2021 Budget Workshop on June 16

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The proposed county budget for FY 2021 will be presented at the June 16 BCC workshop at 6:00PM.

It is a budget not unlike the last few years, with flat millage (with rising valuations), 3% COLA increases across the board and a tax increase over the previous year about 5.8%.

Total County-wide tax is up $54.7M to $1.0B, on top of the penny sales tax (infrastructure surcharge) of another $84M (estimated).

For some perspective, during the last 9 years of flat millage (2012-2021), the ad-valorem tax per capita in Palm Beach County rose from $451 to $685, a 52% increase during a time of a 12% change in the consumer price index.

Some items of interest:

1. Valuations are estimated at about $210 billion, up about 4.9% over  a year ago.
2. With flat millage (4.7815), this valuation will generate more than $1 Billion in ad-valorem taxes for the first time, up $54.7M (5.1%) over last year.
3. There will be 146 new BCC funded positions, 26 of them ad-valorem funded.
4. General Fund reserves are being increased to $177M, 11.2% of general fund revenues (was $154M, so up 15% over last year)
5. A 3% COLA for all BCC employees will cost $7.0M.  This is the seventh year in a row – a 22% across-the-board raise over 7 years. During the same period, inflation was about 7.4%.
6. The Sheriff will see a $21.7M ad-valorem increase, which is a net $31.8M (+5.1%) considering carry-forwards and increased revenue. This includes money for 27 new deputies
7. Library and Fire/Rescue will also see flat millage, yielding increases of $3.1M and $16.3M respectively.
8. Palm Tran is seeing a big boost of $14.1M (11%), 4.8M of that from ad-valorem.

The BCC priorities were funded, with $3.4M for business incentives, $89.2M for infrastructure (including Palm Tran vehicles), $17.6M for Housing/Homelessness (including “non-congregate” shelters), and $2.5M for substance use and behavior disorders.