Page 10 - Boca Club News - August '23

Page 10, Boca Club News

Memo from County Tax Collector from page 9 Current Florida Sales Tax Holidays

Report to Citizens. As we are near the end of another Freedom Summer (recreation and outdoor items)
Property Tax cycle, I’d like to share some interesting facts www.floridarevenue.com/FreedomSummer/Pages/default.aspx Now to September 4th, 2023
with you about our office. In 2021-22:
• Over $4.4 billion was distributed to local taxing Gas Ranges and Cooktops
authorities, with the School District of Palm Beach County www.floridarevenue.com/GasStoves/Pages/default.aspx Now to June 30th, 2024
receiving the largest amount, more than $1.5 billion.
• Our Client Care and Research Center answers more than Home Hardening (impact resistant doors, windows, and garage doors)
230,000 telephone calls a year and responds to more than www.floridarevenue.com/HomeHardening/Pages/default.aspx Now to June 30th 2024
32,000 email inquiries. The #1 inquiries are Driver License
®
®
(calls) and Property Tax (email). Energy Star (Energy Star appliances)
• Our website has more than 1.9 million visits yearly. www.floridarevenue.com/ENERGYSTAR/Pages/default.aspx Now to June 30th, 2024
• Our six service centers saw more than 719,000 clients. For more information on all Sales Tax Holidays, visit www.floridarevenue.com/Pages/SalesTaxHolidays.aspx.
The Central Palm Beach Service Center in Greenacres had
the most visits with more than 198,000. The #1 transaction resident of Palm Beach County, it is my honor and privilege two years, our employees select two non-profit organizations
was Motor Vehicle, more than 395,000. to serve this community. My community engagement team to support through our Community Involvement Program.
• Tourist Development Tax collections were more than and I are always available should you ever need anything Every dollar raised and/or item donated comes directly from
$77,800,000 with April being the highest collection month. from our office. We take great pride in being active in the our employees. This year’s charities are Living Hungry
• Palm Beach County Tax Collector employees donated community, and so far this year we have participated in more and Take Stock In Children Serving Palm Beach County.
$17,594 to our two charity partners, Living Hungry and than 45 community events, ranging from the Palm Beach In addition to supporting those initiatives, we also conduct
Making Every Day Count. Employees also raised more Pride Festival to the Jupiter Jubilee, Black Gold Jubilee, fundraising activities such as bake sales and donation drives
than $2,400 to our Tax Collector colleagues in both Lee and and many more. Our goal is to work collaboratively within throughout the year. Our office remains dedicated to lending
Charlotte Counties, who were impacted by Hurricane Ian in our communities to achieve longstanding and sustainable a helping hand in the community and providing exceptional
September 2022. outcomes and implement processes to increase the efficiency customer service for our clients.
For more information about our office, visit www.pbctax. of each transaction for our clients. For more information on our community involvement,
com/annual-report. Our dedication to driving positive change in the visit www.pbctax.com/about-us/community-involvement/.
Out and About. As an elected official and long-time community extends well beyond our core services. Every
From the Desk of County Commissioner

