From The Desk of Jamie Danburg

Last year, the County Commission raised the property tax rate nearly 15 percent and cut spending in county departments at least 10 percent to avoid a potential $70 million shortfall. This year, the commission is considering a 13 percent boost along with at least $50 million in spending cuts to head off the projected $100 million shortfall for 2011. Commissioner Steven Abrams is campaigning for outsourcing county jobs to the private sector, but opponents say this will only increase costs. Others recommend cutting salaries in government or reducing pensions. Others advocate selling off of Government land such as the 1,919-acre Mecca Farms property west of Palm Beach Gardens once intended to house The Scripps Research Institute.


As business owners and homeowners in Palm Beach County, we certainly don't want to bear the cost of this shortfall as additional business and property tax. What do you think should be done?

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Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Fellow Boca Raton Business Owners,

If we haven't had the pleasure of meeting before, or you haven't received one of my "community letters" I would like to introduce myself to you and share some of the important issues that "Boca Raton Business Owners" will be confronting in 2010. By trade I'm a commercial real estate developer and landlord enjoying 27 years in business. I live here in Boca with my family, and I'm one of the larger commercial landlords in the city. When I'm not busy leasing office and warehouse space I am a Trustee of the Boca Raton Chamber, and I'm a member of the Economic Council of Palm Beach. We plan to be writing to you on a regular basis. If you like what we have to say, please let us know. If you don't want to hear from us again, please click unsubscribe at the top of the page.

The graph below prepared by Palm Beach County Property Appraiser, Gary Nikolits' office illustrates the growth in the cost of emergency services (fire-rescue and sheriff) and other Palm Beach County government functions in contrast to the Real Estate Appraiser's Office costs, falling property tax values, and modest increases in the consumer price index and inflation.



The County Administrator's proposed 2011 budget strategies for a $22.5 million reduction to the suggested budget include eliminating 13 filled positions and 135 vacant positions (see the green pages C-1 through C-12). Under this scenario, the county's proposed tax rate would still go up about 13 percent to help cover a $100 million projected shortfall (4.344 millage rate in 2010, proposed 4.9268 millage rate in 2011). The blue pages E-1 through E-18 identify more significant potential cuts ($39.8 million, 330 filled positions, 14 vacant positions) that would achieve rates between this year's rate and the rollback rate.



Below is a reponse from Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman's presentation last week regarding changes to sick leave policy:



Thanks for your interest,

Jamie A. Danburg
7700 Congress Avenue Suite 3100
Boca Raton, FL 33487
T (561) 997-9577 F (561) 997-9577
E-Mail: Jamie@Danburg.com
Website: www.danburg.com

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