From David Volz
The Oakland Park City Commission adopted the 2025 fiscal year budget, marking a significant milestone for Oakland Park.
The operating millage rate has been reduced from 5.8362 to 5.7243 mills, the lowest in 15 years and the tenth reduction in the last eleven years. These sustained efforts have saved taxpayers over $17 million since FY 2014. Additionally, the debt service millage rate on the city’s general obligation bonds will drop by 12.7%, resulting in a $10.44 savings for the median single-family homeowner.
Compared to other similarly sized cities, 40,000 to 80,000 residents, the City’s millage rate is now the second lowest, and the adopted special assessment rates remain substantially lower than average even as the City continues to make new investments and improvements. The new $166.2 million budget is the largest and most ambitious in Oakland Park’s history, with $38.4 million allocated for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP). These funds will drive key initiatives to improve infrastructure, enhance recreational spaces, beautify the city, and address drainage issues. Impressively, more than $25 million—or 66% of the FY25 CIP—will be funded through grants. Including current projects underway, the five-year Capital Improvement Program represents an investment of over $130 million.
The City of Oakland Park will open the new Fire Rescue Station 9 on Thursday, October 10th at 12:30 p.m. at 599 Park Lane East at NE 6th Avenue in Oakland Park. Fire Station 9 is the second new building and third project completed under Oakland Park’s Building Our 2nd Century bond initiative to create new facilities and amenities leading up to the City’s centennial in 2029.