Marci Woodward: A Message from Marci

Commissioner Woodward, a 20-year The necessitated re-routing of certain utilities (i.e., water barriers before them and move forward to lead fruitful lives.
resident of Boca Raton, was elected main) is complete, and the new water main was put into For more information, visit https://flitecenter.org/.
in November 2022 as Palm Beach service. Local Government 101. Constitutional Officers:
County District 4 Commissioner. Bridge demolition of the eastbound section is underway Constitutional Officers were established by the Florida
She serves on the following board and expected to be completed in August, weather permitting, Constitution and are independently elected officials. Palm
of directors as a representative and construction of the new bridge will begin after demolition. Beach County has seven constitutional officers who manage
of the county commission: Palm Additionally, road crews have started clearing materials their departments separately from the Board of County
Beach Transportation Planning in the southern right of way for the new sidewalk and Commissioners, including:
Agency; South Florida Regional replacement driveways. • Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller;
Transportation Authority (TriRail); Treasure Coast Regional The project schedule now shows completion in November • Property Appraiser;
Planning Council; CareerSource Palm Beach County; Palm 2023 due to troubleshooting and material defect issues with • Public Defender;
Beach Cultural Council, and Value Adjustment Board. Ms. certain utilities. • Sheriff;
Woodward graduated from the University of South Carolina- I live nearby and recognize the impact this project is • State Attorney;
Aiken with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. having on residents and businesses and will continue to • Supervisor of Elections;
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously monitor it closely and provide updates. • Tax Collector.
approved a lower tax (millage) rate for the second consecutive Remote Building Inspections. The Palm Beach County Additionally, they establish the budgets for their offices,
year and the largest reduction in 30 years. The 2024 rate will Building Division now offers remote video inspections through independent of the operating budget set by the Board of
be reduced from 4.715 to 4.50 per $1,000 of taxable value for the Video Inspection Pro (VIP) app on your smart phone! County Commissioners.
all commercial and residential properties. Some eligible inspections for single-family residential The Property Appraiser. The Palm Beach County
This will help offset the recent increases in appraised homes include: Property Appraiser’s Office employs 240 qualified employees
values the local real estate market has experienced over the • Reroofing; (i.e., Certified Florida Evaluators and Residential Evaluation
past year. Additionally, with the current economic challenges • Garage door replacement; Specialists) and operates five service centers throughout the
this was a prudent decision since we were able to balance • HVAC equipment replacement; county. Under Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks’ leadership
the budget without any risk to the high standard of county • Plumbing/water heater replacement; the office has three primary responsibilities: determining
services. • A/C replacement; the taxable value of more than 640,000 parcels, applying
The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 is $7.6 billion, • Shutters; tax exemptions and maintaining the county’s official map of
which represents a 12.6% increase over Fiscal Year 2023. • Window and door replacement. property owners.
Priorities include affordable and workforce housing, economic It only takes minutes to complete at no additional cost. For According to their offices, Palm Beach County’s taxable
development, infrastructure, environmental protection and information, visit https://discover.pbcgov.org/pzb/building/ property values have increased over 13% from 2022 to 2023
public safety. PDF/VIP_On_Demand_Video_Inspections.pdf. countywide, driven by continued demand for properties of all
As part of its Fiscal Year 2024 budget process, the Board Nonprofit Spotlight. The FLITE Center is a local types and near-record new construction.
of County Commissioners will hold two public hearings organization empowering vulnerable youth and young adults Highlights include:
at Governmental Center, 301 N. Olive Ave., West Palm aged 13 to 23 in the child welfare system. With the overall • Market Value - $481,467,712,919
Beach. The public is invited to attend the following budget goal of helping human trafficking victims, the center will • Taxable Value - $288,752,577,607
workshops: provide survivors with a team of professionals, including • Net New Construction - $4,311,391,070
• Sept. 7th at 5:05 p.m. survivor mentors, victims service coordinators, clinicians and • Percent Increase (taxable value) - 13.36%
• Sept. 26th at 5:05 p.m. regional advocates. It is a one-stop resource center offering • Real Property Parcels - 652,953
During these challenging times, nearly every household, all supportive services. • Total Tangible Personal Property Accounts - 58,709
business and community in our county has had to make The County Commission shares the vision of the FLITE For more information, visit https://www.pbcgov.org/papa/.
difficult decisions. I will continue to work to control spending Center that no youth should travel the road to adulthood alone. If you require assistance, please contact our office at (561)
while providing improved services in an efficient and With care and attention, vulnerable youth can overcome the 355-2204 or email Mwoodward@pbcgov.org.
innovative manner.
Local High School Students’ Art Display. I have the • Air Condi�oning Service and Repair Are you breathing clean air?
pleasure of displaying art from Boca Raton Community High • New Equipment Sales and Installa�on
School’s Digital Art and Design Program in my offices at the Receive a custom and personalized analysis today
Governmental Center in West Palm Beach. • Duct Cleaning and Sani�zing 561.899.5000 FlashAirCare.com
With over 500 students enrolled in photography and digital • Smart Thermostat Technologies
media courses, the school’s AP photography teacher, Rob • Air Purifica�on and Filtra�on Systems
Sweeten, oversees the county’s largest AP Art and Design • Preven�ve Maintenance Plans
Program. The courses cover art principles, proper camera and
photographic techniques and Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. % FREE
In addition to winning photo contests, the students serve 15
the school’s yearbook, newspaper and athletic programs. OFF DUCT CLEANING AIR QUALITY TEST
Kudos to Mr. Sweeten for his ability to bring out the best in SERVICES $300 VALUE
his students to produce exceptional photos for our community.
Thank you to the mayor and my fellow commissioners for Breathe Smart
stopping by our art showcase to support the students’ work.
Palmetto Park Road Bridge Update. Below is a recent Smart technologies for indoor air comfort, health and energy efficiency.
update from the Engineering and Public Works Department
on the Palmetto Park Road Bridge project. Licensed Florida State Certi ed Air Conditioning Contractor License #CAC1817554