By Rich Pollack
Highland Beach’s town employees will see a little extra in their paychecks come November, thanks to a 3% bonus designed to help offset rising costs.
The Town Commission late last month unanimously approved a one-time Economic Impact P
By Rich Pollack
Highland Beach residents likely will see a slight drop in the municipal tax rate this year even as the town incurs more than $700,000 in start-up expenses as it moves to create its own fire department.
During a June 21 special meeting
Boca Raton’s property tax rate will remain unchanged for the coming fiscal year, while the Beach and Park District may raise its levy by 19%.
The city’s proposed rate, presented to the City Council by City Manager Leif Ahnell on July 27, is $3.68 per
By Jane Smith
Delray Beach city commissioners will keep the tax rate steady, but there was disagreement on doing so during their July 13 meeting.
Mayor Shelly Petrolia wanted to reduce the rate slightly to give taxpayers a break, as did Commissioner
By Dan Moffett
It took plenty of hard work and some last-minute scrambling, but South Palm Beach saw its beach project completed on budget and on time during the first week in May, avoiding interference with the height of turtle nesting season.
“We p
By Mary Hladky
Boca Raton City Manager Leif Ahnell has warned council members that the city faces a potential $20 million budget deficit in two years.
Of most concern is that revenue the city gets annually from the Community Redevelopment Agency is ab
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
