Accountability time - Proposed property taxes are in your mailbox:
Bottom Line: It's the most wonderful time of the year... Your proposed property tax statements are in your mailbox or already in-hand. Across Palm Beach County the average increase in property assessments increased by 7.3%. So that's the first jumping off point in the conversation. You can compare your assessed property value and compare it to that figure to determine how your property assessment fared. These notices are the TRIM, or truth in millage statements that thoroughly breakdown where your property taxes go. They are also extremely instructive for the purposes of better understanding the funding of local governments straight out of the roof over your head.
Palm Beach County is especially complicated given that we have over forty different taxing districts so it's especially important to see what's specific for you. Property taxes in Palm Beach County average the third highest overall rate in our state but there are differences of up to 40% based on your specific location within the county.
As I reviewed my (obscenely high) proposed property tax statement, I see that there are once again thirteen different entities pulling at my wallet. My situation is specific to where I live in Lake Worth but you'll likely find a fairly similar number in much of the county. This is ground zero for better understanding local politics at a fundamental level. It's important to understand what you're paying for and why you're paying it. It's important to remember that the closer a government is to you geographically, the more likely you are to be directly impacted by the decisions that they make. Think of it this way. The federal government can't literally tax your our of your home. All of those entities on your property tax statement can.
As a reminder if you have questions or want to challenge your assessment you're able to do so. Here's a link to the website: http://www.pbcgov.com/papa/