TOWN OF PALM BEACH
Town Manager’s Office
TENTATIVE SUBJECT TO
REVISION
COUNTY BUDGET TASK FORCE
MEETING AGENDA
TOWN HALL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS-SECOND FLOOR
360 SOUTH COUNTY ROAD
Monday, December 7, 2015
10:00AM
I.
CALL TO ORDER
II.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Gail L. Coniglio, Chair
Carla Termini Cove, Task Force Member
Bobbi Horwich, Task Force Member
Bruce McAllister, Task Force Member
Nancy Murray, Task Force Member
Jere Zenko, Task Force Member
III.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
IV.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
V.
COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITIZENS
VI.
PROPOSED COUNTY SALES TAX INCREASE TO FUND CAPITAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
[Verdenia Baker, County Administrator]
VII.
ANY OTHER MATTERS
VIII.
ADJOURNMENT
PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
The progress of this meeting may be monitored by visiting the Town’s website (www.townofpalmbeach.com) and
clicking on “Meeting Audio” in the left column. If you have questions regarding that feature, please contact the
Office of Information Systems (561) 227-6315. The audio recording of the meeting will appear within 24 hours after
the conclusion of the meeting.
Disabled persons who need an accommodation in order to participate in the meeting are requested to contact the
Town Manager’s Office at 838-5410 or through the Florida Relay Service by dialing 1-800-955-8770 for voice
callers or 1-800-955-8771 for TDD callers, at least two (2) working days before this meeting.
Post Office Box 2029 * 360 South County Road * Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Telephone (561) 838-5410 * Facsimile (561) 838-5411 * townmanager@townofpalmbeach.com
TOWN OF PALM BEACH
Information for County Budget Task Force Meeting on: December 7, 2015
To:
County Budget Task Force Members
From: Jay Boodheshwar, Deputy Town Manager
Re:
Proposed Sales Tax Increase for Palm Beach County
Date: December 2, 2015
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the County Budget Task Force (CBTF) review the following information,
relative to the proposed sales tax increase for Palm Beach County and provide guidance to staff,
as necessary.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is considering the use of a local discretionary sales
surtax to fund capital infrastructure improvements in lieu of issuing general obligation bonds,
which would require an increase in the County’s debt service millage rate. Either option requires
a referendum, which would be held in November 2016, if the BOCC approves a ballot question
seeking voter approval.
The BOCC is considering a one-half (.5%) or one (1%) sales tax increase, which would yield
approximately $110 million or $220 million respectively on an annual basis. The current plan
before the BOCC would allocate 60% of revenue from the sales tax to the County and 40% to the
municipalities. The method for determining what the actual amount each municipality would
receive is undetermined.
The County is in discussions with the School Board about partnering on the sales tax ballot
question, since the School Board is also considering a sales tax increase to fund new technology
and repairs to school buildings and buses. To date, the School Board remains undecided about
partnering with the County. The Cultural Council has expressed interest in partnering with the
County to push for the sales tax increase, as they are interested in receiving a share of the revenue
generated to fund expansions and renovations for cultural attractions such as museums, theaters,
etc.
Lastly, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue is pushing to ask voters to finance fire-rescue operations
with a sales tax instead of property taxes, which would involve another increase to the County
sales tax. The exact percentage of the increase is undetermined but officials have said that their
goal is to lower the fire-rescue millage rate proportionately.
1
County Administrator, Verdenia Baker, has agreed to present the County’s proposal to the CBTF
on December 7. This will provide the CBTF with a great opportunity to learn more about what’s
being contemplated and how it would affect the Town of Palm Beach directly from the top County
official.
To assist in bringing you up to speed on this issue, I’ve attached a number of documents for your
review in preparation for the December 7 meeting, including the following:
1. Back-up materials from the BOCC Workshop on 11-24-15 (Attachment A)
2. Polling Presentation provided to the League of Cities on 11-25-15 (Attachment B)
3. News article titled “Palm Beach sees first residential tax bill top $2 million” in Shiny Sheet
on 11-8-15 (Attachment C)
4. News article titled “County, schools could join forces in high-stakes referendum push” in
Palm Beach Post on 11-15-15 (Attachment D)
5. News article titled “PBC Commission to discuss sales tax, bond issuance options at
meeting” in Palm Beach Post on 11-23-15 (Attachment E)
6. News article titled “As county weighs bonds or sales tax hike, jockeying for cash begins”
in Palm Beach Post on 11-24-15 (Attachment F)
7. News article titled “Cities warm to sales tax hike but not to taking less than their share” in
Palm Beach Post on 11-25-15 (Attachment G)
8. News article titled “Fight brewing over bond issue, sales tax hike money for zoo,
museums” in Palm Beach Post on 11-30-15 (Attachment H)
9. News article titled “Cultural Council seeks share of proposed tax hike’s yield” in Shiny
Sheet on 12-2-15 (Attachment I)
Also attached to this memo are a couple of communications from CBTF member, Bruce
McAllister, which he has requested I include in the back-up. They include the following:
1. Email #1 from Bruce McAllister, Dated 11-11-15 (Attachment J)
2. Email #2 from Bruce McAllister, Dated 11-11-15 (Attachment K)
Attachments
cc:
Thomas G. Bradford, Town Manager
John C. Randolph, Town Attorney
Jane Struder, Director of Finance
2
ATTACHMENT A
3
ATTACHMENT A
4
ATTACHMENT A
November 24, 2015
5
1
ATTACHMENT A






Relieves more costly/numerous repairs
Operational reliability
Predictable service delivery
Reduced liability
Less expensive than new construction
“Pay as you go”
6
2
ATTACHMENT A
70,000,000
65,000,000
60,000,000
55,000,000
50,000,000
45,000,000
40,000,000
35,000,000
30,000,000
25,000,000
20,000,000
FY 2006
FY 2007
FY 2008
FY 2009 FY 2010
FY 2011
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
FY 2016
7
3
ATTACHMENT A

Projects
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Bridges & roads safety
Drainage
Canal
Public safety buildings & equipment
General buildings
Parks
$650-750M
8
4
ATTACHMENT A

Drainage

Bridges

Roads – Resurfacing & Striping

Signalized intersections

Street lights

Canal maintenance
◦ Improvements needed for traffic safety & to reduce flooding
◦ Improvements needed for traffic safety & to reduce risk of failures
◦ Improvements needed for safer roads & to avoid future excessive
road maintenance costs
◦ Improvements needed for improved traffic flow, to reduce
maintenance costs, & to improve signal performance after storms
◦ Improvements needed for energy cost savings & to reduce carbon
footprint
◦ Improvements needed for safer roads & to avoid future excessive
road maintenance costs
9
5
ATTACHMENT A




Inventory grew by facilities and parks that
were funded during prosperous years
Recession reduced R&R funding
Phases 2&3 of the Jail Expansion Project were
cancelled, which would have resulted in $15M
of R&R being accomplished at the Main
Detention Center in addition to programmatic
changes
47% of buildings reached at least age 20,
including the Main Detention Center/Sheriff’s
HQ and Main Courthouse
10
6
ATTACHMENT A

