How Today's City Commission Meeting Will Hit Your Wallet

Winter Park is poised to raise fees for everything from a round of golf to after-school programs along with a portion of your power bill

Sept. 24, 2025

By Beth Kassab

Winter Park Commissioners are set to vote Wednesday afternoon on the city’s $230 million budget, which includes an electric rate increase — though lower bills for the time being — and higher prices for everything from cemetary plots, off-duty police, rounds of golf and after-school programs.

The new fee schedule, which is slated to be adopted today along with a second and final vote on the 2026 budget, will take effect Oct. 1.

Some examples:

• Fire department detail for special events (with at least 10 days notice): From $47 per hour (for a minimum of three hours) to $60 an hour.
• Off-duty police officer (with at least seven days advance notice): From $57 per hour to $58 (with a four hour minimum); holiday pay for off-duty officers will move from $82 to $83 per hour.
• Fees for adult sports teams fees will jump from $500 for flag football and softball to $550.
• Youth after-school programs will increase from $50 to $55 monthly for residents and from $90 to $100 for non-residents.
• A single resident space at Palm Cemetery will jump from $5,800 to $6,950.
• Greens fees at the Winter Park Nine for residents on Friday through Sunday will increase from $22 to $26. Electric cart rental will go from $12 to $14 and from $10 to $12 for seniors.
• Rental of the Winter Park Events Center on a Saturday will change from $5,50 to $5,775.

The city’s budget proposal discussed how slower growth forecast in the economy means “adding new services and projects will only be possible in the context of the growth rate of traditional revenue sources such as the millage rate, fees and customer rates.”

The document even went so far as to make clear that fees for services have already become a critical piece of the budget as City Commissions have decided against raising the millage rate (which determines how much residents and businesses pay in property taxes, which make up the largest portion of the city’s general fund). And how future increases are likely:

“As the second largest component of the general fund at 20%, and as one of the few revenue sources that the city has direct control over, charges for services is likely to increase over time as fees and prices for activities and services will have to continue to be raised to support operations. In many municipal circles this is being called the pay-to-play form of providing services to residents and businesses and will only be more crucial if property tax revenue growth rates begin to slow.”

A portion of resident’s electric rates will also climb in October, though total bills will decrease.

That’s because the electric bill includes multiple fees, charges and taxes with some going up and one going down.

The non-fuel portion of electric rates based on how much each customer uses will increase by about 7%. That equates to a monthly jump from $91.46 to $98.26 for a home using 1,300 kwh, according to an estimate provided by the city.

But the charges customers pay for fuel (mostly natural gas in Winter Park) are going down from $49.20 to $29.61, resulting in a lower monthly bill.

Fuel charges, however, are variable and could rise again.

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