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Royal Palm Beach manager recommends first millage increase since 1995, council split over path forward
Summary
Village Manager recommended raising the village millage from 1.92 to 2.15 mills to protect reserves and smooth future tax increases; council members were divided over advertising 2.15 at next week’s tentative meeting, with supporters citing long‑term stability and opponents preferring to use reserves or cut expenses for one year.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach on Thursday received a recommended FY2027 budget that includes a proposed millage increase from 1.92 to 2.15 mills — the first proposed raise since 1995 — sparking a split among council members over whether to set that higher rate as the maximum at next week’s tentative budget meeting.
Village Manager told the council he supports the 2.15 proposal as “the minimum needed to have a positive operating balance each of the next 10 years while continuing to diminish the reserves for capital.” He said the change would avoid a projected 30% millage spike in 2033 and a further 20% leap in 2034 if the village continues to rely on reserves for operating costs.
Finance staff described the budget assumptions behind that recommendation and said rising taxable values (updated to an 8.24% increase for the roll) help, but that one‑time sources — most notably the half‑cent sales surtax and American Rescue Plan Act funds — have expired and cannot be counted on for recurring costs. The proposed tentative budget totals about $31.7 million, with the General Fund at roughly the same level and a projected FY2027 surplus of about $887,397 under the presented assumptions.
Council members were split. Vice Mayor supported the manager’s approach of “biting the bullet now” to spread the burden over time. Councilwoman Rodoski cited resident polling in recent citizen summits showing majority support for a small, near‑term increase and said the average homeowner would face roughly $50–$60 per year under the 2.15 millage. By contrast, Councilman Valentis urged holding the current 1.92 mills for one year and using reserves to cover shortfalls while the potential state constitutional change on the November ballot — which could shift property‑tax calculations — becomes clearer.
Councilwoman Samuels said she would be reluctant to support a millage increase unless the five council members also agree to tighten discretionary council expenditures, noting an expectation that the council itself show cuts alongside staff reductions.
The manager asked council for a unanimous consensus to advertise the 2.15 mills as the maximum when the council votes on the tentative millage next Thursday; staff cautioned that advertising a lower number would limit the maximum the village could adopt in September but that a higher tentative rate could be lowered later. Village legal counsel confirmed the tentative vote next week sets a maximum for the September hearings, and that unanimous approval is required at final adoption if the millage exceeds the rollback/supermajority thresholds.
No formal millage vote was taken at Thursday’s workshop. The council is scheduled to consider a tentative maximum millage rate at the July 16 meeting and hold final budget and millage hearings in September.