Renovation of Existing Facilities
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Playground replacement
Sport lighting repairs
Court resurfacing/Repairs
Trail/pathway repairs
Aquatic facility renovations
Building repair/replacement
Sports field renovations
Boat Ramp Repairs
Picnic pavilion replacement
Level of Service
◦ Expansion of existing parks
◦ New parks – Canyon’s District & Garden’s District
11
7
ATTACHMENT A


Increase operating millage
Issue bonds
◦ General Obligation
◦ Non-ad Valorem

Infrastructure Sales Surtax
12
8
ATTACHMENT A


General Obligation
◦
◦
◦
◦
Ad valorem to pay debt service
20 year maturity
Paid by property owners
Voted through a referendum
◦
◦
◦
◦
Issued as a pledge to Non-ad valorem revenues
20 year maturity
Debt service paid by General Fund
Voted by BCC
NAV
13
9
ATTACHMENT A





The rate may be one-half or one percent
BCC approves ordinance to allow referendum
Voters must approve surtax
Surtax is allocated between County (60%) and
Municipalities (40%)
Agreement needed to include other entities
and change allocation
◦ Agreement must be approved by the governing
bodies of the municipalities representing a majority
of the County’s municipal population
14
10
ATTACHMENT A



Surtax applies to all transactions subject to
the State Sales Tax
Tax applies to first $5,000 of sales price of
tangible personal property
Many items exempt
◦ Groceries, baby food and formula
◦ Medicines
15
11
ATTACHMENT A



Countywide surtax to deal with infrastructure
needs
No more than 10 years
Consultant to review PBC projects list
◦ Report completed by December 31

Consultant to review PBC spending
◦ Report completed by December 31

Create oversight committees to audit
spending
16
12
ATTACHMENT A

One Percent
◦ Annual projection - $220M
◦ Total projection, 10 years, with 3% growth $2.679B

One-Half Percent
◦ Annual projection - $110M
◦ Total projection, 10 years, with 3% growth $1.340B
17
13
ATTACHMENT A



