Local officials offered their reasons for rising property taxes at a WPTV town hall on Amendment 3, the ballot measure that would raise the homestead exemption and cut revenue for cities and counties.
Palm Beach County Administrator Joe Abruzzo said inflation is the main driver. He pointed to the cost of traffic arms, which he said rose from $700,000 five years ago to $1.5 million now. Asphalt, concrete and labor costs are also climbing, he said, so the county has to budget carefully to pay for what it needs.
West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James addressed a question about why municipal workers receive raises every three years. He said the city negotiates with police, fire and labor unions, and that pay must stay competitive with the private sector and neighboring cities. Otherwise, he said, the city loses employees.
Renters also came up. James said more than half of occupied housing units in West Palm Beach are rentals. Because those properties do not carry the homestead exemption, he said, taxes on them will rise, and landlords are likely to pass the cost to tenants.
Voters will decide Amendment 3 in the coming weeks, and the town hall questions show how much local budgets depend on the outcome.
