Orange County Sheriff’s $470M proposed budget raises concerns in property tax debate

Immigration advocates and some officials leery of a property tax fight ahead are raising questions about Orange County Sheriff John Mina’s proposed $470 million budget — an 11% jump from last year.

“We do not want any of our taxpayer money to be used for federally funded immigration operations,” said critic Linda Coffin, who spoke out at this week’s Orange County Commission budget workshop for the 2026-27 fiscal year.

Defending his budget, Mina said the increase is needed for salary increases and health insurance. The budget provides an 8% negotiated salary increase for Fraternal Order of Police bargaining unit employees and a 4% increase for non-bargaining employees, in addition to $30 million for court security.

Personnel funding for law enforcement is proposed at $364 million in Mina’s budget, with another $63.5 million in operating expenses and $12 million capital outlay costs.

“We are very fiscally responsible at the Sheriff’s Office,” Mina said.

Mina’s spending proposal comes as other county officials are preparing for budget cuts if voters approve a November ballot initiative to reduce property taxes.

“I am supportive, but I am concerned that the narratives don’t align at this time where we talk about increased local taxes while the state is slamming us for having too much money in taxes. So, I’m concerned about the timing,” said Orange County Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad. “I feel like it drives the narrative to justify for taxpayers to choose to defund local government in November.”

Earlier in the meeting, county officials warned about hypothetical cuts that could be made if Amendment 3 passes.

Mina was not swayed, arguing he needed more than the proposed $470 million because of the county’s growing population and home of the No. 1 tourism destination in the country.

“I’m here as your Sheriff to tell you what I need. And you all have a very, very difficult job of figuring out where that needs to come from,” Mina told County Commissioners. “Law enforcement is in a different position. We can’t tell people that ‘No, we’re not going to come.’”

Mina initially sought $508 million before lowering his ask to $470 million, which is still $80 million more year-over-year.

The proposed Sheriff’s budget adds two deputies to the behavioral response unit, although Mina has an unfunded request for 25 patrol deputies that he plans to ask for later.

Mina downplayed immigration enforcement, saying it was not one of his top priorities as immigration advocates questioned the proposed sending.

Out of nearly 15,000 arrests last year, the Sheriff’s Office only arrested about 106 people on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detailers only, Mina said. 

The number did not include immigration arrests for people who had been facing additional criminal charges. 

“As the Sheriff here in Orange County, as a Sheriff from Florida, I will follow the law. I’m not going to break the law,” Mina said. “I will use my best efforts to assist in immigration enforcement.”

However, the Sheriff’s Office isn’t going on raids with ICE, Mina said.

“We don’t initiate any type of self-initiated immigration enforcement. The people who are here illegally who happen to come into our contact, they committed crimes,” Mina said. “ICE has called us to transport a handful of times.”

Only about 8% of his personnel received immigration training through 287(g) agreements that Gov. Ron DeSantis had pushed all local and state law enforcement agencies to sign. Those agreements allow local agencies to help ICE enforce immigration laws. 

“If you look at surrounding counties, all of their deputies have been through it and have their training,” Mina said. “So that might go to show you that there’s a different priority for them. It’s just not our top priority.”

Mina also said the county is receiving $10 million from state immigration grants to buy radios, which each cost about $12,500. But can be used for everyday law enforcement purposes, the Sheriff added, as advocates questioned whether other taxpayer-funded resources would be supporting federal immigration enforcement. 

Mina cited his priorities as stopping violent crime and burglaries and enforcing Florida’s Super Speeder law for drivers going 100 mph or more, as well as shutting down after-hour clubs and doing more community engagement. 

Orange County Commissioners are undergoing a budget workshop to discuss the proposed 2026-27 fiscal year budget of $8.9 billion.

The biggest chunk of the spending would be for public spending: $496 million for Fire Rescue and $263 million for Corrections to operate the jail.

The Sheriff’s Office receives more than 29,000 calls for service each month on average. About 1.6 million people live in Orange County and an estimated 76 million tourists visited last year. 

“We’re very busy,” Mina said.