Complete consultant reports
January 26th – Workshop to present
consultant reports and project list
BCC Meetings to approve ordinance & interlocal agreements
18
14
ATTACHMENT B
Palm Beach County
Sales Tax Proposal:
Winning At The Ballot Box
19
ATTACHMENT B
About Us
• National and local experience in political campaigns
• Specialize in ballot issues at the local, county and state level:
– Won campaigns on the Yes and No side
– Understand election laws that deal with issue campaigns
• Strong background in funding initiatives for education and tax related
initiatives
• Understand how to manage and coordinate both public information
and private advocacy campaigns
• Cornerstone Solutions is based in West Palm Beach, Florida and works
around the nation as experts in the field of referendums and initiatives
• Manage PAC programs and compliance
• Have a full service team of professionals and strategic partners to
manage all aspects of a campaign
www.CornerstoneSolutionsTeam.com
20
2
ATTACHMENT B
Countywide Referendums
•
•
•
•
•
2004: Half-cent Sales Tax – 67%
2010: School Ad Valorem Levy – 66%
2012: Slot Machines Referendum – 56%
2014: Children’s Services Tax – 85%
2014: School Ad Valorem Levy – 79%
Cornerstone has managed and won all of these elections
21
3
ATTACHMENT B
SALES TAX VIABILITY SURVEY
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
22
ATTACHMENT
B
Telephone interviews performed by specially-trained opinion research
interviewers
Conducted with 400 randomly-selected November general election voters, within Palm
Beach County, Florida, using a combination of valid residential, VOIP and cellular
telephone listings
+/- 4.9% overall estimated margin of error, with a confidence
interval of 9.8% within which the results can vary
September 27– September 29, 2015
Data was stratified so that the differences in vital characteristics, such as age, race,
gender and geography are represented in proportion to their percentages of the county’s
electorate
Due to rounding, not all results add up to 100%, and the data is presented in a different
order than the questions were asked
Unless otherwise noted, only statistically-significant differences that were outside the
confidence interval for the overall estimated margin of sampling error have been
reported in this presentation of key findings
Methods
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
23
ATTACHMENT B
Opinion Environment
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
24
Voters exhibit contentment toward Palm Beach County
– which
ATTACHMENT
B
may be beneficial to the prospective tax request – and there is no
partisan polarization about the local opinion environment
100
80
60
55
51
46
40
46
38
37
28
29
13
20
8
0
Right direction
Wrong track
Mixed
Unsure
Democrats*
Republicans*
Unaffiliated*
Would you say that Palm Beach County is going in the right direction, or has
it gotten off onto the wrong track?
23% Net Right Direction
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
* Differences are not statistically significant
@FlaOpinResearch
25
At this time, education and jobs top the hierarchyATTACHMENT
of public B
concerns about which voters are most interested; crime also ranks
fairly high and should not be overlooked
29%
28%
The quality of public education
Jobs and the economy
17%
Fighting crime
8%
7%
4%
Lowering taxes
Traffic congestion
The quality of life, such as arts and parks
7%
1%
Other
Unsure
What do you think should be the top priority for local elected officials
to work on right now?
Forced Choice Battery
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
26
6
ATTACHMENT B
The prevalence of sensitivity to the rate of sale taxation is low
100
74
80
60
40
21
20
2
3
0
Too high
Pretty fair
Too low
Unsure
Would you say that the rate of sales tax in Palm Beach County is too
high, mostly pretty fair or too low?
Sales Tax Sensitivity
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
27
ATTACHMENT B
Uses of the Tax Funds
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
28
B
All of the top tier uses were extremely well-received ATTACHMENT
by voters and
should easily withstand criticism or second-guessing by naysayers
who challenge the merits of such improvements
Repairing bridges, which are old and need to be
upgraded to meet current safety standards?
86
12
2
Repair of road and drainage systems to prevent
flooding problems on main streets and in
neighborhoods?
85
14
1
Updating learning materials, computers and new
learning technology, which students need to be
prepared for college or the workforce?
0%
79
20%
40%
19
60%
80%
3
100%
Total good idea
Total bad idea
Unsure
Would you say it is a good or bad idea to use some of the funds for…
Top Tier Uses
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
29
The intermediate tier uses are also quite potent and could
be used
ATTACHMENT
B
interchangeably or situationally without fear of eroding support
Resurfacing roads that have been neglected because of the
costs and past budget constraints?
77
New air conditioning systems at school buildings and to
purchase school buses?
73
Revitalizing the local economy by building and expanding
the local zoo, science center, museums, theaters and
community centers, which would attract visitors and
improve the quality of life for existing residents?
0%
Total good idea
20
23
64
20%
Total bad idea
40%
2
60%
4
35
1
80%
100%
Unsure
Would you say it is a good or bad idea to use some of the funds for…
Intermediate Tier Uses
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
* Differences are not statistically significant
@FlaOpinResearch
30
B
Although there are modest form differences inATTACHMENT
the results,
both uses are popular and, presumably, tenable ones that
could be used to explain the virtues of the tax
VERSION A: Would you say it is a good or bad idea to
use some of the funds for a fund to expand buildings
that provide arts, music and science education
programs for local children and adults?
73
VERSION B: Would you say it is a good or bad idea to
use some of the funds for a fund to expand buildings
that would recruit businesses and generate jobs in the
community?
0%
Total good idea
26
64
20%
Total bad idea
1
32
40%
60%
4
80%
100%
Unsure
Split Sample Testing
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
31
ATTACHMENT B
Aspects & Safeguards
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
32
B were
The various aspects, including those to provide oversight andATTACHMENT
safeguards,
also highly effective
Estimates show that, at least, a quarter of the revenues
will be paid by visitors and tourists?
75
It would specify exactly how the money would be spent,
and, by law, the uses could not be changed for any reason,
once it is approved by voters?
The money can only be spent on capital projects or
infrastructure, such as buildings, facilities, land and roads,
so, by law, none of it can be used for salaries or
administration?
0%
Total more likely
Total less likely
18
74
22
70
20%
40%
6 2
31
25
60%
No difference
32
80%
100%
Unsure
Would you be more or less likely to vote for the sales tax if you knew that…
Top Tier Aspects
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
33
The intermediate safeguards are also quite effective ATTACHMENT
among broad
B
cross-sections of the public and could be used to allay any fears or
misgivings that could emerge
It would have a cut-off date, so it would automatically expire in 10
years, rather than being permanent?
69
25
6 1
All the sales tax funds would be monitored by an oversight committee
made of volunteers who are citizens and experts?
69
25
42
Each of the cities in Palm Beach County will also receive a portion of
the funding for projects in their communities?
66
28
4 3
Repairs to the aging infrastructure are no longer keeping up with
needs, and it will be cheaper to make them now, rather than waiting
or using a different type of tax to fund them?
66
28
4 3
80%
100%
0%
Total more likely
Total less likely
20%
40%
60%
No difference
Unsure
Would you be more or less likely to vote for the sales tax if you knew that…
Intermediate/Lower Tier Uses
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
34
ATTACHMENT B
Conclusion
www.FloridaOpinionResearch.com
All Materials and Intellectual Property ©2015 Florida Opinion Research
@FlaOpinResearch
35
ATTACHMENT B
Sales Tax Viability
• A sales tax would pass with strong support
• The county and school proposals are equally
important to residents
• A combined one-penny sales tax would
create less confusion for voters and have a
better chance of passage
• The General Election of 2016 is the best time
for a referendum for a sales tax
36
18
ATTACHMENT B
Voter Registration Today
Registered Voters
2015
Democrat
Republican
Other
Total
372,790
239,636
252,043
864,469
43%
28%
29%
100%
37
19
20
ATTACHMENT B
Voter Turnout
Total Registered Absentee % of Vote
Early
Voting
% of Vote
Polls % of Vote Total Voted Turnout
2014 General Election
851,999
91,880
22%
93,468
22% 240,098
56%
425,446
50%
2012 General Election
870,182
128,256
21%
128,827
21% 351,556
58%
605,268
70%
2010 General Election
821,850
62,345
16%
62,367
16% 265,101
68%
390,740
48%
2008 General Election
831,423
122,839
21%
144,505
24% 323,205
55%
590,594
71%
2006 General Election
765,347
53,642
14%
59,020
16% 251,356
68%
370,080
48%
2004 General Election
729,575
91,039
17%
49,635
9% 402,721
74%
544,378
75%
38
ATTACHMENT B
Planning for Success
•
•
•
•
•
•
Negotiate A Plan and Show Unity
Fiscal Needs and Validation Studies
Partnerships: Schools, Cities & Cultural
Evaluate the election environment
Ability to run a public education campaign
Ability to win at the ballot box
39
21
ATTACHMENT B
Questions
40
Page 1 of 3
ATTACHMENT C
Publication: Palm Beach Daily News; Date: Nov 8, 2015; Section: Main; Page: A1
Palm Beach sees first residential tax
bill top $2 million
Ken Griffin’s Billionaires Row estate leads town’s tax roll list.
By DARRELL HOFHEINZ Daily News Real Estate Writer
