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Boca Raton previews balanced FY2025–26 budget with slight millage drop, $1.3B five‑year CIP and targeted new positions
Summary
CFO Jim Zervis previewed a balanced FY2025–26 budget that trims roughly $2 million in expenditures, lowers the total millage to 3.6649, adds 15 positions citywide, and programs a five‑year CIP of about $1.3 billion (about $282 million next year).
Boca Raton’s chief financial officer on Monday presented a preview of the city’s FY2025–26 budget, calling it balanced, showing a small millage reduction and targeted investments in capital projects and staffing.
Jim Zervis, the city’s chief financial officer and deputy city manager, told council the draft budget carries a total millage rate of 3.6649, down from 3.6734, and trims about $2 million from total expenditures compared with the previous year while funding existing service levels. He described the budget as tied to the city’s strategic priorities—community safety, financially sound operations, quality of life and transportation/mobility.
Key figures and programs Zervis said assessed valuation increased about 7.51%, pushing the city’s total assessed value past $40 billion. The proposed general fund budget totals approximately $254.8 million and staff project a starting general fund balance near $85.6 million, with no planned use of fund balance to balance the budget. On a home with a taxable assessed value of $450,000, Zervis said the illustrative tax calculation would equate to about $1,649.21.
The five‑year capital improvement program totals roughly $1.3 billion, with about $282 million budgeted in the coming year. Highlighted projects include a City Services Building (budgeted at $26 million, intended to fund acquisition and improvements), a transit‑oriented community downtown (CRA‑funded, $24 million), a municipal fleet garage, and early‑stage funding for police headquarters design (~$10 million for engineering/design). Zervis also listed water and sewer upgrades, Jeffrey Street rail crossing work and PFAS removal as major utility investments.
New positions and initiatives The budget includes 15 new positions citywide (three in the general fund), among them roles tied to traffic infraction enforcement (school‑zone speed cameras), a special event permit manager, a Planner II position to track Live Local affordability covenants, and an information technology/development manager focused on AI initiatives. The CRA will fund two positions including an additional police officer and a cultural arts administrator.
Council questions and next steps Council members asked about implementing activity‑based costing and the $9.5 million in line‑item cuts that helped balance the budget. Zervis said the city updated its cost‑allocation methodology this year, moved several items between CIP and operating classifications for accuracy, and reviewed cuts with department heads while preserving funded positions.
The budget process will continue with a CIP presentation, a CRA budget workshop in August and tentative and final budget hearings ahead of the Sept. 30 statutory deadlines. Staff said materials including a detailed CIP breakdown will be provided to council and the public in upcoming hearings.
