Boca residents give input on $168M budget

Boca residents had a few things on their wish list Monday — hiring an environmental sustainability officer, getting rid of parking meters and adding pickleball courts.

The suggestions came during the city’s first hearing for next year’s budget, one of two meetings before plans for millions in taxpayers’ money are finalized.

“Boca Raton is lagging behind when it comes to sustainability,” resident Sandi Schwartz, who is also a member of the city’s Green Living Advisory Board, told the council.

The idea got support form Councilwoman Andrea O’Rourke.

“I think that’s something that we need to look at seriously,” O’Rourke said.

The city still has time to make tweaks to the proposed budget. A final hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday at City Hall, located at 201 W. Palmetto Park Road.

So far, the city pitched making improvements to parks and roads, hiring more police and firefighters, and upgrading city buildings and its water and waste systems.

City staff tallied $87.2 million in improvement projects and the proposed operating general fund totals $168 million.

Though projects have not yet been officially approved, council members did finalize the annual fire fee for property owners — homeowners will pay $125 after the city upped the residential rate $20 again for the second year in a row.

Commercial property owners who paid $327 last year would have to pay $389.

The fire fee increase came with some pushback from Councilmen Jeremy Rodgers and Robert Weinroth.

“I really have some significant problem with the rate at which we’ve been increasing these numbers and I’d like to see if we can slow it down,” Weinroth said.

The city’s property tax rate is still up for discussion. Officials are proposing a rate of about $3.68 for every $1,000 of taxable value.

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