Yet Another Taxing District?
Palm Beach County property owners are taxed in many ways. We pay separate tax rates for our cities, for our schools, and for the county government. We also pay for the county libraries, the Health Care District, the Children’s Services Council, and a variety of inlet and water management districts. If we live in the unincorporated areas we pay separately for Fire/Rescue. Now there is a proposal to create yet another tax district –... [Read More...]
Commission and Staff Hold Off-site Retreat
The County Commissioners and senior staff assembled today in Boynton Beach at the Intracoastal Park Clubhouse, for an off-site “retreat”. In January of last year, a similar meeting was held at the Riviera Beach Marina, and a wide variety of strategic topics were discussed (energy and water costs, Glades restoration, Biotech investments) as well as the upcoming budget outlook. The most significant result of that meeting was the setting... [Read More...]
Another decrease in valuations in 2012?
As you may recall from last year, county property valuation fell 1.8%. This put pressure on the commissioners to raise the millage in order to avoid cutting spending. As it turned out, the final millage did result in a budget reduction of $7.9M or about 1%, helped enormously by the Legislature’s passage of pension reform that provided a county windfall. This year, Legislative action will again impact county budgets. One way is through HB251/SB928,... [Read More...]
County Adopts New Financial Standards
The county commission today discussed and approved new accounting standards for the next budget year that will adopt a more standard accounting methodology, making comparisons with peer counties possible (perhaps). For a full description, CLICK HERE. Highlights included: Adoption of GASB 54, reporting spendable fund balances in 4 categories, possibly providing more transparency. During the discussion it was stated that since Hillsborough is already... [Read More...]
2012 Millage set at 4.7815
Click HERE for Channel 20 Video of the meeting. In a relatively short meeting last night, the County Commission approved a 2012 budget by a 4-3 vote. Setting the county-wide millage at $4.7815 per $1000 valuation, the rate is an increase of 0.66%. TAB has been working over the last few months to avoid any increase, but this outcome is acceptable, given it is a lot closer to our $4.75 target than the rollback rate proposed in June at $4.922. We would... [Read More...]
Call to Action – September 27 Budget Meeting
TAB Members, Tomorrow evening, September 27, is the final county budget hearing at 6:00pm in the County Building at 301 North Olive, WPB. You should arrive by 5:30 if you want to be assured of a seat in the main meeting room. On the table is the 4.79 millage carried over from the last meeting, along with a 4.784 “alternate” proposal that shaves another $700k off the first. If they were able to find only $5M (less than 0.25% of the proposed... [Read More...]
Tax Rate Proposal Still Too High
The current proposed millage on the table for the 2012 budget is $4.79 per thousand dollars of valuation, up 0.8% from the $4.75 of last year. With declining valuations, that millage would collect $596M in taxes, $7M or about 1% less than last year. An “alternative” offered by Bob Weisman differs by about $700K – hardly worth mentioning. At the September 13 preliminary hearing, commissioners Abrams, Burdick and Marcus voted against... [Read More...]
Budget Diet?
On today’s opinion page of the Sun-Sentinel, BizPac chairman John R. Smith takes the county to task over its budget process, from what he calls the “Weisman ritual” – proposing a budget that always seems to out of step with conditions, to the arcane and obscure way that the budget is prepared by OFMB. Mr. Smith cites the recent TaxWatch report which concludes the county is holding too much in reserves, owns too much unused... [Read More...]
A Surrealistic Budget Hearing
Click HERE for Channel 20 Video of the meeting. At about 11:00pm Tuesday evening, the County Commission voted to set the county-wide tax rate at $4.79 per $1K valuation. This is up 0.84% over last year – a small increase, but an increase nonetheless. After the last meeting, the rollback rate of 4.8751 was on the table, intended to collect $607M in countywide taxes, $4M more than last year. The new rate will collect $596M, an $11M difference and... [Read More...]
Call to Action – 9/13 Budget Meeting
This is a call to action for next week’s county budget hearing, Tuesday evening, 9/13/11 at 6:00pm. The meeting is in the county government center, 301 North Olive in West Palm Beach. Come early as the meeting is expected to be crowded. As you prepare for the meeting, here are some resources that may be useful: September Talking Points Sample email and 3 minute remarks The 2012 TAB Proposal – September Update September Budget Hearings –... [Read More...]