About the District

District budget

Overview

The Annual Work Plan and Budget is an essential part of the integrated planning, budgeting and reporting system at the St. Johns River Water Management District. It reflects direction provided in long-term plans (District Water Management Plan and Surface Water Improvement and Management plans) as well as direction provided by the Governing Board in the District’s mission statement, strategic objectives, and major initiatives.

On Sept. 22, 2009, the District’s Governing Board set the millage rate at 0.4158 for the fiscal year (FY) beginning Oct. 1, 2009. Under a 0.4158 millage rate — 41.58 cents for every $1,000 of assessed property value — the owner of a $200,000
house would pay $62.37 per year in property taxes to the District.

The District’s total budget for FY 2009–2010 is $279.28 million. The new budget is about $87.03 million — or 23.8 percent — less than the amended FY 2008–2009 budget. The decrease is attributed to reductions in ad valorem (property tax) revenues, as well as new local, state, and federal funding for FY 2009–2010, resulting in reduced expenditures in most District programs.

With the implementation of various cost-cutting measures and utilization of available fund balances, the FY 2009–2010 budget is in balance and all expenditures are fully supported with reduced revenues. Continuing its baseline budget practice, the District has managed to fund a few major projects and initiatives by reducing its administrative and operational expenses. The budget reflects sufficient financial resources available to meet the District’s core mission and major initiatives while maintaining its level of services.

Budget highlights

• The FY 2009–2010 millage rate of 0.4158 is 11.5 percent less than the rolled back rate of 0.4698 and is 17.1 percent less than the maximum allowable millage rate of 0.5013. Ad valorem revenues total $123.00 million, which represents a 10.0 percent reduction over the FY 2008–2009 adopted budget level.
• State revenue sources total $79.55 million, which is 46.1 percent — or $68.04 million — less than the FY 2008–2009 Amended Budget. Changes in state revenues include:
  • No new Florida Forever Trust Fund appropriations to support land acquisition, water resource development and surface water restoration projects (a $22.50 million revenue reduction).
  • The District’s appropriation from the Water Management Lands Trust Fund is limited to its annual debt service obligation (an $8.35 million revenue reduction).
• A $28.79 million reduction in the land acquisition program due to no new state funding from the Florida Forever Trust Fund.
• A 67.5 percent decrease in spending for water resource development because several Florida Forever funded projects are nearing completion.
• $47.63 million to continue alternative water supply cooperative funding projects, funded with prior years’ state appropriations and District matching funds.
• $9.82 million for the Conservation and Demand Management Program, which includes $5 million for cooperative funding projects and $2 million for the District’s annual Water Conservation Public Awareness Campaign.
• Major projects and initiatives included in the budget:
  • St. Johns River Water Supply Impact Study
  • Water Conservation and Demand Management Program
  • Three Forks Marsh Conservation Area
  • Lake Apopka
  • The Indian River Lagoon
  • Canal-1 Rediversion Project
  • Fellsmere Water Management Area
  • Lygodium and willow control

Revenue

Revenue for the District’s budget comes from a variety of sources, as follows:

Expenditures

Expenditures by category are as follows:

Expenditures by program are as follows:

Budget documents

All documents are in PDF format.

• Fiscal year 2009–2010
  • FY 2009–2010 Budget in Brief
  • FY 2009–2010 Work Plan and Budget
  • FY 2009–2010 Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission
• Fiscal year 2008–2009
  • FY 2008–2009 Budget in Brief
  • FY 2008–2009 Work Plan and Budget
  • FY 2008–2009 Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission