Clerk Alert: Clerk’s Financial Guide Shows How Palm Beach County Tax Dollars are Budgeted and Spent
May 12, 2021
Your property taxes are the largest single source of revenue for Palm Beach County, funding everything from parks and recreation to public safety to the community services we depend on every day.
More than one-third of your total countywide property tax bill is used by the County to pay for programs and services in our community. My office is responsible for providing you with a clear view of how your tax dollars are spent.
Our annual Checks & Balances guide makes it easy for you to track how your tax money is collected, budgeted and invested until it is needed to pay for County services. It puts all of the information you need to know in one place, with simple charts that give a detailed overview of Palm Beach County’s financial health and other important economic indicators.
With Checks & Balances, you can see how the County’s budget impacts you. For example, the average cost per taxpayer for County services in Fiscal Year 2020 included:
You can also learn more about economic trends affecting our local economy and the County’s bottom line. Among the highlights:
Checks & Balances, which is also known as the Popular Annual Financial Report, or PAFR, is available online at mypalmbeachclerk.com/pafr. We encourage you to download a copy and share it with others in our community.
This award-winning guide is part of our office’s ongoing commitment transparency in government. I know it will be a valuable resource for you.
Regards,
Joseph Abruzzo
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
More than one-third of your total countywide property tax bill is used by the County to pay for programs and services in our community. My office is responsible for providing you with a clear view of how your tax dollars are spent.
Our annual Checks & Balances guide makes it easy for you to track how your tax money is collected, budgeted and invested until it is needed to pay for County services. It puts all of the information you need to know in one place, with simple charts that give a detailed overview of Palm Beach County’s financial health and other important economic indicators.
With Checks & Balances, you can see how the County’s budget impacts you. For example, the average cost per taxpayer for County services in Fiscal Year 2020 included:
- $85 for parks and recreation
- $36 for community services
- $31 for public safety
- $28 for engineering and public works
You can also learn more about economic trends affecting our local economy and the County’s bottom line. Among the highlights:
- Record Property Tax Revenue: Palm Beach County collected $1.27 billion in property tax revenue in FY 2020, an increase of 5 percent over the previous year.
- Rising Home Values: The median sales price for a single-family home in the County grew by 16.8 percent in 2020, ending the year at $425,000.
- Taxpayer Savings: My office earned $40 million through its management of the County’s investment portfolio. That’s a savings of $62 for every County taxpayer.
Checks & Balances, which is also known as the Popular Annual Financial Report, or PAFR, is available online at mypalmbeachclerk.com/pafr. We encourage you to download a copy and share it with others in our community.
This award-winning guide is part of our office’s ongoing commitment transparency in government. I know it will be a valuable resource for you.
Regards,
Joseph Abruzzo
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Contact:
Kathy Burstein, Chief Communications Officer
kburstein@mypalmbeachclerk.com, (561) 355-2996
