Broward County commissioners are heading into the final stretch of their fiscal year 2027 budget process facing a familiar tension: a large funding request from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and limited room to pay for it.
Sheriff Gregory Tony’s agency is seeking roughly $937 million for the coming year, up from an adopted budget of about $833 million — a $104 million increase, according to Local 10. Employee costs and staffing make up about 80% of the agency’s budget, and the request includes 50 additional positions. BSO officials have argued that deputy starting salaries rank lowest among Broward law enforcement agencies, fueling turnover.
Commissioners pushed back at a June workshop, where Undersheriff Steve Robson presented the request while Tony watched by livestream. “It is a top priority, but it is not our only priority,” Commissioner Steven Geller said, noting the county already directs 54% of general revenue to public safety. County Mayor Mark Bogen was blunter, saying that based on current constraints the request “isn’t realistic.”
Cost Pressures Stack Up
The sheriff’s ask is only one of several pressures on the county ledger. Budget staff have flagged a 22% health insurance increase for general fund agencies estimated at $11.3 million, a $6.7 million Florida Retirement System increase tied to BSO special-risk employees, a $5.1 million Supervisor of Elections increase for the gubernatorial election cycle and $4.6 million more in tax collector commissions and fees, according to the Boca Post.
Hanging over it all is the statewide property tax amendment on November’s ballot, which could sharply cut the revenue local governments rely on. The county is also weighing major water and wastewater projects and a separate debate over whether to pursue Spirit Airlines’ Dania Beach campus as a possible government center site.
A structural change is coming, too: Deerfield Beach is moving to stand up an independent police force, with about 150 BSO officers planned for absorption by October 2027, reshaping one of the sheriff’s largest municipal contracts.
The county released its recommended budget in July, with additional budget workshops scheduled for Aug. 20 and Aug. 25 and final approval set for September, per the county’s budget calendar. How commissioners split the difference with the sheriff — and how much cushion they leave for a possible property tax rollback — will define Broward’s spending picture heading into a turbulent 2027.
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