The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved preliminary maximum tax and assessment rates for the town’s proposed 2027 fiscal year budget at a meeting Tuesday, July 7. The council voted to tentatively keep the town’s property tax rate unchanged and adjust assessment rates to address long-term funding needs.
Loxahatchee Groves officials proposed keeping the property tax rate at 3.2564 mills, the same as last year. Road and drainage assessments are proposed to be increased from $220 to $310 per acre. However, town staff is looking to lower the residential solid waste assessment from $450 to $300 through contract negotiations.
According to a presentation by town staff, they focused on reducing expenditures while still maintaining a standard level of service for the community. In total, the budget is expected to be about $9.4 million.
Town property values have continued to rise — 11.74 percent over the past year, according to the latest figures from the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office. So, while the tax rate will remain the same, the town will collect some additional revenue.
However, staff warned that the town could lose a significant portion of its tax revenue if the “Save Our Homes from Excessive Property Taxes” amendment is approved by Florida voters in November.
The amendment would expand the homestead exemption to $150,000 in fiscal year 2028, and to $250,000 the following fiscal year, with potential exemption expansions thereafter. If enacted, the town faces an estimated $372,000 budget reduction next year, and a $614,000 reduction the following year.
“It’s polling that [the amendment] probably passes,” said David DiLena, the town’s chief financial officer.
To become law, the amendment will need the support of 60 percent of voters in November.
The town is also seeing funding shortfalls in other areas. The expiration of the countywide infrastructure sales surtax eliminated more than $300,000 in annual revenue that could have been used for infrastructure improvements.
“Absent those grants, the source of any infrastructure improvements is going to probably come from your general fund — at least for the next several years,” Town Attorney Jeff Kurtz said.
During the public comment period, former Councilwoman Marianne Miles said that residents could still pay more in taxes even with the maximum millage rate being set the same.
She pointed out that many residents are seniors on fixed incomes and may not be able to pay for the increase in the road and drainage assessment.
“Please stop raising the taxes on the residents who have been here for years,” Miles said. “Look for other ways to bring money in.”
Vice Mayor Manish Sood proposed lowering the maximum millage rate and road and drainage assessment. He said the town has other financial resources it can draw from. However, he did not have support from the rest of the council.
“Our government should tighten its belt before asking families to pay more,” Sood said. “Our residents should not be paying higher taxes and higher assessments while many roads are unpaved, canals still require maintenance, and administrative costs continue to grow.”
The council approved the preliminary tax and drainage/road assessment rates 4-1, with Sood dissenting, and unanimously approved the tentative solid waste assessment rate. The council will be reviewing the finalized numbers of the budget at a meeting in September. The proposed rates can be lowered but cannot increase.
In other business:
- The council unanimously passed a motion to table consideration of an ordinance to update recreational vehicle rules in the community. Council members decided to include the item for discussion at a Tuesday, July 21 workshop meeting to revise parts of the ordinance.
- Council members approved entering into an agreement with Langton Associates Inc. for grant writing and consulting services for the town. The contract is expected to cost around $6,000, but up to $10,000 from the town’s general fund contingency account can be used to pay for the services. Within 90 days, town officials will receive a needs assessment and strategic grants plan. Council members can then choose to retain Langton Associates for additional grant writing efforts.
- The council agreed to continue discussions on whether to renew Kurtz’s contract as town attorney after reviewing information on whether they should switch back to outsourcing legal duties to an outside law firm.
Kurtz, who was hired in August 2025 as the town’s first in-house attorney, is under contract as town attorney until Jan. 31, 2027. Town officials received letters of interest from firms TG Law and Nason Yeager, but Kurtz said that he is open to continuing to remain as the town’s attorney.
“I have interest and intent on fulfilling obligations under the contract,” Kurtz said, adding that he “would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you… whether or not the relationship can continue.”
