OVIEDO, Fla. — The mayor of Oviedo has expressed concerns over the city’s long-debated police station expansion, as state officials once again propose reducing property taxes—a critical revenue stream for local administrations.
“It’s quite frustrating. We’re dealing with a moving target,” Mayor Megan Sladek remarked on Wednesday. “How can we devise a plan that’s both sensible and beneficial for the city when we lack assurance of stable funding for our essential projects?”
The city officials in Oviedo have been striving to upgrade and enlarge their small, outdated police facility, originally constructed in the 1990s. Sladek highlighted that the latest challenge emerged following the governor’s announcement of a new proposal aimed at slashing property taxes.
“Just this afternoon, the Governor unveiled a plan discussing further cuts to property taxes,” Sladek explained. “This raises a critical issue: if we construct a new building, will we be able to sustain its operational costs?”
A video shared by the Oviedo city government provides a glimpse into last year’s tour of the police station. One area, designated for training, had previously served as a bunker where staff could rest.
The current budget for the expansion and renovation is set at $18.2 million, a figure some residents find more acceptable compared to previous versions of the proposal.
“If it’s gonna go toward them being able to do their job better then that’s fine,” said Oviedo resident Jada Anderson. Anderson added that when the project was first proposed at more than $40 million, the price tag felt too high.
Under the latest proposal, the city would build a two-story brick police annex connected to the existing department. Plans include:
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A multi-purpose room
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A K-9 space
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A physical training facility
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Project manager Johnnie Lohum said the project is now moving into the 60% construction document phase.
“The building breaks down percentage-wise: 78% of that need for the police department, about 10% for the EOC, and about 12% for IT needs,” Lohum said.
The current plan would also relocate the city’s IT department to the police station complex.
Police leadership argues that move makes sense for security and reliability.
“The police department is very heavily dependent on IT,” the police chief said. “So why is it in a building that’s more susceptible for a roof being torn off than put it in the most secure building the city has?”