For the first time ever, an owner of a Palm Beach estate will pay more than $2 million in property
taxes, thanks to the 2015 tax roll recently certified by the state.
Luckily for him, the fellow involved has deep pockets. It’s Chicago hedge-funder Ken Griffin, who
owns 9.3 acres on the South End’s Billionaires Row and whose worth is estimated by Forbes at $3.1
billion.
Griffin is among at least 39 Palm Beach property owners who have been billed more than
$500,000 each for their 2015 taxes, according to data compiled by the Palm Beach Daily News
from tax bills viewable on Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne M. Gannon’s website.
Based on property values assigned Jan. 1 by Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits’ office, the 2015
tax roll was certified Oct.
10. Individual bills were mailed on Halloween.
Griffin has been assessed a grand total of $2.23 million in taxes on his oceanfront estate’s five
separate properties on Blossom Way, a quarter-mile south of the Southern Boulevard traffic circle.
He bought four of the properties, including three houses, in late 2012 for nearly $130 million. But
he has never built himself a new residence, even though the town has granted him permission to
demolish two of the remaining homes there. A spokeswoman for Griffin declined to comment for
this story.
Nikolits’ office has assigned Griffin’s estate a total market value of $134.47 million, with a
taxable value of $122.26 million. He owns the parcels through three separate limited-liability
companies.
Values on the rise
Griffin, like the vast majority of property owners in post-recession Palm Beach, has seen his
property values rise over the past year. The town’s new tax roll, in fact, saw about a 9.5 percent
increase in market value over the previous year’s figures, according to Palm Beach County Deputy
Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks.
In all, residential and commercial values here hit $19.2 billion, with taxable value adding up to
$14.6 billion, she said. Residential properties generated the bulk of the town’s tax revenue, as just
$1.3 billion of the taxable value was attributed to the commercial category.
“Palm Beach is the second most valuable municipality in the county after Boca Raton but,
interestingly, has a much smaller parcel count than Boca Raton. Palm Beach has about 9,500
parcels in it, but it accounts for 10 percent of value of the county tax roll,” Jacks said.
Estate owner Griffin is in rarefied territory: Just five other island property owners have been
assessed more than $1 million in the 2015 tax roll. He’s the only one to break the $2 million mark.
In fact, the next homeowners whose tax bill even comes close will be assessed about $350,000
less than Griffin, who heads the Citadel hedge fund. Businessman Nelson Peltz and his wife,
Claudia, will pay $1.88 million in taxes for their oceanfront estate, which comprises three
properties at historic Montsorrel, 548 N. County Road, with a taxable value of $103.2 million.
Homestead advantage
41
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Page 2 of 3
ATTACHMENT C
Last year, Griffin paid $1.93 million in taxes on the four properties that then made up his estate.
But this past summer he added a fifth property — a house at 70 Blossom Way that changed hands
in June for a recorded $15.25 million and came with a temporary homestead tax exemption of
$50,000.
None of Griffin’s other properties is homesteaded as a primary residence, meaning that the
amount he pays in property taxes can soar as much as 10 percent a year under state law. That
compares to the tax cap for homesteaded properties, which keeps any value assessment from
rising more than a certain percentage — either 3 percent per year or the change in the Consumer
Price Index, whichever is lower.
Over the life of a property’s ownership, homesteading can result in significant tax savings. Even
so, of the six estates with tax bills of more than $1 million, none is homesteaded. The difference
can be dramatic: Last year, homeowner Stephen
A. Levin paid $193,088 in property taxes. He has since bought a new home in Miami-Dade
County, and tax records show he has lost his homestead exemption on 446 N. Lake Way, which he
has owned since 1990. The result? His 2015 tax bill has climbed to $477,624.
To meet their $72 million budget for the budget year that began Oct. 1, town officials set a
municipal tax rate of $3.38 per $1,000 of a property’s taxable value — 3 cents less than 2014.
Officials said the rate would help offset the rise in property values for homesteaded owners, so that
they would see little change in their tax bills for 2015.
In any case, town taxes make up less than 20 percent of each tax bill. Overall, Palm Beach
owners will be taxed at a rate of about $17.92 per $1,000 of their property’s taxable value. In
addition to the town’s share, the revenue gets divided among the county, public schools and six
special taxing authorities, including the Florida Inland Navigation District, Children’s Services
Council and the South Florida Water Management District.
Taxes must be paid in full by March 31. And for those watching their wallets, discounts are
offered for early payments, beginning with a 4 percent reduction if the bill is paid in full this month.
The discount drops by 1 percent each month thereafter through February.
Which means that if taxpayer Griffin pays his bill in full before Nov. 30, he’ll get to deduct nearly
$90,000.
But then, who’s counting?
— dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com
Griffin Assessed a total of $2.23 million in taxes.
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Page 3 of 3
ATTACHMENT C
Daily News File Photo (above); Griffin photo (far right) courtesy of Chicago Tribune
Ken Griffin bought four properties, including three houses, in late 2012 for nearly $130 million.
But he has never built himself a new residence at the beachfront site.
Meghan McCarthy / Daily News
Ken Griffin owns 9.3 acres on the South End’s Billionaires Row. He has been assessed a total of
$2.23 million in taxes on his estate’s five properties on Blossom Way (above).
43
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Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for sales-tax hike | www.mypalmbeachpost.... Page 1 of 8
ATTACHMENT D
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County, schools could join forces in highstakes referendum push
Updated: 3:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 | Posted: 12:02 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015
By Andrew Marra and Wayne Washington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
In this Section
Hoping to win hundreds of millions of dollars in new tax revenue,
Palm Beach County government and cultural leaders are quietly
pressing the county School Board to join them in a campaign to
raise the county’s 6-cent sales tax by an extra penny.
Both the School Board and the County Commission are weighing
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whether to ask voters next fall to approve sales tax increases to
fix decaying roads, bridges and buildings. Top county
administrators think that linking their bid to the schools’ effort
would make it easier to win over voters.
It’s a similar pitch to the one county
officials made to School Board members
in 2013, when both agencies considered
ALLEN EYESTONE
The county firefighters
union is calling for the
county to replace the
property tax that finances
Palm Beach County FireRescue with ... Read
More
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putting proposed sales tax increases on
the November 2014 ballot. The School
Board rejected the county’s entreaties
then, and the County Commission
decided against going it alone.
Two years later, county government is
courting the School Board again, and
this time it has extra help.
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ATTACHMENT D
The county’s Cultural Council, a non-profit cultural clearinghouse
sponsored by county hotel tax dollars, wants to use a piece of
the county’s sales tax windfall to pay for expansions of local
museums and cultural centers, and it is lobbying School Board
members to join forces as well.
They are not the only ones clamoring to
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Cruz’s ambitious
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limits
O’Malley: I want to be
your second choice _
for now
ask voters for more money. County
firefighters have mounted a separate
RICHARD GRAULICH
County government
administrators worry
about decaying roads
and bridges, whose
maintenance have been
postponed while
commissioners steered
money to other projects.
closed-door campaign to get its own
request for a sales tax increase before
voters. The amount raised through that
tax, however, would be offset by a
reduction in property taxes.
The potential payout is huge. In 2014,
county officials estimated a 1-cent
increase could raise $220 million a year.
With hundreds of millions of dollars a year at stake, the vying
parties raise the prospect that county voters could face as many
as three separate sales-tax increase requests on the November
2016 ballot.
The fear that dueling requests could
sour voters is being used by county and
cultural leaders to encourage School
BRUCE R. BENNETT
Workers on the roof of
Coral Sunset Elementary.
The public schools suffer
from a backlog of
problems that
administrators say they ...
Read More
Board members to join forces. A simple,
one-penny request would be a sleeker
sell than two half-cent pitches, they say.
Schools skeptical
County Administrator Verdenia Baker
acknowledged she and her staff have
begun having talks with their counterparts in the school district.
“I personally would prefer if we could put
these things together and go to the
MEGHAN MCCARTHY
voters together,” she said, “but that will
