DELRAY BEACH — For the first time in more than a decade, Delray Beach is raising its property tax rate after a split 3-2 vote by city commissioners.
The commission approved a new tax rate of $6.19 per $1,000 of assessed property, up from the previous $5.94 millage rate the year before.
For the average homesteaded property in Delray Beach valued at $447,888, the increase means a city tax bill of about $2,773 — roughly $113 more than last year.
Mayor Tom Carney and Deputy Vice Mayor Angela Burns opposed the change, warning that residents are already struggling with higher costs of living.
“I think this is a really bad time to raise taxes on people,” Carney said.
Vice Mayor Rob Long and commissioners Juli Casale and Tom Markert supported the increase, which will help to cover the costs of the city’s $566 million budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Casale, who had voted last year to lower the rate, said the city could not maintain operations at the previous 5.9-mill rate.
“I would be thrilled to reduce taxes because I would benefit from that reduction,” Casale said. “But someone tell me where we’re getting the money, because 90% of our expenses are obligations under contracts.”
Casale highlighted the constraints of the city’s budget, noting that most expenses are tied up in existing contracts. Her comments emphasized the challenge of balancing financial responsibility with the desire to ease the burden on residents.
Commissioners debated the balance between keeping taxes low and ensuring the city has the resources it needs to operate effectively.
Delray leaders: Tax increase will help, not solve, city budget issues
Delray’s beach is among the most popular in Palm Beach County.
Burns said the increase would neither solve the city’s budget issues nor provide additional services.
“Even with the cuts, even with the deficits, the 6.1920 is still not solving the problem and especially not increasing services for our residents,” she said. “To raise the millage — (residents) are already going to have their property taxes raised. The sewer rates are raised. This is just not a good time in my opinion to raise any costs.”
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Markert, who supported the increase, described it as a reasonable compromise.
“I think 6.19 is a perfectly good compromise, and it’s the second lowest rate in 10 years,” Markert said. “We shouldn’t feel like we’re punishing anybody.”
The new property tax rate will take effect Oct. 1, the first day of the city’s new fiscal year.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach property taxes will increase for local homeowners