- October 5, 2026
Is going to rollback for the Volusia Sheriff's Office budget "defunding the police?"
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and County Chair Jeff Brower clashed during the first public hearing for the 2026-2027 $1.1 billion county budget, held on Thursday, Sept. 3, as Brower sought to convince his fellow council members to reduce the proposed tax rate for the law enforcement fund. Adopting the rollback rate — the millage rate that generates the same amount of ad valorem tax revenue as the previous fiscal year — would have lowered the sheriff's budget by about $3.4 million.
"Sorry, sheriff, your budget is out of control," Brower said. "Since 2024, your budget has gone up 30%. Since 2024, you've added $39,821,697. 2024 isn't that long ago."
Brower didn't garner support for rollback from his fellow council members. A vote to adopt the proposed millage rate of 1.5994 mills — or $1.5994 per $1,000 of taxable value — passed in a 6-1 vote, with Brower voting against. This millage rate is the same as last year's.
The proposed tax rate will generate roughly $106.8 million for the Sheriff's Office and fully funds Chitwood's requests to satisfy law enforcement needs in unincorporated Volusia County, according to county staff.
New deputy recruits joined Chitwood in the council's chambers to advocate for the agency's budget.
When he became sheriff, Chitwood said VSO had 90 vacancies.
"I want you to look at these faces right here," he said. "I want you to look at these young folks that have come to work for us. They're new. I hired them without asking for another penny. I did it within my budget. Everything the county has come to me to ask to work on, we have worked on with them to figure out a way to keep this county safe and keep us competitive."
Chitwood also brought his own TRIM notice to the meeting, stating that his Volusia County taxes went up $42.65. That equals $3.58 a month, he said.
As for the budget increases in 2024, Chitwood reminded officials that was when his agency took over patrols on the beach.
The sheriff also criticized Brower for supporting his opponent in the previous election and said Brower has only supported VSO for political purposes.
"You're a defunder, and you've been a defunder since I've known you," he said. "That's why I've never supported you, because you've never stood behind us."
Brower defended his support of law enforcement, saying the council has never cut funding for public safety. However, in light of the possibility that voters may approve property tax reform in Amendment 3, Brower said that the sheriff's budget could face bigger cuts in the future.
"I'm trying to avoid that and protect the safety and the health and the integrity of Volusia County," Brower said, adding that going to rollback would still add $5 million to the sheriff's budget; the proposed tax rate would add $9 million.
He isn't calling for defunding law enforcement, Brower said.
"Nobody on this council would call for that, but if we don't start rolling back what we're charging the citizens of Volusia County, we're not going to have the sheriff's department that we have, or anything that looks like Volusia County that we have now," Brower said.
Councilman Don Dempsey said he didn't see Brower's stance as "defunding the police."
"I think the chair is being proactive," he said. "I think he's just trying to be fiscally conservative. I don't see him as anti-law enforcement. I think we're all up here pro-law enforcement."
Still, council members were not in favor of going to rollback, citing residents' expectations for public safety and promised funding for staffing levels.
"It's not political for me," Councilman Troy Kent said. "It's just, how do we approve raises like we've done and then say we're going to go to rollback? It just doesn't make sense."
The second and final public hearing for the budget will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 5:01 p.m.