be a decision made by our boards.”
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ATTACHMENT D
The Cultural Council of
Palm Beach County
wants to use a piece of
the county’s sales tax
windfall to pay for ...
Read More
The county government’s pitch is
echoed by the Cultural Council. Board
member Mike Bracci said that he
supports “a combined one-penny sales
tax instead of proposing two different
half-penny sales taxes.”
“We all have a common goal of improving education, fixing safety
and infrastructure needs and job creation that will benefit our
children and all local residents,” he said in a statement. “Working
together will encourage collaboration, combine our strengths,
creates efficiencies and unite our community.”
But many School Board members and
school district officials remain skeptical
about a joint campaign, people familiar
with the negotiations say.
DAMON HIGGINS
Robert Avossa, new
superintendent of the
Palm Beach County
School District, meets
with the Post Editorial
Board Thursday, July 16,
2015. ... Read More
Historically, voters have supported sales
tax and property tax increases for public
schools by wide margins. But some
educators privately worry that linking
their bid to one for money to repair
roads and bridges could dampen voters’
enthusiasm.
The debate may prove to be the first major test for both Baker
and Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa.
Both are newly installed in their jobs and
are being asked to steer their agencies
toward a key tactical decision that could
RICHARD GRAULICH
affect their agencies — and the county’s
quality of life and financial health — for
County Administrator
Verdenia Baker said she
prefers that the county
commission and school
board “go to the voters
together.” (Richard
Graulich ... Read More
years.
Firefighters want in
Complicating the picture is the
firefighters’ desire for a sales tax for
Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Using authority granted by the
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ATTACHMENT D
Legislature, the union is calling for the county to replace property
taxes for fire-rescue services with a sales tax.
Chuck Lupo, executive vice president
for the Professional Firefighters and
Paramedics of Palm Beach County, said
LANNIS WATERS
An aging bus fleet is one
of the school district’s
many challenges. (Lannis
Waters / The Palm Beach
Post)
the goal is to spread the tax burden
beyond property owners and reduce
reliance on property taxes, a revenue
source that evaporates quickly during
economic downturns.
The firefighters need commissioners’
approval to put that sales tax on the ballot, however.
The various hopes and plans are enough to make
commissioners’ heads spin.
“We seem to have many balls in the air,” County Commissioner
Paulette Burdick, a former School Board member, said.
Moving forward with a sales tax referendum is no sure thing,
however.
County Commissioner Hal Valeche said he’s still not sold on the
idea of a sales tax. He said he wants Baker to present him with
the benefits and drawbacks of a sales tax versus a bond issue.
He said he also wants more information on the pros and cons of
joining forces with the school district.
A bond issue produces a large sum of money at once, requiring
payments with interest for years. It’s not considered as
regressive as a sales tax, which hits lower income taxpayers
harder than a bond issue.
A sales tax could generate even more money than expected if
the economy strengthens. And the sales tax burden could be
spread among tourists and snowbirds, lessening the load on
locals.
As valuable as roads?
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ATTACHMENT D
So far, discussions about whether to join forces have been
conducted behind closed doors. But School Board members are
expected to begin a public discussion of their plans Tuesday.
County commissioners may have a public discussion later this
month.
School Board member Erica Whitfield, who also serves on the
Cultural Council’s board, said educators will have to pore over
polling data before making a decision.
“The deciding factor is whether the public sees education as
being as valuable as roads, or if they see us as a more valuable
commodity,” she said. “It sounds like everyone is going to go for
it. The question is, is it better to partner up?”
Commissioner Melissa McKinlay said she would like to see the
county and the school district go to the voters together.
“In my opinion, it’s the only way to assure the successful
passage of a referendum,” she said.
While joining forces with the school district has some benefits for
the county, there is some wariness in the county about pursuing
a partnership.
County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor noted that the county and
the school district had talks a couple of years ago about going to
voters together. But then the school district decided to go it
alone.
School Board members ultimately decided against pursuing a
sales tax, and, a few months later, county commissioners made
the same decision.
“I think it would be great if we could do it with the school district,”
Taylor said. “But the last time we tried it, they kind of left us
hanging.”
Taylor said she does not want the county to forego its plans if the
school district decides again not to move forward.
“Every year that we wait, things get worse and worse,” she said.
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ATTACHMENT D
Problems worsening
School Board Chairman Chuck Shaw acknowledged that there
are pros and cons to either scenario. At the end of the day, the
route that seems more likely to win voter approval is the one the
School Board should follow, he said.
“The bottom line for the school district is we’ve got to make a
decision based on what’s best for us,” he said.
The public schools are suffering from a backlog of problems that
administrators say they cannot afford to fix, from leaky roofs and
unreliable air conditioners to aging school buses without safety
alarms. The schools also suffer from a shortage of computers in
classrooms, administrators say.
High construction debt payments and a change in state law that
lowers the amount the School Board can raise in property taxes
for construction and maintenance have left the schools unable to
keep up with needed repairs and upgrades.
The county government, in turn, points to decaying roads and
bridges, whose maintenance have been postponed while
commissioners steered money to other projects.
Despite the growing need for infrastructure repairs and upgrades,
commissioners have refrained from taking the politically
unpopular step of raising property taxes to pay for upgrades.
Earlier this year, for example, commissioners approved a budget
that held property tax rates steady. The county got more revenue
because of rising property values, but commissioners
acknowledged that repairs would have to be addressed in
another way — either through a sales tax or a bond issuance.
Whatever the county, the firefighters and the School Board
decide, the public must be sold on the idea of paying more taxes,
said Daniel Martell, president and chief executive officer of the
Economic Council of Palm Beach County, an influential business
group.
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ATTACHMENT D
“They should be telling the public what’s needed and why and
why it can’t be paid for otherwise,” Martell said. “They need to be
able to plead their case.”
Three Referendums?
Voters could face as many as three proposed sales tax increases
on the November 2016 ballot. Each would have to be approved
by the County Commission or School Board.
Schools — The Palm Beach County School Board is
considering asking voters to approve a sales tax hike to pay for
new technology in schools and repairs to school buildings and
buses.
County — The Palm Beach County Commission is considering a
sales tax hike to pay for repairs to roads, bridges and other
public needs. Cities would receive a portion. The county’s
Cultural Council is negotiating for area museums and cultural
centers to receive a portion.
Firefighters — Palm Beach County firefighters are pushing
county commissioners to ask voters to finance Fire-Rescue with
a sales tax instead of the property tax.
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PBC Commission to discuss sales tax, bond
issuance options at meeting
Posted: 7:37 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, 2015
By Wayne Washington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
In this Section
Nearly half of Palm Beach County’s buildings are at least 20
years old, and the cost to upgrade or replace them — along with
Busted! Fla. man
chugs beer while
driving next to cop
needed repairs to roads and bridges — could be as much as
$750 million, according to a county report.
County commissioners are meeting Tuesday to go over a variety
of options to pay for those unmet needs, including two plans to
issue bonds, raising the property tax rate or raising the sales tax.
The most discussed option on the table
— raising the county’s 6 percent sales
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tax — would require going to voters with
a referendum. Raising the sales tax by 1
piggy bank
percent would generate an estimated
$2.67 billion over 10 years, according to
county calculations based on state Department of Revenue
estimates. A half-percent hike would generate $1.34 billion over
10 years.
Commissioners would also need voter-approval to issue bonds
tied to property tax revenue.
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ATTACHMENT E
franchise fees without seeking voter approval. County
Administrator Verdenia Baker, however, noted that going that
route would limit the county’s financial flexibility.
Commissioners have long had the option of raising property tax
rates to get additional money to pay for upgrades. But raising
