Boynton can expect higher property taxes
Changes come as officials OK fiscal year 2018-19 general budget.
Homeowners will pay between 2 percent and 4 percent more in the next fiscal year, and water rates also are on the rise.
BOYNTON BEACH — The mayor and commission this week signed off on the city’s proposed $91.1 million general budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year, voting to keep the 7.9 percent rate and fire assessment fees the same, while preliminarily approving an increase to water rates.
The $91.1 million is about $2.1 million less than the current budget’s numbers.
The general budget includes departments that provide direct services to city taxpayers, such as police and fire, public works, government workers, development, etc. It rose from last year’s general budget of $83.2 million. One of the major expenditures to come out of the general fund will be the more than $5.6 million spent on the city’s $250 million Town Square redevelopment project.
The city’s overall budget is $221 million.
While the rate per every thousand dollars of taxable value isn’t expected to change, Boynton Beach taxpayers will pay more because of increased property assessment values.
Homeowners will pay between 2 percent and 4 percent more on their property taxes in the next fiscal year, meaning that houses valued at about $100,000, with a $50,000 homestead exemption, will pay about $412 in taxes. That’s compared with $395 in the 2017-18 year.
As far as commercial properties, a 6.5 percent increase in assessed values means that owners of property valued at $150,000
will pay about $77 more on the year in taxes and owners of property valued at $1 million will pay an additional $500 in taxes in 2019.
The increase in assessed property values will add about $2.2 million to the city’s coffers.
Boynton residents also can expect to pay more for water and sewer rates in 2019.
Single-family households that use up to 3,000 gallons of water monthly will pay an additional $2 a month; those who use up to 10,000 gallons will pay an additional $3 a month.
Outside the city, water rates for these households will rise by about $1 and $1.50 per month, respectively.
Commercial properties also will see an increase in the price of water services, with businesses using 3,000 gallons a month paying about $10 more per month, and larger properties, like the hospital, paying an additional $1,000 per month for the 3.6 million gallons of water it uses.
Despite the increases, a water- and wastewater-rate comparison performed by the city found that Boynton Beach residents will still pay well below the county average for water, with the typical household paying $66 total for water and wastewater services in Boynton, compared with the $100 county average.
The fire assessment fee will remain at $120 annually for households and will add about $6.5 million to the city’s general fund budget.
Additionally, the city is spending nearly $134,000 to add two administrative positions to the police department and nearly $23,000 to pay for two part-time park rangers.
The city also plans to spend an additional $638,000 on pension increases for the police and fire departments and an additional $850,000 for raises for other employees. The extent of the pay raises is still subject to bargaining.
The first public hearing on the proposed budget will be Thursday, Sept. 6, at 6:30 p.m.
A Sept. 20 public hearing will be held to adopt the final rate and the final budget.