It’s tax rate time. Here’s what you need to know if you live in Palm Beach County’s western suburbs.
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WESTLAKE — Palm Beach County’s newest city saw its property values continue to soar this year, thanks to 600 new homes, and will seize on the growth to reduce its property tax rate by 20 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for the 2025 fiscal year starting Oct. 1.
Officials in Westlake intend for the rate of $4.70 per $1,000 of assessed value to reduce a typical homeowner’s city tax bill by about $56 from the amount they paid in 2024, even with the rise in property value, City Manager Ken Cassel said.
Municipalities in western Palm Beach County have seen a steady surge in property values, and most will vote to maintain their current tax rates. Despite leaving rates unchanged, homeowners can expect to see slight increases in their city, town or village tax bills next year because of these property value increases.
Communities across western Palm Beach County will have public hearings in September on their proposed local tax rates and budget plans for fiscal 2025. They can lower those rates after those hearings but cannot raise them. Each community must adopt a budget and a tax rate by the end of September.
Local taxes are just one charge among several from government agencies that make up a property owner’s annual bill.
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Wellington: Tax rate remains unchanged for sixth straight year
Wellington is set to maintain the tax rate of $2.47 per $1,000 of taxable value for its sixth consecutive year. It voted in July to make that the maximum rate it will impose.
A resident with a home valued at $450,000 who has a $50,000 homestead exemption can expect to see a $33 increase from the village in their tax bill, according to budget documents. For a homesteaded property valued at $450,000, village taxes would total about $980.
Property values in the village rose 9% to $12.5 billion last year. Wellington’s proposed total budget is $147.8 million, up from $137.7 million this fiscal year.
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Curbside trash pickup and water services in the village will increase by $20 and $7, respectively. The Acme Improvement District’s $255 tax assessment per unit will also remain unchanged. It provides drainage, stormwater management and other infrastructure in the Wellington area.
Some of the increase in spending is tied to projects the village will either complete or begin work on during the next fiscal year, including the $29.8 million aquatics center, a $2 million expansion to its tennis center and a $1 million roundabout at Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue South.
The village’s budget meetings are scheduled for Sept. 10 and 17.
Royal Palm Beach: Village keeps tax rate unchanged for 15th straight year
Royal Palm Beach will vote to keep its tax rate at $1.92 per $1,000 of taxable property value. It has remained unchanged since 2010.
A resident with a home valued at $475,000 who has a $50,000 homestead exemption would pay about $25 more in village taxes, with the bill rising to $816, according to budget documents. The village’s stormwater fee will increase by $1 to $6.50.
The village saw an increase in property values of 7.4% to $4.5 billion in 2024. Royal Palm Beach’s proposed budget for fiscal 2025 totals $68 million.
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Royal Palm Beach will invest $1.6 million in its recreational center renovation and expansion, $650,000 in an all-access playground that will be accessible for children with disabilities and $350,000 in upgrading Camelia Park with pickleball courts and new bathrooms.
The village’s budget meetings are scheduled for Sept. 12 and 19.
Westlake: City prepared to cut its property tax rate by 20 cents per $1,000 of taxable value
Westlake is set to cut its tax rate by 20 cents to $4.70 per $1,000 of property value.
The city’s taxable property values grew 41% in 2024 to $1.3 billion, mainly due to the 600 new homes and several commercial properties completed this year. The city’s general fund budget for fiscal 2025 totals $7.5 million.
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A resident with a home valued at $400,000 with a $50,000 homestead exemption would pay around $56 less in city taxes, with a total bill of between $1,650 and $1,700, according to budget documents.
In 2025, Westlake will invest $1.5 million in park improvements.
Westlake’s budget meetings are scheduled for Sept. 3 and 11.
Greenacres: City keeps tax rate steady for third year
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The Greenacres City Council plans to hold its tax rate steady at $6.30 per $1,000 of assessed value for the third consecutive year.
A resident with a home valued at $400,000 who has a $50,000 homestead exemption can expect to see a $70 increase in their bill, to $2,205, according to budget documents.
Property values in Greenacres rose 9.1% last year to $3.1 million. The city’s proposed budget totals $46.5 million.
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Greenacres will invest in 2025 in building the city’s new Youth Program Building, the design of an Emergency Operations Center and converting sections in the village’s original section to sewers from septic tanks.
The city’s budget meetings are scheduled for Sept. 3 and 16.
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Palm Springs is set to lower its tax rate for the first time in seven years to $3.70 per $1,000 of taxable property value, which is a penny lower than in fiscal 2024.
The village saw an increase in property values of 9% this year to $2.1 billion. The town’s total proposed budget for fiscal 2025 is $48 million.
A resident with a home valued at $315,000 who has a $50,000 homestead would pay an estimated $983 in village taxes, or about $35 more than this year, according to budget documents.
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Palm Springs will begin work on new projects during the next fiscal year that include a $14 million expansion to its police station, $12 million improvements to water treatment plants, $2.9 million in stormwater improvements and $1.5 million converting properties on Congress Avenue to sewers from septic tanks.
The village received funding of $6.3 million for the projects from the federal American Rescue Plan Act and $14 million from the county’s 1-cent infrastructure surtax and other non-property-tax sources.
The village’s final budget meetings are scheduled for Sept. 26.
Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Palm Springs and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.