fund and resurfacing from the gas tax — funds expected to be unaffected. A town hall is set for September 30 in Ocoee.
FY2026-27 Budget and Millage Rate
The city locked in its tentative property tax rate at the current 4.8565 mills — above the rollback rate — meaning most property owners will pay more in total only if their property values rose. The rate can still be lowered at the September hearings but not raised.
Property Tax Amendment and Fire Assessment Planning
Residents repeatedly asked how the November 3 property tax Amendment 3 could affect hiring, the drainage project and street resurfacing. Staff says funded positions will be filled only after the vote, but drainage comes from the stormwater fund and resurfacing from the gas tax — funds expected to be unaffected. A town hall is set for September 30 in Ocoee.
Cell tower lease modernization
The city's 1999 cell tower lease got a major upgrade: $100,000 up front, rent up 20%, and about $2.06 million projected through 2054.
Local Business Tax Rate Increase
For the first time since 2003, local business tax rates go up 5%, plus the city restructured how future increases will be timed.