§ City government · budget
Budget hearing tracker.
Florida's TRIM process puts the whole Lake Wales budget — every fund, all $144.4 million of it — in front of the commission at the same two advertised hearings. This page tracks those dates, which ordinance covers what, and how long until the next step.
Schedule
Every posted date in the FY 2026-2027 cycle.
Wed, July 15, 2026
Taxable value certified, interim millage set
The City Commission accepted the Polk County Property Appraiser's 2026 certification of taxable value, set the interim millage rate, and set the FY 2026-2027 budget hearing dates.
Wed, September 2, 2026
First reading and public hearing
Ordinance 2026-18 (millage rate of 8.0462 mills) and Ordinance 2026-19 (operating budget) received first reading and separate public hearings at the 2:00 p.m. commission workshop, 201 W. Central Avenue.
Wed, September 9, 2026
Budget hearings, regular meeting
Budget hearings for Ordinances 2026-18 and 2026-19 were carried on the 6:00 p.m. regular meeting agenda in Commission Chambers, 201 W. Central Avenue.
Date not posted
Needs verificationFinal adoption
The final adoption date and adopted totals should be confirmed against the city's adopted ordinance before being cited as final.
Source: City of Lake Wales, proposed FY 2026-2027 budget — Ordinances 2026-18 and 2026-19, first reading September 2, 2026. Documents: Schedule A and B (FY 26-27); Budget and Millage Rate memo, 1st reading. Last verified 2026-09-20.
Next step
Loading schedule…
Ordinances on the table
- Ordinance 2026-18 — the millage rate of 8.0462 mills, against a rolled-back rate of 7.5304 mills.
- Ordinance 2026-19 — the operating budget for all funds, $144,473,884.
Fund by fund
Which hearing covers each fund.
Lake Wales does not hold separate hearings per fund. Each fund below is adopted as part of Ordinance 2026-19, heard first on Wed, September 2, 2026 and again on Wed, September 9, 2026.
| Fund | Proposed total | First reading | Second hearing |
|---|---|---|---|
| General FundFund 001 | $44,151,404 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Transportation FundFund 102 | $4,118,176 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) FundFund 105 | $33,387,628 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Police Forfeitures FundFund 106 | $3,000 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Speed Enforcement FundFund 112 | $700,000 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Law Enforcement Fund (JAG grants)Fund 116 | $15,000 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Debt Service FundFund 201 | $3,740,813 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Capital Projects Fund (impact fees)Fund 330 | $2,622,000 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Memorial Gardens Cemetery FundFund 402 | $1,020,200 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Utility System Fund (water, sewer, reuse)Fund 403 | $49,822,250 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Airport FundFund 404 | $2,254,470 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Storm Water FundFund 408 | $1,170,200 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
| Library FundFund 410 | $1,468,743 | Wed, September 2, 2026 | Wed, September 9, 2026 |
Related
The full fund-by-fund budget breakdown.
Revenue, expenditures, reserves, millage math, and what the FY 2026-2027 money actually funds.