those rates would be less politically popular than boosting the
sales tax, which is paid by tourists as well as property owners.
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About 25 percent of sales tax in Palm Beach County is paid by its
visitors, according to a staff briefing note prepared for
commissioners.
While commissioners sift through options, the Economic Council
of Palm Beach County, an influential business group, is urging
them to take a deliberate approach.
In an email to County Mayor Mary Lou Berger, the council asked
commissioners to come up with a project list that would be paid
for with sales tax revenue. The sales tax should be imposed for a
finite period of time and a citizen’s review panel should be put
together to review expenditures, it said.
Like commissioners, the County School Board is also
considering going to voters for a sales tax increase.
County officials have expressed some interest in joining forces
with the school district.
“Those discussions are still ongoing,” Baker said.
Palm Beach County Commission meeting on sales tax, bond
issuance
Where: Sixth-floor chambers of the Weisman Governmental
Center at 301 N. Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach
When: 9:30 a.m. Tuesday
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PALM BEACH COUNTY
As county weighs bonds or sales tax hike,
jockeying for cash begins
Posted: 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015
By Wayne Washington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
In this Section
Palm Beach County commissioners have not made a decision on
whether to ask voters to approve a bond issuance or a sales tax
increase to pay for upgrades to roads, bridges and buildings, but
jockeying for some of the additional money has already begun.
During a workshop meeting to discuss the issue Tuesday,
Commissioner Hal Valeche said he was “taken aback” when he
learned the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County has a wish
list of projects with a price tag approaching $300 million.
That would be a big chunk of the
estimated $1.3 billion to $2.7 billion
generated over 10 years by a halfpercent to 1 percent increase in the
sales tax, if the commission were to
decide to go that route. And if the commission instead decided to
go with a bond issue that would generate $700 million, the
Cultural Council’s project list could take up nearly half of that
money.
“Maybe there’s some mission creep that got in here,” Valeche
said. “Let’s make sure we’re doing what’s absolutely necessary.”
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ATTACHMENT F
Some of Valeche’s colleagues echoed that call.
But Rena Blades, president and chief executive officer of the
Cultural Council, said projects the council supports are from taxexempt groups whose work would spur tourism and economic
development in the county. She said the council does not have a
finalized wish list of projects, and County Administrator Verdenia
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Baker was quick to note that the $300 million figure is not one
she is recommending.
Tuesday’s discussions made clear that a series of threads still
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need to be woven together before a public campaign can be
mounted for finding new revenue — everything from what type of
funding the county plans to seek to how much it plans to seek
and whether it can or should partner with the county School
Board and county firefighters, who both have their own hopes for
separate sales tax increases.
The County Commission voted Tuesday to have county staff
members continue gathering information on the relative merits of
the various options.
If commissioners move forward with a plan to get more revenue,
one big question will be who gets to share in the loot.
After Baker gave commissioners a general overview of the
county’s needs, three of her top staffers — County Engineer
George Webb; Audrey Wolf, director of facilities and operations;
and Eric Call, director of Parks and Recreation — noted backlogs
in their areas.
“Many of our facilities are 25, 30, even 40 years of age,” Call
said.
He was speaking of parks and recreation facilities, but he could
just as easily have been talking about other buildings, roads and
bridges.
Overall, county staff say the county’s backlog of repairs and
upgrades would cost $650 million to $750 million, and that
doesn’t include projects backed by the Cultural Council and other
groups.
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ATTACHMENT F
There are four paths the county could take to address the
backlog.
Commissioners could increase the property tax rate, a move they
rejected in September when they passed a budget that held tax
rates steady.
Commissioners could go to voters for approval to sell bonds
backed by property tax revenue, an approach Valeche has urged
his colleagues to keep on the table. Selling bonds is not
regressive like a sales tax, which hits the poor harder than it hits
those better off financially.
Commissioners would not need to go to voters to sell bonds
backed by funding sources like franchise and communications
fees, but staff members told them going that route could
jeopardize the county’s strong bond rating. Commissioners
appeared to be as uninterested in that approach as they were in
raising the property tax rate.
And then there is the sales tax increase.
State law allows cities in the county to get 40 percent of the
money from a sales tax increase.
Baker said that, if the county pursued a 1 percent increase in
conjunction with the Cultural Council and the School Board, she
would ask cities to take a smaller cut.
If elected officials representing a majority of the county’s
residents vote to take less, all of the cities would be bound by an
agreement to take less.
The county’s sales tax is currently 6 percent. State law allows the
county’s rate to rise by an additional 2 percent, and several
entities are interested in a boost for facilities upgrades. That
includes the county, the School Board and the firefighters, who
want the county to reduce property taxes for fire rescue services
by the same amount generated by a half-cent sales tax increase.
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ATTACHMENT F
Doing so would reduce reliance on property taxes and draw in
money from tourists, they argue.
The tax swap firefighters want would have to be approved by
voters in a separate referendum, and the County Commission
would have to agree to put it on the ballot.
Several commissioners have expressed concern about
overloading voters; County Mayor Mary Lou Berger said she
feared voters could react as parents do when harried by children
asking for a variety of things all at once.
“I don’t want them to throw up their hands and just say, ‘No,’”
Berger said.
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PALM BEACH COUNTY
Cities warm to sales tax hike but not to taking
less than their share
Posted: 4:18 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015
By Wayne Washington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
In this Section
Members of the Palm Beach County League of Cities voiced
support Wednesday for the county to pursue a sales tax increase
Busted! Fla. man
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driving next to cop
for repairs to roads, bridges and buildings.
But several mayors and council members threw cold water on
the idea of getting less from the tax increase than they are
entitled to under the law — a prospect County Administrator
Verdenia Baker has raised as a way to pay for more projects with
the estimated $1.3 billion to $2.7 billion a half-percent or 1
percent increase in the sales tax would generate over 10 years.
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By law, cities would be entitled to a population-based
proportional cut of 40 percent of revenue from a sales tax
increase, and some of their representatives said they have the
same urgent repair needs that have driven the county to consider
a tax hike or bond issuance.
“Why are you asking us to reduce it when we so desperately
need it?” asked Robert Shalhoub, mayor of Lake Clarke Shores.
“I don’t support reducing it to the cities at all.”
Shalhoub said he agreed with the sentiment expressed by
Next Royal Palm
Beach RaceTrac
meeting delayed until
January
Hillary Clinton calls
for $275 billion in
infrastructure
spending
Republicans will seek
to display old national
security chops in 2016
colleagues who said the county’s efforts will be more successful
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ATTACHMENT G
if cities are united behind it. But he drew the line on his city
getting less than it would be entitled to receive.
Christie fires back at
Trump: ‘Donald is
used to intimidating
folks’
“If the law says we get 40 percent, it’s a difficult sell for me to go
back to my voters and say we’ll take less,” he said.
If elected officials representing a majority of the county’s
Donald Trump claims
‘many, many’
endorsements from
black pastors
residents vote to take less, all of the cities would be bound by an
agreement to take less.
Orphaned grizzly cubs
play snowbirds at
Palm Beach Zoo
The county is considering a variety of options to address a
backlog of upgrades whose cost it estimates to be $650 million to
$750 million.
Raising the property tax rate next year and issuing bonds not
backed by property tax revenue are still technically on the table,
but county commissioners have expressed little enthusiasm for
those options.
Issuing bonds backed by property tax revenue, which would
increase the proprety tax rate, or increasing the county’s 6
percent sales tax to 6.5 percent or 7 percent have gotten more
traction, with much of the discussion centered on a sales tax
hike.
Commissioners are expected to choose a path later this year or
early next year, and voters could be asked to vote for a bond
