State of Volusia County: Councilmen's Thoughts Stats To Frame The Moment

Volusia County’s 2026 State of the County theme was “Driving the Future. Honoring tradition.”

It’s nice to look towards the future while remembering the past. But the present should not be overlooked. And the present state of Volusia County shows growth in terms of GDP and population.

According to World Population Review, Volusia’s estimated population for 2026 is 623,072, representing a 12.11% increase since 2020.

This may be surprising to Volusians. We are not growing all that fast in comparison to the rest of the state.

The County ranks 31st in population growth out of the 67, per World Population Review. Just middle of the pack. The 12.11% increase since 2020 is slightly ahead of Brevard County, which checks in with a growth rate of 12.01%.

Undeniably, Volusia is experiencing economic success. The Bureau of Economic Analysis lists the County’s gross domestic product as $22.9 billion. That places it in the 21st percentile of all Florida counties for GDP. In a ranking of all 67 counties, Volusia lands as the 14th-best in the state.

Though I like to say we live in paradise, a bit of an overstatement that drives home the point of my happiness that I escaped New York, there is some trouble in paradise.

To wit, overdevelopment combining with a seemingly unwillingness by government to nudge developers towards permeable paved parking lots has caused flooding issues, a hot debate over property taxes, black water aka toilet-to-tap, and many in the populace like to complain that there are just darn too many car washes being built!

All the above sets the context for the greater than 300 who descended on The Center at Deltona, Wednesday, Feb. 25, to hear the Volusia County Council’s thoughts on what they believe are the matters of importance.

In a separate blog linked below, I report on Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower’s address with thoughts from Councilman David Sanitago and Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila, jr.

What follows here is a highlight from each councilman, other than Chair Brower, as he is a focal point of the linked blog below, lifted from a  video that ran before Chair Brower gave the “State of the County” address.

District 1 Councilman Don Dempsey

One of my top priorities is protecting home rule. It's common sense that local governments understand their communities better than anyone else. And counties need the ability to make decisions that reflect local needs, values, and conditions. One-size-fits-all mandates don't work for communities like ours. Preserving our water is equally important, and it's an area where local decision-making matters. Clean, reliable water is essential to our economy, our environment, and our way of life. Decisions about water use, especially consumable water, should be made at the local level by elected officials and residents who understand their community needs.

District 2 Councilman Matt Reinhardt

One of the things I'm most excited about is the renewed momentum we're seeing in tourism and economic activity through recent upgrades as part of the reimaging of the Ocean Center, including modernizing event spaces, improving guest amenities, and enhancing production capabilities. We're bringing major events and big-name entertainment back to our community and underscoring its role as a year-round driver of visitors and economic impact. At the Daytona Beach International Airport, passenger traffic reached its highest level in nearly two decades with more than 772,000 travelers last year and expanded non-stop service connecting Volusia County to key markets through direct flights to both New York City and Boston. Our beaches have also experienced recovery since the 2022 hurricanes. Through a state recovery grant, we now have multiple burm restoration projects underway and an ongoing long-term beach management study, which will guide sustainable decisions moving forward.

District 3 Councilman Danny Robbins

In District 3, like many areas in the county, one of the most persistent challenges we face is flooding. Over the past year, we've taken real, measurable action through our federally funded Transform 386 initiative. In New Smyrna Beach, the council approved nearly 7 million for stormwater improvements at Corbin Park. Additionally, we committed $1.6 million for phase 2 of the city's stormwater master plan, which will be used for advanced modeling and floodplain mapping to make sure future investments are targeted where they deliver the greatest return for both the residents and taxpayers. Beyond New Simra Beach, we're studying the 94-square-mile Spruce Creek watershed, advancing numerous flood relief projects in Port Orange. And just last year, working in partnership with the state, more than 1300 acres were added to the Deep Creek Preserve to protect an essential water filtration area in a natural floodplain.

District 4 Councilman Troy Kent

Park Volusia is one of the clearest examples of putting residents first while managing our beaches responsibly. The program provides Volusia County residents free beach driving access and free off-beach parking while asking visitors to contribute more toward the cost of beach operations. In just its first year, more than 137,000 resident permits were issued, and Park Volusia generated an additional $1.4 million in revenue compared to the previous model.

District 5 Councilman David Santiago

“We reduced the budget for the general fund operational expenses by more than 1.6 million compared to the previous budget. That reflects a disciplined approach to budgeting and a focus on efficiency and accountability. Finding ways to do the same work better, smarter, and at a lower cost to taxpayers. Those efforts help the county hold millage rates steady in half of our taxing districts and roll back rates in the others.

Councilman At Large Jake Johansson

In 2025, the county launched the Volusia Values Veterans Initiative, a comprehensive countywide effort focused on strengthening how we serve veterans through better coordination, access to services, and long-term engagement. Last year alone, through our veteran services division, the county served more than 16,000 veterans and their dependents, linking them to critical VA benefits they so rightfully deserve.

Charles I. Guarria is an author, reporter and host based in the state of Florida, USA, covering any topic, anywhere in the world. His career began in 2009. Mr. Guarria is a three-time winner of Emerald Group Publishing’s Highly Commended Award and host of The Opinion Guy Fun Friendly Informative. He is available for hire to write, research, or beta-read.

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Volusia County Government Reports and Video on State of the County

World Population Review

See ya soon!

` Photo Credit: Me, Volusia County Government

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