Property tax bills to rise slightly in Royal Palm Beach as village OKs $85.6M budget

Valentina Palm, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

ROYAL PALM BEACH – Spending will increase 5.7% in Royal Palm Beach in the fiscal year that starts Saturday under the village's new $85.6 million budget.

The village saw an increase in revenue of 5.4% mostly from its taxable property values, which have risen by 13% to $3.8 billion, according to budget documents.

The village council approved the spending plan 5-0 on Sept. 15.

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Royal Palm Beach is keeping its property tax rate at $1.92 per $1,000 of assessed value for its 11th consecutive year. The rise in property values, however, will mean tax bills will be slightly higher for most village residents, even with the rate unchanged.

The owner of a home valued at $337,000, with a standard $50,000 in homestead exceptions, can expect to pay $551 in village taxes, according to budget documents. The Palm Beach County property tax rate is separate.

Other taxes a property owner will pay, such as those to Palm Beach County and the county School District, are calculated separately.

Budget breakdown

  • The budget funds a total of 113 full-time positions, down two from the prior year. Two ground maintenance positions were eliminated, and funds will be spent on a full-time for public information specialist and a public art professional.

  • In public-safety spending, the village contracts with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office with a budget of $8.5 million, up 4% from last year, and with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue through a municipal service tax.

  • Public works spending is budgeted at $3 million, up about 5% from last year.

  • Parks and recreation is budgeted at $6 million, up 8% from last year. The funds will be used to maintain village parks and re-establish community programs that closed during the COVID pandemic.

  • Capital improvement spending will total $4.3 million in the next fiscal year. It will include the purchase of the furniture for the renovated village hall, improvements at Commons Park, replacing a village truck and repairs to local roads.

Royal Palm Beach Budget 2023
Royal Palm Beach Budget 2023

Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on Twitter at @ValenPalmB.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Royal Palm Beach approves $85.6M budget; tax bills to rise slightly