Boca Raton council adopts tentative $233.5M budget, keeps millage nearly flat

The Boca Raton City Council on Monday adopted a tentative FY2024–25 budget and proposed millage rate, approved the city’s fire assessment and passed updates to the municipal user-fee schedule after a short debate over golf-fee increases.

Sharon McGuire, the city’s Office of Management & Budget director, told council members the proposed millage would fall slightly to 3.6782 mills from 3.6783 and that the city expects about $233.5 million in general-fund revenue next year — up from $222.8 million — driven largely by an estimated 8.5% increase in assessed values. “The millage rate is slightly lower for next year than for the current year. It’s, a millage rate of 3.6782 from 3.6783,” McGuire said.

The proposed budget projects a larger increase in expenditures — roughly $20.9 million — with most of that attributed to police and fire salaries, benefits and pension costs. McGuire also outlined new program funding and staffing, including creation of a…