By Tim Pallesen
Boca Raton has begun talks with fire and police unions about the possibility of reducing the rising cost of pension benefits. “This will be one of our top priorities for the next fiscal year,” City Manager Leif Ahnell told council members at an Aug. 27 budget workshop.
“We have begun to have conversations.” Discussions about the proposed Lake Wyman restoration also have resumed as the council this month finalizes its operating budget and property tax rate. Pension talks could lead to significant savings for taxpayers in years ahead. Cities and counties across Florida are renegotiating the pension benefits that they promised firefighters and police officers before the economic downturn, which caused a dramatic drop in property values and tax revenue.
Palm Beach, the first town in Palm Beach County to act, saved $6.6 million this year. The savings increases to $10.2 million in 2020. Boca Raton’s cost for firefighter pensions will increase by $1.6 million this year. The cost for police pensions is up $1 million. The two costs are the largest increases in the proposed city budget. “I don’t want to see our city ending up bankrupt,” resident Charles Helton told council members at the Aug. 27 workshop.
A taxpayers group, Boca Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, is urging the city manager to develop a plan within 90 days to reduce firefighter pensions. The group also wants to reduce the number of firefighters to save money. Pension contracts couldn’t be renegotiated with fire and police unions quickly enough to prevent a projected 10.5 percent increase in Boca Raton taxes this year.
Ahnell is proposing that property owners pay $3.66 per $1,000 of taxable property, up 4.3 percent from this year’s $3.51 rate. His proposed budget includes $250,000 for security at the presidential debate at Lynn University in October and $140,000 to increase hours at Spanish River Park.
To raise revenue, Ahnell also proposes a $5 increase in the fire fee to $85 per year for a residential property owner. The sanitation fee would increase from $16 to $16.50 per month. But the council has tentatively raised the proposed tax rate to $3.83 per $1,000 of taxable property to possibly pay for more projects.
It will set the final rate after 6 p.m. public hearings on Sept. 12 and Sept. 27. Still uncertain is whether the city will include $250,000 in the budget as its share of the $2.6 million Lake Wyman restoration project. The Florida Inland Navigation District would pay $2.1 million for the project and the Boca Raton Beach and Park District agreed in June to contribute another $225,000. But the City Council balked at joining the partnership after FIND set a September deadline to make a decision.
Council members say they have questions such as who will pay for an environmental study. Mayor Susan Whelchel said FIND now has pushed back the September deadline because Boca Raton has resumed talks with county environmental managers over whether to contribute its $250,000.
“We have a little more time to solve that problem than we thought we had,” Whelchel said. “It’s in play again.” The project would reopen Rutherford Park’s silted-in canoe trail to increase mangrove flushing and make the trail passable at low tide. An observation tower would be built and a boardwalk would be extended to picnic and beach areas.
Boca Raton
Current tax rate: $3.51* per $1,000 of taxable property
Proposed tax rate: $3.83*
Public hearings: 6 p.m. Sept. 12 and 27
*Residents pay a proposed $85 fire assessment and are also taxed by the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District. That proposed rate for this upcoming year would drop from $1.01 to $1. The discussion of this rate will happen at 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 10 at Sugar Sand Park.
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