Greetings Hillcrest Residents,

School is back in session. Summer is winding to a close, as students go back to class, and the entire Broward County community joins them in preparing for a very busy remainder of the year! I know our Hillcrest residents of all ages are excited for what these next few months will bring. Those first few days of school are always the most exciting. It is an opportunity for our children to meet their new teachers and classmates and learn about what is coming. With so much going on at the local level, that same thrill is being felt by citizens of all ages throughout our community – especially in Hollywood and Hillcrest. Our students may not get that much homework in the first week, but between budget season, election season, and much more, the pace of local government feels more like finals! Broward County government has been busy, and we are always available to serve your needs and answer any questions or concerns you have.

Election Results 

Congratulations to all of the winners of the August 20th primary election! These primary elections are essential to our democracy. These elections determined winners and nominees in the School Board races that will shape the future of public education, judicial races that shape our legal system, and the Constitutional offices like Sheriff and Tax Collector that help in the foundational operations of our community. All of the candidates should be proud to have run in these races – it is hard, brave work to run for office, and we are lucky to have so many great candidates. A special congratulation to Hollywood’s own Maura McCarthy Bulman and Debbi Hixon, who were both elected to the Broward County School Board and will be representing Hillcrest. Public education is at a crossroads in Florida, and voters throughout Broward County made their voices clear. 

Turnout in this primary election was only 17.53%, with 195,000 voters. This was the lowest turnout for an August election in a decade. This number does not mean that November will see a low turnout. However, with a low number of vote-by-mail ballots returned, and many voters throughout Florida facing a more difficult time voting, we must make a collective effort to maximize turnout in the crucial Presidential election on November 5th. The Broward County Commission is committed to working with the Supervisor of Elections office to make sure they have all the resources they need to communicate with voters and ensure they are turning out. To learn more about your vote-by-mail status, your local polling place, and much more, go to browardvotes.gov. Hillcrest is one of the highest turnout precincts in District Six, so we hope to see record numbers this November!

Budget

Budget season is here! Broward County’s proposed FY25 total budget is a whopping $7.7 billion – which is larger than some states! This includes $4.9 billion in operating costs, $1.9 billion in capital costs, and $777 million in debt service. The largest share of the operating budget at $1.4 billion goes to Constitutional/Judicial offices such as Broward Sheriff’s Office and other smaller expenditures like the Supervisor of Elections and Property Appraiser. This is followed by other major investments like Aviation ($623 million), Port Everglades ($339 million), Transportation ($278 million), Human Services ($229 million), and Libraries, Parks, and Cultural ($163 million). The capital budget is for major projects such as our transportation surtax improvements, our upgraded Convention Center, and major improvements to Anne Kolb Nature Center and North Beach Park in District Six. This year’s FY25 budget features no increase in the millage rate – so these improvements will be followed without increasing taxes.

 Contact Us

Our District office is conveniently located within the lobby of the Hollywood Branch of the Broward County Public Library at 2600 Hollywood Blvd, next to Hollywood City Hall. My District office staff is available to you from 10 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday.  My staff is also working from my office in Fort Lauderdale and from other locations within our District. The Fort Lauderdale office is open for your convenience Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 954-357-7006/7790, or email me at bfurr@broward.org.