Page 15 - Southern Exposure - August '24

Southern Exposure, Page 15

Commissioner’s Update

Making Dollars And Cents Of Your Tax Bill

By Vice Mayor Maria G. Marino

It’s that time of year Understanding your tax bill is important because it helps services include managing four airports, a water utilities
when the Board of County you know which authority sets the millage and who has department, road and bridge maintenance, stormwater
Commissioners begins the jurisdiction over various services. For example, school- management, environmental resources and a parks and
budgeting process for Fiscal related questions should be directed to the school board, while recreation department overseeing over 110 parks in both
Year (FY) 2025 and sets the library-related questions should go to the library authority. municipal and unincorporated areas.
millage rate for Palm Beach I often get asked why residents in a municipality So, the next time you receive your tax bill, remember
County. The current county still pay taxes to the county. The answer varies slightly that I am here to be a steward of your tax dollars and
millage rate is 4.5, which by municipality, but generally, the county provides a watchdog to ensure that the funds collected are used
represents the amount of many essential services that benefit all residents. These efficiently and effectively.
tax payable per dollar of
the assessed value of a
property. A mill is derived
from the Latin word “millesimum,” meaning thousandth.
In property tax terms, 1 mill equals $1 in property tax
levied per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.
To further understand your tax bill, you can visit the
property appraiser’s website at https://pbcpao.gov/index.
htm. By clicking on the tax link (property tax detail), you
will see a detailed breakdown of the taxes collected from
various districts that provide services to residents. For
instance, using the example at right of a homesteaded
house with the taxable value of $351,123 ($376,123 for
school district items) and the millage rate of 4.5, you will
be paying $4.5 per $1,000, totaling $1,580.05.
With our example, there are 13 taxing districts under
ad valorem taxes for this homesteaded property in Palm
Beach Gardens. Each district sets its own millage rate,
and properties in different areas of the county will have
a varying number of districts depending on whether they
are in a municipality or unincorporated areas. Some
areas, such as Jupiter or Juno, may have an additional
line item for fire/rescue services because those services
are provided by the county instead of the municipality.
Non-ad valorem assessments are not based on property
values but are fixed fees per household or business.