[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6149565,"mediaKeyId","5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee","parentId",5511690,"title","City proposes 2,000 new Southside cemetery plots; perpetual-care fees set at market-low rates","audioSeconds",99,"startMs",570180,"endMs",669945,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee&start=570&end=669","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee/thumbnail_570180.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6149565/Tallahassee/Leon-County/Florida/City-proposes-2000-new-Southside-cemetery-plots-perpetual-care-fees-set-at-market-low-rates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149565-77cebdb7275c35f6f7cb0e8e8e1eb438/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149596&Signature=YpjpHwfeYOkny5jdy7dNYBou1LJJXZqkwrjBLOZvLpWLHzLbDf9xYkAUJDjOMKsarxPA3uBGsdvivE04SDz~S-U-QnCsJjqveZqhqfEhsBPcplMrNmuVqtd4vg2CjSu~BNqRY00CaM8U8lHpunHqTlx-e3W83zixil66dE2gNS0cuOe7eh8M6zG784yVckssUttx7mL4n3RiqdjpbtUhS8Q4NnGwy3w-zpjIJV39xjmUnxJcjmooVZpghQ~I6-rTMsIHYLZEfmSPNIJzFWO-ecPiC91ItaU4NyCSHmZAFNGKawt7vb9a05HUw0FnffQ3o9FnGAkoql0~r-IXVRP89Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Tallahassee","date","2025-07-31T07:42:02.193Z","article","City staff told the commission on July 11 that, under direction to firm up the Perpetual Care Trust Fund, the FY26 budget includes a proposal to expand cemetery capacity by roughly 2,000 plots, principally at Southside Cemetery near the airport.

Staff said the plan includes proposed perpetual-care fees of $1,600 for traditional plots and $780 for cremation plots and that those rates would remain the lowest in the area based on the city’s market comparisons. Staff said the city currently had very limited remaining inventory in other cemeteries (about 163 and 33 plots in two locations) and expects the Southside expansion to open the new inventory within roughly 12 months.

Commissioners discussed the location and schedule in the hearing and expressed support for increasing cemetery capacity to meet demand. No formal separate vote on cemetery fees was recorded; the item was included in the broader set of budget amendments the commission approved to advance to public hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Workshop - June 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","As part of the FY26 budget presentation staff proposed expanding Southside Cemetery by about 2,000 plots, with perpetual-care fees proposed at $1,600 and cremation plots at $780; staff expects the expansion to open inventory within about 12 months.","taxTitle","Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida","taxId",38149,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6149570,"Commission accepts proposed balanced FY26 budget framework, maintains tentative millage at 4.42 mills",1290,101665,1392375,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee&start=101&end=1392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee/thumbnail_101665.jpg","/articles/6149570/Tallahassee/Leon-County/Florida/Commission-accepts-proposed-balanced-FY26-budget-framework-maintains-tentative-millage-at-442-mills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149570-87b04f1740e6426faeb39289d3a116df/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149596&Signature=U~mXV8SsjtQYBVaItTFrkBMaTmZ-Rc~y3852pMfin4eON6k4x7Bn80vf8aceMUERyGYWmrC-KDdRCa21KA8yCneS9xij977PPmo8TV9UioCUuwSIgJUXMNpz8i7XKotk570gheVo7wi~Q5Ruom-XeETJHJteiw3Fo0aJ0f5BnHQV9QRwts5QZmoCRY3gL6Th2pEogU0EnhsSl4TKELhavy-~phwpKQ8hkoKijDzDOq2cl8cdBZvvlesaWT1bkoy2GmHNs8IFKWqWA9uzWUpCPqWFNBOPETyz6C56td3XE8SBRfUw4M746WiksOfoV7-mzCo4T31JfGIAA2-P3vPY8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tallahassee staff told the City Commission on July 11 that the proposed fiscal year 2026 balanced budget builds on the city’s strategic priorities with investments in public safety, infrastructure and economic development and keeps the tentative millage rate at 4.42 mills.

City budget presenter Robert said the proposed FY26 budget includes 83 total new positions across departments, including 20 additional police officers, requested airport staffing, parks and recreation maintenance for 100 parks, senior center staffing and public-safety positions. Staff said those 83 positions bring staffing to about 14.9 full-time equivalents per 1,000 residents compared with a 20-year average of about 15.3 FTEs per 1,000 residents.

The proposed general fund to support police, parks and recreation, sidewalks and human services was described as approximately $225 million. Staff described a total operating budget across 14 funds of about $935 million and a capital budget of roughly $285.6 million.

Staff recommended maintaining a 4% pay increase for general employees in FY26 and retaining the existing family health-plan cost-sharing at 80% paid by the city and 20% by employees, which staff said yields annual savings for some family-plan participants. Robert said ongoing operational efficiencies across FY24–26 amount to roughly $7.7 million in improvements, including energy-efficiency financing, fuel hedging and a lease-management program.

Commissioners voted to accept the third-quarter update and to advance the FY25 amendments and FY26 budget items to public hearings on Sept. 3 and Sept. 17, 2025, both at 6 p.m. in Commission Chambers. The commission also approved a tentative millage rate of 4.42 mills for required publication.

