News

By Mary Thurwachter

    The tax rate in Lantana hasn't changed for six years and there will be no change in the rate next year. At its July 28 meeting, the Town Council again set the rate at $3.24 per $1,000 of taxable property.
    The town will have more money to work with, thanks to the rebounding economy and the $39 million increase in taxable property values.  But expenses are up as well, and the proposed budget does have a $93,426 deficit. To counter that, the town will dip into its reserves — about $5 million.
    Vice Mayor Lynn Moorhouse argued for increasing the tax rates during workshop meetings.
    “I don’t see why we can’t raise taxes just a smidgen,” he said. “It wouldn’t make that much of a difference to taxpayers and it would mean so much to the town,” he said during a July 14 budget workshop. “We can’t keep taking from reserves.”
    But council member Tom Deringer said he didn’t want to raise taxes one bit.
    Mayor Dave Stewart said that a small change to the tax rate wouldn’t make that much of a positive difference in levies paid to the town.
    The budget does not call for cost of living raises for town employees, but does allow for merit raises of up to 2 percent, depending on annual evaluations.
    Among capital improvement expenditures are computers, library books, computer software, beach parking lot lights, a generator for Town Hall, an air conditioner for the library and a new police car for the chief.
    After the tax rate has been set, it cannot be increased, but could be decreased.
    Public budget hearings have been scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 9 and Sept 23 at Town Hall.
    In other action, the town agreed to terminate its agreement for legal services with Corbett, White and Davis, P.A. and enter into an agreement with R. Max Lohman.
    Lohman, who has served as the town’s counsel for eight years as part of Corbett, White and Davis, resigned from that firm on July 28. He had been with the company since 2003.
    “It was just time for a change,” Lohman, who founded Lohman Law Group, P.A., in July, said. “I really do care about Lantana.”
    Before Lohman served as the town’s counsel, Trela White, founder of Corbett, White and Davis, was the town’s attorney.
    “I really feel like we have been represented by two of the best attorneys in the state with Trela and Max,” Stewart said.
    Town manager Deborah Manzo said Lohman has “been a tremendous asset to the town” and that she works well with him.
    Stewart said that Lohman was familiar with the town’s issues and would be helpful going forward with matters such as the development of the A.G. Holley property.
    Lohman, a former U.S. Navy aviator, is also the city attorney for Palm Beach Gardens and the West Palm Beach DDA.
    In another matter, Robert Korijn, of 319 Atlantic Drive, got the OK to hold a private, five-minute fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. on Aug. 8.