By Tim O’Meilia
Gulf Stream homeowners will pay 7.1 percent more in town property taxes, on average, in the new budget year as commissioners try to replenish the town reserves.
The commission voted unanimously at public hearings in September to bump the tax rate to $3.10 for each $1,000 of taxable property value, up from the current rate of $2.93. That means the owner of a $1 million property after exemptions who paid $2,927 last year will pay $3,134 if his property rose the 1.1 percent average of all property in town.
“I think the people can understand we’re paying ourselves back. We hope to take a surplus to our reserves,” said Commissioner Bob Ganger.
Town reserves fell from $1.4 million to about $1 million this year because of expenses related to burying utility lines.
The budget will increase to $2.97 million from $2.61 million, a jump of 4.4 percent. Town Manager William Thrasher estimated that as much as $50,000 could go to reserves at the end of the coming budget year.
“I think the secret is holding the line on expenses,” said Commissioner Tom Stanley.
The new budget includes a 2 percent employee pay increase, $30,000 for the design of the westerly addition to Town Hall, $45,000 for two police SUVs, $20,000 in computer upgrades and $14,000 for a fire district study for the barrier islands, which may not occur.
The cost of a fire-rescue contract with Delray Beach will increase 35 percent to $428,000, much of it due to providing service to the county pocket annexed in March. The base contract increased 5 percent.
The annexation also boosted property tax revenue an extra $200,000.
Commissioners also approved a new five-year police and fire communications contract with Delray Beach that will cost $54,000 the first year and be adjusted annually based on the consumer price index.
In other business, the commission asked Town Engineer Danny Brannon to calculate the cost of replacing the town’s 80 street lights with white light LED bulbs, compared with keeping the yellowish high-pressure sodium lights installed by FPL.
Brannon estimated that the LED lamps would cost about $320,000 to install and last 12 to 15 years and save money on energy. The sodium lamps last about four years. FPL charges little upfront for installation of new lights but about $14 per month per light. Commissioners also requested a comparison of various lamp styles. Commissioners approved borrowing $2.4 million to complete the utility-lines burial project. The 10-year loan will cost 2.09 percent.
Commissioner Stanley, appointed in August, was named vice mayor on a unanimous vote. No one else was nominated.
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