Town Hall · Lakeland

Lakeland, FL town hall & government

Lakeland spent $747 million in the year to September 30, 2024, about $6,222 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Lakeland's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Lakeland

H. William "Bill" MutzMayorSince 2018 Wikidata ↗ Out of date? Sign in to tell us

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where Lakeland's money goes

Spent
$747 million
fiscal year to September 30, 2024
Per resident
$6,222
typical Florida cities: $3,112
Long-term debt
$725.9 million
$6,046 per resident
Water & other utilities
$352.1 million47%
Administration & buildings
$144.8 million19%
Police
$58.9 million8%
Sewer & trash
$47.3 million6%
Roads & transportation
$34.3 million5%
Parks & libraries
$33.2 million4%
Fire
$24.1 million3%
Housing & development
$6.7 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$4.9 million1%
Interest on debt
$3.7 million<1%
Health & welfare
$229,000<1%
Paid to other governments
$20,000<1%
Other
$36.8 million5%

Where the money comes from

  • Utility sales 57%
  • Interest, fines & other 14%
  • Fees & charges 13%
  • Property taxes 7%
  • Sales taxes 4%
  • From other local governments 2%
  • From the state 2%
  • From the federal government 1%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Lakeland

Full-time staff
1,985
181 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$86,200
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
250
and 191 full-time firefighters
Water & other utilities
510 full-time11 part
Police
354 full-time10 part
Parks & libraries
255 full-time142 part
Fire
198 full-time1 part
Sewer & trash
149 full-time
Administration & buildings
142 full-time10 part
Roads & transportation
104 full-time1 part
Housing & development
35 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
6 full-time
Other
232 full-time6 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Polk County School District

Lakeland's K–12 school district, shared with Auburndale, Bartow, Davenport, Dundee, Eagle Lake and Fort Meade. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$12,447
Florida: $13,006
Students
111,041
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$263.6 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal

  • Local 37%
  • State 44%
  • Federal 19%

Of the $12,447 per pupil, $7,619 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Lakeland pay

Typical tax bill
$1,819
a year · Florida typical $2,730
Effective rate
0.73%
of home value · Florida 0.76%
Typical home value
$249,400
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Lakeland's government

🏛️ Official websitelakelandgov.net ↗

Town hall & decisions in Lakeland →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Lakeland

Lakeland is represented in Congress by Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and Representatives Scott Franklin and Laurel M. Lee. Ron DeSantis is governor.

All of Lakeland's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Lakeland

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