issue or sales tax increase in November of 2016.
Complicating the picture, however, is the fact that county
firefighters want the county to put a separate half-percent sales
tax increase on the ballot. That tax would be offset by a
corresponding decrease in property taxes for fire rescue
services.
The county School Board is also considering a sales tax
increase, raising the possibility that voters could be asked to
pass three separate referendums.
One day after laying out options to county commissioners, Baker
told city officials that the county remains interested in partnering
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ATTACHMENT G
with the school board. She stressed, however, that the county
must act.
“I’ve got to push this,” she said. “I don’t have a choice. We’re in
dire need of resources to shore up our infrastructure.”
While city officials were generally supportive of Baker’s pitch,
they were disappointed that the money must be used for repairs
that would last for at least five years — a requirement that keeps
the money from being used for beach re-nourishment. Some city
officials were also cool to the idea of using some of the money
for projects supported by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach
County.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Hal Valeche said he was “taken
aback” when he learned that the council has a wish list of
projects with a price tag approaching $300 million.
Rena Blades, president and chief executive officer of the council,
said her organization backs plans from non-profit groups that
spur tourism and economic development in the county. No wish
list has been finalized, she said.
Baker said she would not recommend $300 million in Cultural
Council projects but added that she wants to keep the door open
to using some of the bond or sales tax money on them.
That was a non-starter for some city officials.
“Any time we talk about raising taxes for soft items — like for the
Cultural Council — there is a lot of opposition,” said Mike
Mullaugh, a Boca Raton City Council member.
Palm Beach Mayor Gail Coniglio was skeptical of the whole idea
of going to voters for a bond issuance or sales tax increase. She
cast the lone vote against supporting the county’s plan.
Residents of her town, she said, already pay enough taxes.
“I am cognizant of the impact on Palm Beach residents and the
taxes they pay to Palm Beach County,” she said.
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ATTACHMENT G
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Greenacres shortens candidate list for manager job
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ATTACHMENT G
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ATTACHMENT H
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PALM BEACH COUNTY
Fight brewing over bond issue, sales tax hike
money for zoo, museums
Posted: 2:57 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, 2015
By Wayne Washington - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
In this Section
The Palm Beach Zoo, the South Florida Science Museum, the
Norton Museum of Art and the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and
Herman Cain rips Jeb
Bush, will appear at
Donald Trump rally
Museum are among the tax-exempt groups that could receive
money from the bond issuance or sales tax increase being
contemplated by Palm Beach County.
A 1 percent sales tax increase — which could be on the ballot in
November 2016 — would generate an estimated $2.7 billion over
10 years.
County commissioners have said the
money is desperately needed for repairs
to roads, bridges and buildings, but the
Cultural Council of Palm Beach is
pushing for some of it to be used to
The Jupiter Inlet
Lighthouse and Museum
is one of the cultural
projects that could get
funding from a possible
bond issuance ... Read
More
enhance cultural attractions such as
museums and theaters.
“Many of our museums, theaters and
cultural facilities are bursting at the
seams with people visiting to see
exhibitions, experience an event or enjoy a performance,”
Cultural Council President Rena Blades wrote in an email to The
City whittles down
manager applicant list
to a half dozen
Fear, faith and the
rise of Ben Carson
Next Royal Palm
Beach RaceTrac
meeting delayed until
January
Hillary Clinton calls
for $275 billion in
infrastructure
spending
Republicans will seek
to display old national
security chops in 2016
Christie fires back at
Trump: ‘Donald is
used to intimidating
folks’
66
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Page 2 of 5
ATTACHMENT H
Palm Beach Post. “Our community must keep up with these
demands. Expansions and renovations of facilities and
campuses are inevitable. Planning for this growth is imperative.”
Not all, however, see the imperative of the projects the council
supports.
Several city officials, gathered in
Boynton Beach for a League of Cities
meeting on Wednesday, worried that
Donald Trump claims
‘many, many’
endorsements from
black pastors
Orphaned grizzly cubs
play snowbirds at
Palm Beach Zoo
Trump mulls debate
boycott unless CNN
donates $5 million
voter support for a bond issue or sales
tax increase could soften if some of the
money would be used for cultural
projects. A bond issue would entail an
increase in property tax rates.
Rena Blades, president
and chief executive
officer of the Cultural
Council of Palm Beach
County, would like some
of the money ... Read
More
“The infrastructure thing you could sell
to the public,” Boynton Beach Mayor
Jerry Taylor said. “When you add in
other things — the schools, the cultural
council — I think that muddies the
waters.”
County official estimate that addressing the backlog of
infrastructure repairs and upgrades would cost $650 million to
$750 million.
Last week, during a meeting to discuss ways to get money for
those repairs, Commissioner Hal Valeche said he was “taken
aback” when he learned that the Cultural Council had a wish list
of projects whose cost approached a separate $300 million.
Valeche said he is concerned about “mission creep” and urged
his colleagues to pursue money to address only what’s
“absolutely necessary.”
County Administrator Verdenia Baker, who has been
spearheading the county’s efforts on a possible bond issue or
sales tax increase, told commissioners she does not support
$300 million in cultural projects. But she said she does want the
door to remain open on the prospect of funding some of them.
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Page 3 of 5
ATTACHMENT H
Some of the projects the council wants the county consider
include:
- New exhibits and educational experiences at the Palm Beach
Zoo.
- Expanded galleries and new exhibits at the South Florida
Science Museum.
- A new public auditorium and education space at the Norton
Museum of Art.
- A weather station, natural history museum and other facilities at
the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum.
- Stage expansion and back of house space at Maltz Jupiter
Theater.
- Rehearsal space, dressing rooms, prop storage and
classrooms at Palm Beach Dramaworks.
Blades’ email to The Post did not include any estimates for much
those or other projects would cost.
“The list of various capital projects in the cultural industry in Palm
Beach County is still being put together,” Blades wrote.
She said spending taxpayer money on cultural venues is a wise
investment.
“Without great museums, theaters, performing arts, ecological
education, historic sites, and visual arts, a community cannot be
competitive in attracting new companies, tourists and residents,”
she wrote.
PREVIOUS: CRIME & LAW
PBSO: Amateur boxer lost s…
By Lulu Ramadan - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
NEXT: NATIONAL
State trooper cares for two…
By HotTopics.tv
Popular on MyPalmBeachPost.com
68
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Page 4 of 5
ATTACHMENT H
Jim McElwain reflects on first season as Gators head coach
Boosters: Jimbo Fisher has better job at FSU than he would at LSU
Greenacres shortens candidate list for manager job
Enter to win tickets to the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival
This website is for subscribers; please Get Access to read or post
comments.
advertisement
Read Today's Paper online
Still like to read the newspaper in the familiar page-by-page format? Great
news! Digital versions of today's paper are available on your computer or
tablet. And it's included in your subscription.
We’re Listening
We hope you’re enjoying MyPalmBeachPost.com, our premium website
exclusively for subscribers. Please tell us what you like and what we can
do to make it even better by completing this brief survey.
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MARKETPLACE
AFFILIATES
ABOUT US
© 2015 Cox Media Group. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor
Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices .
Learn about careers at Cox Media Group
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Page 5 of 5
ATTACHMENT H
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Page 1 of 2
ATTACHMENT I
Publication: Palm Beach Daily News; Date: Dec 2, 2015; Section: Main; Page: A4
Cultural Council seeks
proposed tax hike’s yield
share
of
By WAYNE WASHINGTON Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
The Palm Beach Zoo, the South Florida Science Museum, the Norton Museum of Art, and the
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum are among the tax-exempt groups that could receive money
from the bond issuance or sales tax increase being contemplated by Palm Beach County.
A 1 percent sales tax increase — which could be on the ballot in November 2016 — would
generate an estimated $2.7 billion over 10 years.
County commissioners have said the money is desperately needed for repairs to roads, bridges
and buildings, but the Cultural Council of Palm Beach is pushing for some of it to be used to
