March 29, 2024

Taxes

Spending Snapshots

Mike Vogel | 12/1/2006

COUNTIES

? Commissioners in Orange County didn't budge on their county tax rate, bringing in an additional $81 million, a nearly 23% gain, to fund roadwork, land preservation, pedestrian safety, employee health insurance, bus service, community redevelopment, recreation and the county's $45.7-million share to establish an Orlando campus of the LaJolla, Calif.-based Burnham Institute for Medical Research.

? Broward County reduced its property tax rate for the seventh consecutive year but still increased its revenue by 6.6% to $958.5 million. The extra money went for law enforcement, mass transit, libraries and parks.

? Pinellas County commissioners lowered their millage rate 10%. "We're not funding anything new," says Jerry Herron, director of the county's management and budget office. Even with the cut, the county still gained an additional $40.4 million in property tax revenue, an 8.7% increase from last year.

? Hillsborough County reduced its countywide millage rate 6% -- the 14th consecutive reduction and the largest reduction in countywide millage since 1992. "I've been worried about a tax revolt," says Eric Johnson, the county's management and budget director. "I think we're at a critical juncture." But taxable values increased 21.7%, or $14 billion, so the county gained an additional $65.1 million in revenue, a 14.3% increase.

? Miami-Dade's tax base has increased 130.6% since 1999-2000. Property taxes as a percentage of the county budget have increased from 61.7% at the beginning of the decade to 82.1% this year. This year alone, property tax revenue supporting the countywide operating budget will increase 16.8% to $1.13 billion -- even though the tax rate was cut 3.77% . (The county tax base increased to $212.7 billion, a 23.2% rise -- 19.4% from existing property and 3.8% from new construction.) County Manager George Burgess told the state Property Tax Reform Committee in October that the county has used the extra money to strength its reserves, fund traffic and transportation improvements, bump up spending on public health, corrections and rehab and for other needs.

? Collier County cut its tax rate this year for the first time since 2001, leaving it up 2.1% since 2000. Property tax revenue since 2000 has increased 222.7% to $276.3 million. The county spent the money on a wide range of services, including law enforcement, roads and property insurance.

CITIES

? West Palm Beach reduced its operating tax rate by less than 1% this year (3.6% since 2000-01). Operating budget tax revenue increased 26.8% to $89.3 million. Even residents protected by Save Our Homes saw a small tax increase because the value of their properties went up to the capped value. The extra money will add 26 firefighters and 25 police. The city also will improve its infrastructure and add $2 million to the city's reserves, bringing them to $20 million, or 15% of operating revenue, the highest level in city history. "Property values have been rising and so has our population," says Mayor Lois Frankel. West Palm Beach's operating budget property tax revenue since 2000-01 has increased 47% (141% if urban redevelopment areas are included). Its population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, increased 18% from 2000 to 2005.

? Orlando raised an additional $22.87 million this year, a 24.6% increase. Overall, property tax revenue to the city has increased 101.2% since 2000. The extra money this year will go toward parks, economic development, infrastructure and the first year of a three-year push in public safety that will include 75 new police positions, 13 new fire dispatchers, three new fire stations and 45 additional fire personnel. The tax rate hasn't changed since 2002.

? Fort Lauderdale this year will pull in an additional $8.7 million, a 7.8% increase, in property tax revenue, which it will spend on pensions, insurance, raises, utilities and gas and new services. Overall, city property tax revenue is up 89.5% since 2000. The city's property tax base has ballooned 139.3% since 2000 while its millage rate has declined 8.7%.

? Miami's real property tax base increased this year 24.4% to $32.4 billion while its operating budget tax rate declined 1.5%. The city will bring in an additional $40 million in property tax revenue this year. The real property base is up 250.6% since 1994 while the tax rate to support the city operating budget has fallen 12.8%.

Tags: Politics & Law, Around Florida, Government/Politics & Law

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