Palm Beach County adopts 2025-26 tentative budget, sets millage rates; board pauses homeless-coalition funding for review

The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 16 adopted its tentative 2025-26 countywide budget and set a series of millage rates, approving a countywide millage of 4.5 mills (6.1% over the rollback rate) and several special‑district rates while directing staff to place funding for the local Homeless Coalition into contingency and return with a review.

The vote on the countywide millage was split, with a substitute motion to set the rate at 4.5 mills passing over a motion to return to the rollback rate of 4.2413; Vice Mayor Baxter and Commissioner Woodward voted against the 4.5‑mill motion. The board recorded multiple unanimous votes on related budget resolutions for the sheriff, library district, fire rescue MSTUs and other district funds.

In nut‑graf form: the meeting fulfilled Truth in Millage (TRIM) requirements to read and record proposed increases over the rollback rate, produced final millage and budget votes that will determine property tax bills for the coming year, and produced a direction from commissioners to staff to pause and reexamine one community partner's county funding.

County staff read the TRIM disclosure into the record before public comment. County Administrator Abruzzo told the board: "In accordance with the truth and millage trim bill, the Board of County Commissioners shall hold hearings on a tentative budget and proposed millage rate as stipulated in the trim bill." The staff presentation listed the percentages over rollback and itemized net increases and decreases across county functions, including a cited net increase of $88,722,420 countywide over the rollback baseline and a sheriff net tax increase listed at $121,900,000.

The board debated whether to return to the rollback rate. Vice Mayor Baxter moved to adopt…