By Margie Plunkett
Boca Raton’s city manager will submit his recommended preliminary tax rate to the county after the City Council declined to vote on a tax rate late in July.
City Manager Leif Ahnell recommended a tax rate of $3.15 for $1,000 of a home’s assessed value on a budget that includes a proposed $20 increase in the fire fee. Without the fire services assessment fee increase, the budget would have fallen $1.6 million short.
The recommended rate would mean an annual tax payment of $21 total more to a homeowner with a taxable property value of $300,000 than the $3.08 rollback rate — the rate that would raise the same amount of revenue as last year. Going to the rollback rate would mean $1 million more to the budget shortfall, Ahnell said. The preliminary tax rate is not yet final: It can be reduced, but cannot be raised.
“I’m not in the least bit interested in raising anyone’s taxes, especially those in harm’s way,” said Mayor Susan Whelchel. “However, I need to know where we can get a million dollars or I need to know what we’re not going to do next year.” She and others also spoke out against dipping into reserves to cover expenses.
While council members said they had not reviewed the budget yet, Ahnell described it as “very plain,” including no new programs, but with rising pension costs as well as rising health costs that will cost employees. There are opportunities to lower costs, but they include significant layoffs of employees, he said.
Faced with unknowns, including whether the town will assess the fire fee and where budget cuts or revenue will be found to bridge the current deficit, council opted to go with no vote. The panel was divided on whether to submit a higher than anticipated tax rate — and then lower it as allowed by law when more information was available.
Council member Michael Mullaugh proposed a higher rate of $3.31 to start to cover various possibilities, but with the intent of lowering it before budget adoption in October. “I would want to see us have some wiggle room,” he said.
Council member Anthony Majhess’ No.1 choice was a tax rate of $3.25, which would balance the budget without the fire service assessment. Others argued that they didn’t want to put the town’s staff through the unnecessary work of setting up for a higher preliminary tax rate only to make changes come September.
Council member Connie Scott said she wanted exploration of alternative revenue generation options, such as sale of the executive golf course or annexation.
The budget discussion followed a lively meeting that welcomed both FAU dignitaries, celebrating their first medical school class of 64 students, and the magicJack professional women’s soccer team. Ú
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