The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a lower tax (millage) rate for the second consecutive year and the largest reduction in 30 years. The 2024 rate will be reduced from 4.715 to 4.50 per $1,000 of taxable value for all commercial and residential properties. 

This will help offset the recent increases in appraised values the local real estate market has experienced over the past year. 

Additionally, with the current economic challenges, this was a prudent decision since we were able to balance the budget without any risk to the high standard of county services. 

The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 is $7.6 billion, which represents an 12.6% increase over Fiscal Year 2023. Priorities include affordable and workforce housing, economic development, infrastructure, environmental protection and public safety.

As part of its Fiscal Year 2024 budget process, the Board of County Commissioners will hold two public hearings at Governmental Center, 301 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach.

The public is invited to attend the following budget workshops:

• Sept. 7, 2022 at 5:05 p.m.
• Sept. 26, 2022 at 5:05 p.m.

During these challenging times, nearly every household, business and community in our county has had to make difficult decisions.

I will continue to work to control spending while providing improved services in an efficient and innovative manner.

I have the pleasure of displaying art from Boca Raton Community High School's Digital Art and Design Program in my offices at the Governmental Center in West Palm Beach!

With over 500 students enrolled in photography and digital media courses, the school's AP photography teacher, Rob Sweeten, oversees the county's largest AP Art and Design Program.

The courses cover art principles, proper camera and photographic techniques, and Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. 

In addition to winning photo contests, the students serve the school's yearbook, newspaper and athletic programs.

Kudos to Mr. Sweeten for his ability to bring out the best in his students to produce exceptional photos for our community.

Thank you to the mayor and my fellow commissioners for stopping by our art showcase to support the students work.

Isha Potharaju’s digital photo “Yolk” is on display

Below is a recent update from the Engineering and Public Works Department on the Palmetto Park Road Bridge project.

The necessitated re-routing of certain utilities (i.e., water main) is complete, and the new water main was put into service. 

Bridge demolition of the eastbound section is underway and expected to be completed in August, weather permitting, and construction of the new bridge will begin after demolition.

Additionally, road crews have started clearing materials in the southern right of way for the new sidewalk and replacement driveways.

The project schedule now shows completion in November 2023 due to troubleshooting and material defect issues with certain utilities. 

I live nearby and recognize the impact this project is having on residents and businesses and will continue to monitor it closely and provide updates.

Palm Beach County requested state funding for several projects and programs in our community and secured over $8 million for the following:

Green Cay Phase 2- $3 million to construct an advanced Water Purification Facility to treat reclaimed water from the Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility. The purified water will be transferred to recreational lakes at Green Cay Park and recharge the aquifer for indirect potable reuse.

Lake Worth Lagoon- nearly $3 million to restore seagrasses, mangroves, and oysters, cap muck sediments, construct stormwater control projects, remove marine debris, and provide for septic to-sewer conversions to improve and support the health of the water body.

Loxahatchee River Preservation- nearly $1 million for projects that focus on stormwater discharge and hydrologic improvements, septic-to-sewer conversions, and habitat restoration designed to improve and protect the watershed's natural resources.

Peanut Island Historic Restoration- $750,000 for revitalizing Peanut Island's legacy of eco-tourism by renovating the now vacant historic Coast Guard Station and JFK fallout bunker on the island.

Restore Re-Entry Program- $500,000 to assist with facilitating the reintegration of re-entry participants in Palm Beach County by connecting them with services designed to reduce recidivism.

Other funding for our area includes:

C-51 Reservoir- $75 million to design and construct additional infrastructure and storage capacity to support water supply in South Florida by recharging the aquifers, combating saltwater intrusion, reducing harmful discharges to the Lake Worth Lagoon, and providing a source of water for the restoration of the Loxahatchee River. 

Additionally, many community organizations, education institutions, nonprofits, and municipalities in Palm Beach County received state funding for local projects and programs. 

Some funded projects in my South County District include Delray Beach Public Seawall Improvements, Boca Raton NW/SW 4th Ave. widening, Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Alert System Upgrades and Hurricane Hardening at the Arc of South Palm Beach County.

The Palm Beach County Building Division now offers remote video inspections through the Video Inspection Pro (VIP) app on your smart phone!

Some eligible inspections for single-family residential homes include:

• Reroofing
• Garage door replacement
• HVAC equipment replacement
• Plumbing/water heater replacement
• A/C replacement
• Shutters
• Window & door replacement

It only takes a few minutes to complete at no additional cost!

The Countdown 2 Zero Mega Pet Adoption Event is back for its final year on Saturday, July 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach.)

Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League will have animals ready for adoption from over 15 local rescues.

Many rescue groups will offer special discounts and adoption incentives, including vaccinations and rabies license tags for pets in Palm Beach County.

The Countdown 2 Zero Mega Pet Adoption Event is a collaborative effort of over 20 local animal rescue organizations to save the lives of animals in Palm Beach County. The past nine C2Z adoption events found nearly 3,000 animals their forever homes.

The FLITE Center is a local organization empowering vulnerable youth and young adults aged 13 to 23 in the child welfare system. 

With the overall goal of helping human trafficking victims, the center will provide survivors with a team of professionals, including survivor mentors, victims service coordinators, clinicians and regional advocates. It is a one-stop resource center offering all supportive services.

The County Commission shares the vision of the FLITE Center that no youth should travel the road to adulthood alone. With care and attention, vulnerable youth can overcome the barriers before them and move forward to lead fruitful lives. 

Pictured here (l to r): FLITE Center Community Outreach Director Bobby Crume, FLITE Center Clinician Amanda Kopacz, FLITE Center Human Trafficking Intervention Specialist Dr. Heidi Schaeffer, Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward, FLITE Center Resource Development Director Alex Ortiz and FLITE Center Housing Director Felechia Burrell.

Constitutional Officers

Constitutional officers were established by the Florida Constitution and are independently elected officials.

Palm Beach County has seven constitutional officers who manage their offices separately from the Board of County Commissioners including:

• Clerk​ of the Circuit Court & Comptroller​
• Property Appraiser
• Public Defender
• Sheriff
• State Attorney
• Supervisor of Elections
• Tax Collector

Additionally, they establish the budgets for their offices, independent of the operating budget set by the Board of County Commissioners.

The Property Appraiser

The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office employs 240 qualified employees (i.e., Certified Florida Evaluators and Residential Evaluation Specialists) and operates five service centers throughout the county.

Under Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks' leadership, the office has three primary responsibilities: determining the taxable value of more than 640,000 parcels, applying tax exemptions and maintaining the county's official map of property owners. 

According to their offices, Palm Beach County's taxable property values have increased over 13% from 2022 to 2023 countywide, driven by continued demand for properties of all types and near-record new construction.

Highlights include:

• Market Value - $481,467,712,919

• Taxable Value - $288,752,577,607

• Net New Construction - $4,311,391,070

• Percent Increase (taxable value) - 13.36%

• Real Property Parcels - 652,953

• Total Tangible Personal Property Accounts - 58,709

We welcome your feedback on our District 4 newsletter. Please let us know if you found this information helpful and what else you would like to know.