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Riviera Beach adopts 2025–26 budget, sets millage at 8.35 and approves staff pay increases
Summary
City council adopted a $214 million operating budget and set the property tax millage at 8.35 mills for fiscal 2025–26, approved a capital plan and agreed to an across-the-board pay increase for nonrepresented employees and an equity adjustment for council legislative aides.
Riviera Beach City Council on Sept. 17 adopted the fiscal 2025–26 budget, set a millage rate of 8.35 mills and approved a package of personnel pay adjustments after a lengthy discussion about employee compensation.
The council voted to adopt ordinance 42-86, fixing the millage rate at 8.35 mills for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ordinance 42-87, adopting the city’s $214 million operating budget for fiscal 2026. Council also approved ordinance 42-88, the five-year capital improvements plan for 2026–2030.
The budget vote included a change from staff’s original recommendation. City Manager Jonathan Evans told the council staff had proposed a 3% increase for nonrepresented employees; council members debated higher amounts and settled by majority on a larger increase to improve competitiveness while preserving budget balance. Council also directed that legislative aides receive the same nonrepresented increase plus a one-time 5% equity adjustment to account for previous disparities.
"Staff is recommending approval of ordinance 42-86," City Manager Jonathan Evans said during the second reading, summarizing staff analysis and the balanced-budget requirement. He reiterated that the proposed millage and budget reflect required adjustments to deliver city services and maintain planned capital work.
Supporters of a larger raise said employee morale and cost-of-living pressures justified more than the originally proposed 3%.
"I would advocate the 5%, and then when the salary survey comes back, then we can increase it," Councilmember Priscilla Davis Penier said during the deliberations, urging the council to address pay compression and retention.
Opponents urged fiscal caution, noting ongoing capital projects and future collective-bargaining obligations. After discussion, the council reached a majority agreement to increase the nonrepresented pay adjustment beyond the manager’s proposed 3% (the adopted amount for the budget cycle was recorded by the clerk as 4% by majority), and to provide the legislative aides the additional equity adjustment.
Votes at a glance - Ordinance 42-86 (millage 8.35 mills): Adopted. Vote: unanimous yes. - Ordinance 42-87 (operating budget FY 2025–26): Adopted. Vote: passed with one dissent (Councilmember Kushamba Miller Anderson opposed). - Ordinance 42-88 (five-year capital improvements plan): Adopted. Vote: unanimous yes.
The council asked staff to return supporting materials, including cost breakdowns for alternative raise levels and the ongoing compensation-and-classification study, which staff said would be completed in several months and could be used for future adjustments. The manager said contingency, vacancy savings and other internal adjustments could be used if the council wanted to accelerate any increases.
The budget ordinance takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, and staff will implement the payroll changes in accordance with the adopted budget timeline.
