Seminole County Plans Ahead for 2026 with Focus on Property Taxes, Transportation, and Sports Tourism

County leaders address property tax reforms, new public transportation system, and plans for an indoor sports facility funded by a tourism improvement district.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Seminole County, Florida held its annual State of the County address, where officials discussed key priorities for the coming years, including property taxes, transportation, and sports tourism. The county is facing a 0.5 millage increase in its $1.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26, but officials say Seminole County still ranks in the lower third of Florida counties for property tax rates. Discussions in Tallahassee around potential property tax reforms could impact the county's funding model. Seminole County also launched a new public transportation system called SCOUT and created a Tourism Improvement District to boost revenue for its sports tourism industry, including plans for a new indoor sports facility.

Why it matters

Property taxes continue to be a major issue across Florida, with state leaders considering reforms. How Seminole County manages its property tax rates and funding model could have significant implications for essential public services like law enforcement, fire rescue, and infrastructure. The county's investments in transportation and sports tourism also aim to drive economic growth and improve quality of life for residents.

The details

Seminole County's $1.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26 includes a 0.5 millage increase, bringing the county's property tax rate to 15.3177, which is still lower than most surrounding counties. County officials say 41 cents of every property tax dollar goes to law enforcement and the jail, 31 cents to fire rescue and EMS, 10 cents to transportation, 5 cents to parks and libraries, and 13 cents to courts and other services. Discussions in Tallahassee around potential property tax reforms could impact how the county funds these essential services if property taxes are reduced or eliminated. To boost revenue for sports tourism, the county created a Tourism Improvement District funded by hotel fees, which will help pay for a new indoor sports facility.

  • Seminole County's $1.2 billion FY25-26 budget includes a 0.5 millage increase.
  • The county's property tax rate of 15.3177 for FY25-26 is still lower than most surrounding counties.

The players

Andria Herr

Chairman of the Seminole County Board of Commissioners.

Ron DeSantis

Governor of Florida who has been a vocal proponent of reducing property taxes in the state.

Seminole County Tourism Improvement District

A district created by the county to boost revenue for the sports tourism industry, funded by hotel fees rather than taxpayer dollars.

Boombah Sports Complex

A sports facility near Sanford's Airport that brings in millions of dollars in revenue for Seminole County each year.

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What they’re saying

“We made careful adjustments to ensure that essential services remain reliable and sustainable, including modest updates to local taxes that had not been touched in 16 years. These adjustments were spread across multiple revenue sources to avoid placing the burden solely on property owners.”

— Andria Herr, Chairman, Seminole County Board of Commissioners (clickorlando.com)

“If property taxes were to be eliminated or even significantly reduced, and funding instead flowed through the state, Seminole County could become a donor county, sending dollars to Tallahassee with no direct say in how or when those funds come back home. That could mean fewer decisions made locally, with potentially less control over how your tax dollars are used in your community.”

— Andria Herr, Chairman, Seminole County Board of Commissioners (clickorlando.com)

“Seminole County is proud to be the first countywide TID in the state of Florida, made possible by the local hoteliers who chose to invest in themselves and in our community by taxing their own industry to help us fund a new indoor sports complex for our community.”

— Andria Herr, Chairman, Seminole County Board of Commissioners (clickorlando.com)

What’s next

The Seminole County Board of Commissioners will continue planning for the new indoor sports facility at a retreat in March.

The takeaway

Seminole County is proactively addressing key economic and infrastructure priorities, including managing property taxes, investing in transportation, and leveraging sports tourism to drive economic growth, while also preparing for potential state-level reforms that could impact local funding models.