It's tax rate time: What you need to know if you live in western Palm Beach County

It's budget season for villages, districts and cities throughout western Palm Beach County.

In the annual budgeting process, governments set an initial tax rate. That initial rate is the maximum that can be approved — a ceiling. Elected officials then move through the process to adopt a final tax rate that is equal to or less than the initial.

Here’s a look at what each western Palm Beach County municipality has planned for its millage rate, and what it could mean for your tax bill. Several will have final votes on their budgets before Sept. 30.

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Wellington

Wellington’s council voted unanimously to maintain the tax rate of $2,47 per $1,000 of taxable value for its fifth consecutive year.

Property values in the village rose about 11.2% from last year, adding $2.74 million to its proposed total budget of $137.7 million.

The rise in property values means residents will see a slight increase on their tax bills, despite the millage rate staying unchanged.

The owner of a home valued at $450,000, with a standard $50,000 in homestead exemption, can expect to pay about $33 more, according to budget documents.

Utility rates will also be 10% higher in the village next year, which is an average monthly increase of $7.

The village’s expenses will increase by 7.1%, or $9.1 million, due to inflationary price increases and paying for projects such as the Community Park Athletic Center, the new Aquatics Center and drainage system improvements.

Wellington will increase its annual assessment for the Acme Improvement District by $25 to $255 per acre. The district is responsible for the water and roadway projects in the area.

The first budget hearing was on Sept. 5 and the second was scheduled for Wednesday.

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Royal Palm Beach

Royal Palm Beach’s council will vote to hold steady its tax rate of $1.92 per $1,000 of assessed value. It has remained unchanged since 2010.

The village saw an increase in property value over the previous year of about 11% equal to $419 million, of which $53 million came from new construction.

Village manager Ray Liggins says the village is nearing build-out and he expects the revenue for new construction to stabilize in the coming years.

Royal Palm Beach residents can expect to pay about $20 to $25 more in village taxes. For example, last year the owner of a $425,000 house paid $690 in taxes; this year, the bill would be $710.

The village’s expenses rose 7% due to personnel services, insurance and funding of capital-improvement projects.

Liggins said next year the village will invest in the expansion of the recreation center, finishing construction of the new village hall and roadway improvements that include bike lane upgrades.

The village held its first budget hearing Sept. 14 and the second is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today.

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Westlake

Westlake’s council is poised to increase its property tax rate by 19% to $5 per $1,000 of taxable value.

For the new city, 2024 is the first year it can no longer receive revenue from Minto, the community’s master developer. According to the city’s 2024 financial plan, the new millage rate will provide money to cover all of its $5.5 million budget.

“Generating revenue based on the rolled-back rate would not be practical as the city must be able to provide the administrative infrastructure to operate,” stated the city’s budget. (The rolled-back rate is the rate that would have to be levied to raise the same amount of money as the previous year. In a time when property values have risen, the rolled-back rate is lower than the current tax rate. )

Westlake's taxable value increased 55.4% over last year's value, according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser.

The city staff held its first budget meeting Sept 5 and the second was scheduled for Wednesday.

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Indian Trial Improvement District

Indian Trail Improvement District's board voted to increase its assessment by $160 per acre and up to $237 for some areas.

The district will no longer use money from its fund balance to off-set the costs of projects and maintenance improvements in areas such as roads and drainage, according to its 2024 budget.

Instead, the staff recommended a per-acre assessment to fund the district’s level of service, capital projects, and capital equipment for the upcoming year.

“The District, as always, faces a tough financial reality with only one source of revenue that is unimpacted by some of the highest property values,” according to the budget document. “Yet, the demand on services and infrastructure continues to grow exponentially from internal District residential growth and from external development that is creating more cut-through traffic.”

The district's staff held its two public budget hearings on June 7 and July 25.

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Loxahatchee Groves

The town of Loxahatchee Groves will vote to maintain its tax millage rate of $3 per $1,000 of assessed value for its fifth consecutive year.

It will also hold its assessment for drainage of $200 per unit and $400 for solid waste, which is $50 less than in 2019.

Loxahatchee Groves saw an increase of 18% in property values over the last year, according to the Palm Beach Property Appraiser's Office.

The town’s staff held its first public budget hearings on Sept. 5 and the second one was scheduled for Wednesday.

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 X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Tax rate time: What you need to know in western Palm Beach County