By Jane Smith
Delray Beach commissioners passed a $151.4 million budget on Sept. 22 by drawing $5.2 million from reserves and making $2.76 million in cuts.
The reserves will be used to pay for one-time expenses, including a $150,000 generator for the
By Mary Thurwachter
Despite a robust boost in property values — an increase of $78 million to $1.21 billion for the new fiscal year (including $14.4 million in new construction), Lantana will still need to pull $37,937 from reserves to balance its $2
By Mary Thurwachter
The Lantana Town Council voted unanimously to purchase body cameras for the Police Department.
“We are lucky in that we have a very good force,” council member Karen Lythgoe said at the town’s Oct. 26 meeting. “People I have met a
By Dan Moffett
Several Ocean Ridge commissioners have suggested that this could be the town’s most challenging budget year since the Great Recession.
That probably would have been the case even without the COVID-19 pandemic. But with the public health
By Jane Smith
Delray Beach commissioners sent staff back to find more cost savings at an Aug. 11 budget workshop, even though the interim city manager advised that additional cuts could lead to layoffs. Commissioners were against using reserve money
By Dan Moffett
Manalapan’s high property values likely won’t be enough to insulate the town from a modest increase in the tax rate for the next fiscal year.
Like all Florida munici-palities, Manalapan faces a reduction in state and county revenue str
By Dan Moffett
When it comes to preparing municipal budgets, Bill Thrasher has seen about every extreme South Florida has to offer.
Before taking over as Briny Breezes town manager in January, Thrasher spent 21 years as the manager next door in Gulf
By Rich Pollack
With the town’s budget still in flux, Ocean Ridge’s septic-to-sewer citizens advisory committee has agreed to hold off on requesting funds for a cost analysis from an outside firm.
Voting unanimously, the five-member committee, charg
By Dan Moffett
Manalapan can move forward with a plan to improve water delivery to its oceanfront homes after the Town Commission approved two ordinances that will allow an easement for pipeline construction across property owned by Commissioner Hank
By Mary Thurwachter
During Lantana’s first budget workshop on June 8, Mayor Dave Stewart warned residents that the upcoming budget years would be very challenging.
“Property taxes will bring in about $4 million,” he said. “What it costs to run the to
By Rich Pollack
In what might seem like déjà vu, Highland Beach’s Financial Advisory Board has been tasked with reviewing the town’s 2016 contract with Delray Beach for fire and rescue services.
The Town Commission’s decision to review the contract t
By Jane Smith
In mid-August, Delray Beach commissioners learned the city has a 19.8 percent shortfall in funding the city’s general employee pension fund.
Jim Smith, chairman of the General Employees Retirement Fund Committee, said the rate of retur
By Rich Pollack
Highland Beach property owners are likely to see a very slight increase in their municipal taxes as town commissioners move closer to finalizing their fiscal 2020 budget.
During an Aug. 29 meeting, commissioners agreed to tentatively
By Steve Plunkett
Police patrol officers and sergeants will get a one-time $3,750 raise to bring their salaries more in line with comparable towns in Town Manager Greg Dunham’s proposed 2020 budget.
The increase will set Gulf Stream’s starting police
By Rich Pollack
Highland Beach town commissioners will spend the next few weeks looking for ways to trim about $450,000 out of a proposed 2019-2020 budget in hopes of avoiding either slightly raising the tax rate, borrowing from reserves or a little
By Dan Moffett
The full cost of Manalapan’s plan to dramatically expand its Police Department is reflected in a proposed total budget for 2019-20 that has grown about 37 percent over the last two years.
During a workshop on June 26, Town Manager Lind
By Dan Moffett
Years of neglected infrastructure maintenance have left Ocean Ridge with a hole in its budget that town commissioners will have to reach deep to fill.
“I’m the bearer of bad news,” acting Town Manager Tracey Stevens told the commission
By Mary Thurwachter
The Lantana Town Council got its first look on June 24 at its budget for next year and learned that while property values have returned to pre-recession values, any increases in revenue will be eaten up by insurance increases and
By Mary Thurwachter
Town Council members adopted a $20,372,098 budget for fiscal year 2019 and kept the current tax rate — $3.50 per $1,000 of taxable value.
During Lantana’s final budget hearing on Sept. 26, Mayor David Stewart said the $3.50 rate
By Dan Moffett
Despite having a hefty list of unresolved issues, the South Palm Beach Town Council has signed off on a rollback of the property tax rate for the 2019 budget year.
Council members have agreed to drop the current millage from $4 per $1,
