The Village of Royal Palm Beach held a budget workshop Thursday, July 11, giving the Royal Palm Beach Village Council its first formal look at a proposed $68.2 million spending plan for the next fiscal year, starting Oct. 1.
The budget leaves the village’s tax rate of 1.92 mills unchanged from the current fiscal year. Village officials were proud to point out Royal Palm Beach’s strong financial status with no debt and a tax rate among the lowest in Palm Beach County.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 is down from the $84.6 million budget presented last year. This reflected the large, one-time expenditure last year for the new village hall project.
Proposed capital improvements next year include $17 million for resurfacing miles of roads in the La Mancha and Saratoga neighborhoods, as well as $16.8 million for the renovation and expansion of the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, improvements to various parks, and construction of a new Southern Blvd. park near the Tuttle Royale development.
“The proposed 2025 budget maintains the same tax rate for the 15th year since the 2011 budget year,” Village Manager Ray Liggins said.
Royal Palm Beach residents enjoy some of the lowest municipal tax rates in the county. Liggins said that the average property tax bill is about $3,000 for the village’s approximately 12,000 taxable properties, with just 10 percent of that going to the village.
“If your property tax bill is $3,000, about average for the village, then the portion going to fund the village is about $300 of that,” he explained.
Finance Director Sharon Almeida presented the proposed budget to the council.
“Our proposed fiscal year 2025 budget of $68,188,329 will include 46 percent general operating funds, 43 percent in capital projects, a 10 percent reserve, and storm water,” Almeida said.
Mayor Fred Pinto congratulated village staff on their financial proficiency and said he is very pleased that Royal Palm Beach has not raised the tax rate for 28 years.
“I am proud that Royal Palm Beach offers residents a value proposition,” he said. “We have the lowest taxes of any of our peers and are able to provide residents with great services and solid infrastructure.”
Pinto added that the proposed budget will significantly improve the village’s already robust parks and recreation facilities.
Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara praised village staff and expressed pride in Royal Palm Beach’s strong financial position.
“The village budget for fiscal year 2025 not only shows how our resources will be allocated, but it also highlights the many things that make the Village of Royal Palm Beach an extraordinary place to live,” he said. “Our village is arguably the strongest, most financially sound municipality in the county. We’re debt-free and have substantial financial reserves that are used conservatively, while the remainder is kept prudently invested. This continues to be one of our primary strategic goals.”
Each year, the council and staff carefully balance the budget for the coming year to accomplish the village’s goals, based in part on citizen input.
In August, Royal Palm Beach will open its 25th neighborhood park. With funds from next year’s budget, the village plans to improve lighting, add surveillance cameras and upgrade facilities at parks across the community. The budget also adds two sheriff’s deputies, which will increase police presence and responsiveness.
One major project that’s funded to begin next year is the expansion of the recreation center to meet the increasing demands of the community. This expansion will add a new gymnasium, an upgraded fitness center and several new meeting rooms to accommodate expanded senior programs, expanded summer camp enrollment and more recreational/athletic programs.
When completed, the renovated recreation center will provide more than double the existing floor space for indoor recreation in the village.
“One indicator of how much residents trust the village to manage their taxes is how many turn out to complain about high taxes,” Pinto said. “Tonight, not one resident showed up to complain. It’s not like this in other cities.”
Hmara added that the budget shows what Royal Palm Beach residents, staff and elected officials value.
“Someone once said, if you want to know what’s really important to a community, all you have to do is to look at how it spends its money,” he said. “With this budget, the Village of Royal Palm Beach will continue to be a vibrant, family-oriented, American hometown.”