enhance cultural attractions such as museums and theaters.
“Many of our museums, theaters and cultural facilities are bursting at the seams with people
visiting to see exhibitions, experience an event or enjoy a performance,” Cultural Council President
Rena Blades wrote in an email to The Palm Beach Post. “Our community must keep up with these
demands. Expansions and renovations of facilities and campuses are inevitable. Planning for this
growth is imperative.”
Not all, however, see the imperative of the projects the council supports.
Several city officials, gathered in Boynton Beach for a League of Cities meeting last Wednesday,
worried that voter support for a bond issue or sales tax increase could soften if some of the money
were to be used for cultural projects. A bond issue would entail a property tax rate increase.
“The infrastructure thing you could sell to the public,” Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor said.
“When you add in other things — the schools, the cultural council — I think that muddies the
waters.”
County officials estimate that addressing the backlog of infrastructure repairs and upgrades
would cost $650 million to $750 million.
Last week, during a meeting to discuss ways to get money for those repairs, Commissioner Hal
Valeche said he was “taken aback” when he learned that the Cultural Council had a wish list of
projects whose cost approached a separate $300 million.
Valeche said he is concerned about “mission creep” and urged his colleagues to pursue money to
address only what’s “absolutely necessary.”
County Administrator Verdenia Baker, who has been spearheading the county’s efforts on a
possible bond issue or sales tax increase, told commissioners she does not support $300 million in
cultural projects. But she said she does want the door to remain open on the prospect of funding
some of them.
Some of the projects the council wants the county to consider include:
•
New exhibits and educational experiences at the Palm Beach Zoo.
•
Expanded galleries and new exhibits at the South Florida Science Museum.
•
A new auditorium and education space at the Norton Museum.
•
A weather station, natural history museum and other facilities at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.
•
Stage expansion and back-of-house space at Maltz Jupiter Theater.
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12/2/2015
Page 2 of 2
ATTACHMENT I
•
Rehearsal space, dressing rooms, prop storage and classrooms at Palm Beach Dramaworks.
Blades did not include any estimates on how much those or other projects would cost.
— wwashington@pbpost.com
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12/2/2015
Page 1 of 1
ATTACHMENT J
Re: Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for sales-tax hike
Bruce Mcallister
to:
JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com
11/15/2015 12:56 PM
Cc:
"TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com"
Hide Details
From: Bruce Mcallister <bruce.mcallister@amrl.com>
To: "JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com" <JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com>
Cc: "TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com" <TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com>
History: This message has been replied to and forwarded.
This seems to be nothing more nor less than an effort to place the burden of expense not included in
the County's annual budget (capital or otherwise), where that burden belonged, on the backs of the
less fortunate among us.
"ITEP Tax Inequality Index
According to ITEP’s Tax Inequality Index, Florida has the 2nd most unfair state and local tax system in the
country. States with regressive tax structures have negative tax inequality indexes, meaning that incomes are
less equal in those states after state and local taxes than before (See Appendix B for state-by-state rankings
and more details)."
Sales taxes are among the most regressive taxes. The alternative, should expenditure for infrastructure be
deemed necessary which I believe is likely, in light of Florida's refusal to enact or increase any more
progressive form of taxation, is clearly the bond issue.
This should be Topic A.
I assume this message, since sent to the Deputy Town Manager to circulate only when and as appropriate,
does not violate Sunshine.
Bruce
Sent from my iPad
On Nov 15, 2015, at 09:20, "JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com"
<JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com> wrote:
Good morning!
This article is related to the discussion we'll have at the upcoming County Budget Task Force meeting.
Thanks. Jay
https://shar.es/15FRVV
Palm Beach County government leaders are pressing the School Board to join them in a campaign to
raise the county’s 6-cent sales tax by a penny.
Sent using ShareThis
Sent from my iPad
73
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Page 1 of 3
ATTACHMENT K
Fwd: Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for sales-tax hike
Bruce Mcallister
to:
JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com
11/15/2015 04:51 PM
Cc:
"TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com"
Hide Details
From: Bruce Mcallister <bruce.mcallister@amrl.com>
To: "JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com" <JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com>
Cc: "TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com" <TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com>
Jay: more, and interesting, backup.
Bruce
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: Fred Scheibl <fscheibl@att.net>
Date: November 15, 2015 at 15:41:03 EST
To: Bruce Mcallister <bruce.mcallister@amrl.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for sales-tax hike
Reply-To: Fred Scheibl <fscheibl@att.net>
Bruce,
The county has had plenty of opportunity over the last few years to address infrastructure spending in
the regular budget process, but chose other priorities instead (eg. raises for all and bonuses for
PBSO). This year we have the largest single year tax increase in county history, yet some of the
infrastructure areas were actually cut since they are optimistic about gaining another source of funding.
Fire Rescue is proposing their sales tax to replace property taxes, which would shift the burden from
property owners within the county and Jupiter MSTUs to all consumers in the county - in that case you
are right that it is a burden on the less fortunate.
The county and the School District's sales taxes on the other hand would be in addition to the property
taxes already being collected (the increasing of which can be hung around their necks politically). It is
an attempt to grow the size and reach of government, burdens the less fortunate, but does not give
any relief to property owners.
If all three taxing districts go to the voters for their own penny increase in the fall, they will all likely fail,
thus the interest in combining school and county proposals. Like 3 years ago, I doubt the school
district will want to bundle their move with the county - "for the children" is a more compelling pitch then
explaining why the county can't manage their basic responsibility to keep the roads and bridges
functioning. Ultimately, I think they will move toward a GO bond issue, but only after churning up a
great deal of resentment in the community.
The process of putting three proposals on the ballot that could lead to a 9% total PBC sales tax will be
interesting to watch.
Fred
From: Bruce Mcallister <bruce.mcallister@amrl.com>
To: Fred Scheibl <fscheibl@att.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2015 2:30 PM
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Page 2 of 3
ATTACHMENT K
Subject: Fwd: Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for sales-tax hike
Fred, FYI,
Bruce
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: Bruce Mcallister <bruce.mcallister@amrl.com>
Date: November 15, 2015 at 12:56:04 EST
To: "JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com"
<JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com>
Cc: "TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com"
<TBradford@TownofPalmBeach.com>
Subject: Re: Palm Beach County asks schools to join push for
sales-tax hike
This seems to be nothing more nor less than an effort to place the
burden of expense not included in the County's annual budget
(capital or otherwise), where that burden belonged, on the backs of
the less fortunate among us.
"ITEP Tax Inequality Index
According to ITEP’s Tax Inequality Index, Florida has the 2nd most
unfair state and local tax system in the country. States with regressive
tax structures have negative tax inequality indexes, meaning that
incomes are less equal in those states after state and local taxes than
before (See Appendix B for state-by-state rankings and more details)."
Sales taxes are among the most regressive taxes. The alternative,
should expenditure for infrastructure be deemed necessary which I
believe is likely, in light of Florida's refusal to enact or increase any
more progressive form of taxation, is clearly the bond issue.
This should be Topic A.
I assume this message, since sent to the Deputy Town Manager to
circulate only when and as appropriate, does not violate Sunshine.
Bruce
Sent from my iPad
On Nov 15, 2015, at 09:20, "JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com"
<JBoodheshwar@TownofPalmBeach.com> wrote:
Good morning!
75
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Page 3 of 3
ATTACHMENT K
This article is related to the discussion we'll have at the upcoming County
Budget Task Force meeting. Thanks. Jay
https://shar.es/15FRVV
Palm Beach County government leaders are pressing the School Board
to join them in a campaign to raise the county’s 6-cent sales tax by a
penny.
Sent using ShareThis
Sent from my iPad
76
file:///C:/Users/boodheshwa.PALMBEACH/AppData/Local/Temp/notes5D3EFE/~web05... 11/23/2015