Pages 3–18 of the posted FY2027 budget — the Town Manager’s budget message and the staff chart — are scanned pictures with no text. The message is where the town explains its debt payments (including Fire Engine 58) and the bond plan. Next step: ask the Town Clerk for a text version of the budget message.
The official Budget Summary totals $5,359,912 across 11 fund columns. The budget book also has the beach parking funds (172 and 175, about $240,000 of meter money a year), fire and police donation funds, and Fund 122, which held $167,510 the town was paid for police work for another government. Next step: ask the Finance Manager why these sit outside the summary total, and what the $167,510 covered.
Most of a Melbourne Beach tax bill goes to other governments: the county and Brevard Public Schools. Both are now on brevardfl.countycommons.us — the county department by department, the schools fund by fund and school by school. Their adopted September budget books are still to come.
The town’s capital plan lists Fire Engine 58 as “Financed FY24,” with a $79,460 payment every year for 20 years (PDF p. 80). The 2025 audit’s debt note lists only two debts — $405,000 of town-hall bonds and a $64,000 stormwater note (audit p. 34). The engine may be recorded under a different name or as a lease. Next step: ask the Finance Manager how much is still owed on the engine and where it appears in the audit.
The ballot question lets the town borrow up to $5,000,000 for 20 years for stormwater and road projects. The town estimates 0.53–0.70 mills a year, but doesn’t say what interest rate that assumes, and its capital plan says the project list adds up to about $5.3 million without listing it in readable text. Next step: ask the town for the project list and the rate behind its estimate. (This site gives facts on the bond and takes no side.)
Homesteads paid 59.7% of the town’s property taxes in FY2024-25 (state Table 2). Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption for non-school taxes to up to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. No public estimate of the town’s revenue loss was found. The FY2027 budget includes $45,000 for a “non-ad valorem” (special assessment) study. Next step: ask the town whether it has estimated the loss.
The City of Melbourne’s 2026 water quality report has no PFAS results. Federal rules now set limits for PFOA and PFOS of 4 parts per trillion. Next step: find the city’s results in EPA’s UCMR 5 data, or ask the city’s water quality office (waterqualityreport@mlbfl.org).
The City of Melbourne’s inventory found no lead lines so far, but 18,937 of 60,726 lines are still of unknown material, and the count isn’t broken out by town. Next step: ask the city how many unknown lines serve Melbourne Beach.
State law requires septic systems in the lagoon watershed to connect to sewer or upgrade by 2030. No count of septic systems inside Melbourne Beach was found. Next step: ask Brevard County Utility Services or the Florida Department of Health in Brevard.
The county’s proposed FY2026-27 budget puts the jail at $66,553,297; the adopted figure and a current population count are still to come. The most recent count found is February 2023 (86.8% of people held were awaiting trial).
The jail’s budget lists $48,000 a year from Eastern Florida State College as a “Veterinary Technician” reimbursement. Next step: ask the Sheriff’s programs unit what the program teaches, who can join, and what certificate it leads to.
The county posts the town’s election results but not its registered-voter count, so town turnout can’t be computed. Next step: ask the Brevard Supervisor of Elections (321-290-8683) for the town’s registration count on each election day.
No check register or list of payments to vendors was found online. Next step: a public records request to the Town Clerk for the FY2026 check register.
The town’s official Budget Summary says spending is “23.68% LESS” than last year. That sounds like a cut.
The town’s audit for the year ending September 30, 2025 was posted in June 2026.