Florida’s new budget for the 2026-27 is in effect and the state will be spending more than $117.6 billion on the environment, education, transportation, healthcare, criminal justice and economic development. Embedded with the billions is also funding slated to go toward individual cities, counties, municipalities, and other local entities—including Calhoun and Liberty Counties.
These two are among the 29 counties identified as fiscally constrained—a state designation that allows them to get additional state funding to support local infrastructure projects such as schools, roads, and hospitals.
Among the biggest initiatives funded in Calhoun is a $1.5 million allocation to the Calhoun Liberty Hospital to restore full inpatient capacity. The hospital was badly damaged in 2018’s Hurricane Michael and last year unveiled a $47 million renovation which restored much, but not all, of its capacity to treat local residents.
“I'm excited about what we can continue to do to develop rural health care, not just in the hospital setting, but through providers and other services, and try to get the whole gauntlet of health care available to those that live in rural areas,” Rep. Shane Abbott (R-DeFuniak Springs), told WFSU Public Media during the Jan. 2025 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Calhoun-Liberty Hospital is considered a keystone hospital, meaning it’s the only facility of its kind within 30 miles.
Blountstown High School will also receive $300,000 to renovate its track, while both counties are among six others in the area that will split another $5,000,000 in grant funding from the State Economic Enhancement and Developmental Trust Fund for planning, preparing and financing infrastructure projects— storm water systems; water or wastewater facilities; and telecommunications facilities and broadband facilities. Eligible counties would have to apply to receive these funds for their projects.
“Although the budget is a compromise among 160 diverse legislators from every corner of the state, I’m glad it includes meaningful investments in Northwest Florida and House District 5,” Abbott wrote in a May 29 Facebook post.
Sheriff’s deputies and correctional officers in Calhoun and Liberty are also slated to receive pay raises, courtesy of the state. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office will get $491,216, while the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office will receive $699,496 for the pay boosts. And, due to enrollment losses in public schools, both counties will see the state step in with so-called “stabilization” funding. Calhoun will get $29,370 while Liberty is set to receive $3,901.
Liberty County also received the following allocations:
· $120,000 to Liberty County School District for Window Hardening
· $229,885 to School District Workforce Education Programs
· $150,000 to Liberty County Comprehensive Plan Update Funding
· $750,000 to Liberty County Industrial Land Acquisition & Site Development Initiative
· $549,900 to Liberty County Commercial Fire Tanker
· $350,000 to Liberty County Fire Rescue SLERS P25 Communications
In addition, Early Learning and School Readiness Coalitions between Bay County and Taylor County will be able to pull down and share nearly $40 million in funding to support childcare and early learning for low-income families.
A big budget question remains for cities, counties, and municipalities across Florida as they weigh their funding: What will become of the local tax base if a state constitutional amendment to eliminate most property taxes passes? According to a recent state legislative analysis, Calhoun and Liberty could see their local budgets reduced by $1.4 million and $1 million, respectively.
During a recent Taylor County Chamber of Commerce meeting, Rep. Jason Shoaf (R-Panama City) acknowledged a need for lawmakers to address potential budget shortfalls for fiscally constrained counties should the amendment pass, but did not specify what such a proposal could look like.
Calhoun and Liberty Counties are represented by Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) and Reps. Shoaf and Abbott. The state’s fiscal year runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
