The Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller operates on funding from three primary sources: revenue from recording and miscellaneous services; Board of County Commissioners (BCC) funding for non-court services such as Finance, Accounting, Investments and Board Minutes and Records; and court services revenues earned but authorized by the Clerk of Courts Corporation (CCOC).
Non-Court Budget:
As a fee officer operating under Florida Statutes Section 218.35, the Clerk’s office projects $2.9 million in document recording fees for FY2026. With anticipated expenses of $2 million, this will generate a surplus of $907,900 to offset required Board transfers. The Clerk’s office has requested $14.5 million in BCC funding for FY2026 to support mandated services, including:
- Accounting, auditing, and custodial functions for the BCC’s financial records, including the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (recipient of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 38 years).
- Debt administration with continued AAA bond ratings and investment of surplus funds;
- Processing of payroll, accounts payable and capital asset records;
- County-wide financial system (SAP) support and technical enhancements, including the new time and attendance system;
- Essential services to the citizens of Collier County, ensuring efficient and effective operations.
The FY2026 budget request includes $1,153,600 to subsidize court operations. The total BCC request of $15,650,600 represents a 3.0% increase from the prior year, conforming with BCC budget guidance. Any excess fees collected through non-court operations will be returned to the BCC at the end of the fiscal year.
The following chart highlights the General Fund support of Clerk operations since FY2025.
Court Budget:
The Clerk’s Court budget is submitted to the Clerks of Court Operation Corporation (CCOC) by June 1st of each year for approval in the fall. While Florida Statutes require each county’s court budget to be balanced and funded by their own earned revenues, Collier County faces a unique challenge. Despite generating sufficient revenue to meet our operational needs, the CCOC has significantly reduced our budget, redirecting our earned revenues to support counties that may not meet operational standards. To maintain our current levels of service, we have requested $1,153,600 in funding from the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for FY2026. This funding is essential for sustaining court operations and implementing necessary county-wide pay and benefit adjustments for our court personnel.
Our office remains committed to excellence despite these fiscal constraints, achieving high performance standards through strategic resource allocation and continuous efficiency improvements. We’re encouraged by recent progress on the legislative front, thanks to strong advocacy from our local representatives, Senator Kathleen Passidomo and Representative Adam Botana in prior years. We continue efforts to work with both the CCOC and the Florida Legislature to address the inequities in statewide funding distribution.
For the current year, Collier is submitting a balanced Article V Court budget of $8,546,300. However, the CCOC’s estimated approved spending authority of $7,702,000 represents a reduction of $844,300 that will be redistributed to other Florida counties. As we navigate these challenges alongside local emergencies and national economic pressures, we remain steadfast in our collaboration with the BCC and the State of Florida to address our community’s needs. We sincerely thank the citizens of Collier County and the BCC for their continued support of our office. It remains our privilege to serve the Collier Community in FY2026 and beyond.