Mayor thanked the budget team for producing a balanced proposal and commissioners asked staff to continue identifying long-term funding options for services such as fire and to examine infrastructure needs tied to future growth and density.","City staff presented a proposed balanced FY26 budget that keeps the city’s tentative millage at 4.42 mills, requests 83 new positions across departments, maintains a 4% general employee raise and proposes capital projects and fees; commissioners approved staff recommendations to advance the budget to public hearings.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6149575,"Tallahassee commission backs fee increase to fund ISO upgrades, authorizes hires despite county dispute",3407,745129,4152645,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee&start=745&end=4152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5511690-e84dde0a844aedeee85445be498fbeee/thumbnail_745129.jpg","/articles/6149575/Tallahassee/Leon-County/Florida/Tallahassee-commission-backs-fee-increase-to-fund-ISO-upgrades-authorizes-hires-despite-county-dispute","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6149575-855c28d855ca09bb8921dbd83390a96b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771149596&Signature=GDcPcRMHgeHj0QInqoSpKUlaDDriXFxG1kUmEnobqgHdG1A7i8doAaZvzc~nVCuoQRiWB5LvMxxNg3UgtBM-C1qngn8PQHlpydWG2Bz3wAyrXgUzdEVJK56V-5PZzwaqvrTliF2hieNU~f4M~pmkUxpGYzlpbWiSSD~8d89oLPQXgo5sGm1sQoNpHqHzi2V2ts5kgox8sJtFHgytMUHULdFbfjnWE6DLnqAsd-7b9moWIdxUVJJOZruqAu-3sYBSnqMFhZW1vJcJNdvt5IWDz2lZI27sb75BDBypsbZmf6uH7VdH~1RAF0J9vb0KvWnS1zn5Lg8vcSt~tF8LE8SWKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tallahassee City Commission on July 11 during a budget workshop approved staff recommendations that include adopting a proposed fire services fee increase tied to a plan to raise the city’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating to Class 2, funding new hires and equipment and beginning implementation while a contract dispute with Leon County proceeds.

The vote, moved by the Mayor Pro Tem and seconded by Commissioner Richardson, passed by voice vote. Commissioners directed staff to publish required notices and to return for budget hearings in September.

The change matters because a lower ISO rating generally signals stronger fire-protection capability and can reduce property-insurance premiums, officials said. City fire officials and the budget team argued failure to act now would miss a narrow audit window and delay improvements until the next multi-year cycle.

City budget presenter Robert said the city’s fire-services enterprise fund is projected to exhaust reserves by 2026 if revenues and costs remain unchanged. A consultant study commissioned with Leon County (Accenture) estimated the cost of planned staffing, equipment and ISO-related work at roughly $29 million over the study period and calculated an average residential increase of about $4.86 per month. City staff said the county proposed excluding the ISO-related staffing and equipment from its share, which would cut roughly $1 per month from the county portion of the proposed increase.

Tallahassee Fire Chief Sanders told commissioners the department must act now to capture points in the next ISO audit window scheduled for 2027. “If we miss this opportunity, we won't be able to revisit this again until 2032,” Chief Sanders said. He described ISO scoring components that include water supply, emergency communications and on-scene staffing, and said the department’s plan adds personnel to meet NFPA response expectations.

Under the city’s proposal the department would hire additional firefighters to staff new and expanded stations and to move toward four-person crews on five of the busiest engine companies. Staff listed specific personnel requests elsewhere in the broader budget: 24 additional firefighters tied to Station 17 construction and expansion at Station 15 and another 26 positions aimed at improving ISO performance over a two-year period.

City staff said Leon County Schools had previously paid about $1 million a year into the fire-services fund but has since stopped remitting that amount; staff characterized that loss as a material contributor to the fund shortfall. The interlocal contract with Leon County allows the county to dispute changes; county staff notified the commission that it preferred not to proceed with ISO-related staffing increases and authorized its administrator to pursue dispute-resolution steps in the contract, including staff discussions, mediation and potential arbitration. City staff estimated the contractual resolution process could take several months.

City staff told commissioners the city can proceed with implementation—hiring and operational changes—while the contract dispute follows the interlocal process, and noted notices for rate changes must be published within statutory timelines. The commission asked staff to transmit a letter summarizing the action to the Leon County Commission.

Mayor Pro Tem said public-safety needs and response-time improvements justify the increase. “For public safety, for response times, for personnel, for staffing, for training, yes,” the Mayor Pro Tem said. Several other commissioners voiced support during the discussion and thanked fire personnel for their service.

Next steps: staff will publish the proposed rate adjustments and include the fire-services fee increase in the budget hearings set for Sept. 3 and Sept. 17, 2025, at 6 p.m. in Commission Chambers and will send the commission’s action to Leon County as requested.","At a July 11 budget workshop the Tallahassee City Commission voted unanimously to adopt staff recommendations that include a proposed fire services fee increase to fund staffing, equipment and ISO rating improvements; the city will proceed while a contract dispute with Leon County may move to mediation or arbitration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City proposes 2,000 new Southside cemetery plots; perpetual-care fees set at market-low rates

Commission accepts proposed balanced FY26 budget framework, maintains tentative millage at 4.42 mills

Tallahassee commission backs fee increase to fund ISO upgrades, authorizes hires despite county dispute