By Steve Plunkett
A mistaken email made for a dismal Fourth of July weekend for the 56 Briny Breezes residents who hold library cards for the Palm Beach County Library System.
The July 3 email from the library erroneously said the Town Council had approved withdrawing from the county system and that all library cards would expire Oct. 1.
The county sent out a mea culpa July 8 correcting its initial message.
“That email was based on the Library’s understanding of communication received from the Town of Briny Breezes,” it said.
Subsequently, library officials received clarification from Town Manager Bill Thrasher stating that no final decision to withdraw from the system was made by the council.
The library system “apologizes for any confusion” caused by the July 3 email and “will work with the Town to provide future updates,” it concluded.
The Town Council on June 26 had directed Thrasher and Town Attorney Keith Davis to meet with the library to address questions regarding withdrawing from the library district and was scheduled to get an update at its July 24 meeting. Davis said it may be possible to mount a legal challenge to rules the district has about leaving its system.
But the council’s discussion was postponed until at least Aug. 28 because Davis had not been able to confer with the library.
Thrasher had suggested breaking away from the county system to save Briny Breezes property owners the collective $57,000 in taxes they pay to support the library. The 56 library card holders could pay $95 a year, or $5,320 altogether.
Seceding from the county library would not benefit the town’s budget directly, but Thrasher was looking for ways to reduce residents’ overall tax burden as he increases the town’s property tax rate to gather matching funds for grants won or envisioned to improve the town’s stormwater system and sea walls.
The taxable value of the town is just under $105 million, he said. In his proposed budget, Thrasher anticipates opening state and federal construction grants and spending $268,266 for the design and permitting costs of the drainage project.
Tax rate almost doubles
The council July 24 approved setting a tentative tax rate of $6.75 per $1,000 of taxable value, which is almost 98% more than the “no new taxes” rollback rate of $3.41 per $1,000 and an 80% increase from the current $3.75 per $1,000 rate.
Fiscal year 2024 was the first time since 2009 that Briny Breezes did not levy $10 per $1,000 of taxable property value — the maximum allowed by state law — and instead set the rate at only $3.75 per $1,000.
The maneuver was said to give the town room to raise taxes, perhaps back to the $10 per $1,000 rate, to repay loans it might take out to finance the sea walls and drainage improvements.
Meanwhile, Briny Breezes Inc. began paying 70% of the cost of police and fire rescue services to make up for the reduced tax revenue. Its cost was offset by charging residents of the mobile home park higher annual assessments.
Thrasher’s proposed budget assumes that the corporation will continue to cover the 70%.
The council set public hearings in Town Hall for the tentative tax rate at or after 5:01 p.m. Sept. 11 and for the final vote at the same time Sept. 25. The final rate the council sets can be lower but not higher than the tentative rate.
The council also agreed to a three-year extension of the agreement with Ocean Ridge for that town to provide police services, with 3% increases each year. The Briny Breezes council had balked at an earlier proposal that would have raised the price the greater of 3% or the percentage increase in the annual consumer price index.
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