On Tuesday, county officials will delve into the fiscal impact of security expenses in preparation for President Donald Trump on the coming year’s budget. The heightened security responsibilities of Palm Beach County have posed unique complications in their attempt to finalize a balanced budget, as required by state regulations. Among the options under consideration for bridging the gap in the budget includes implementing parking fees at all county beachfront parks, instituting per-hour fees for youth sports organizations’ field usage, and a considerable $20 million reduction from Sheriff Ric Bradshaw’s budget, which is already facing an agreed cut of $37 million.
Preliminary budget data drafted by the Office of Management and Budget will be discussed by Palm Beach County commissioners at a dedicated workshop on Tuesday. The dialogue is expected to focus on County Administrator Verdenia Baker’s proposed cuts and suggested increases in user fees. The yearly cost for the county to ensure the safety of Trump, who gained eligibility for Secret Service protection after the conclusion of his first term in 2021, is approximately $45 million.
This estimate, however, is subject to fluctuation depending on the frequency of Trump’s visits to Mar-a-Lago, his estate located in Palm Beach. Trump was a frequent guest at this location throughout February, visiting every weekend. The period between July 20 and November 10, 2024, saw sheriff’s deputies accumulate more than 100,000 hours of overtime, as they were required to proactively secure Trump’s safety both during his candidacy and after his election as president.
Some deputies were found to have worked up to 20 hours of overtime in a single day as part of their duty in ensuring Trump’s security. In a bid to renew his fleet of vehicles and modernize his information technology equipment, Bradshaw initially demanded funding in excess of $47 million in his proposed budget. However, in an effort to acquiesce to Baker’s request for a budget cut, he lowered his bid by $37 million, which would postpone these significant capital improvements.
As demonstrated in county budget documents, the mounting costs of presidential security have necessitated a $58 million cut from reserves or surplus funds, leaving $368 million remaining. In terms of contingency funds, these reserves, comparable to a rainy-day fund, account for 24% of total revenues—a record-low in a decade, impacting the county’s triple-A bond rating. The objective is to reach a 35% reserve rate. Consequently, a reduced bond rating would lead to higher borrowing costs for county taxpayers.
Despite implementing a $37 million cut, the sheriff’s budget is still approaching $1 billion, reflecting an increase in excess of 13%, significantly exceeding the rate of inflation. Bradshaw is firm in his stance against any additional cuts to his budget. Without an additional cut of $20 million, the budget runs the risk of being unbalanced. The preliminary budget derived from county property taxes is projected to be $1.5 billion, marking a 4% increase.
There is currently a proposal in Congress to refund Palm Beach County for the incurred Trump security expenses, but it is uncertain whether it will be passed, or which time period it will cover. Should this reimbursement be authorized, according to budget officials, Bradshaw’s budget might see an increase. The absence of this funding may necessitate an increase in the tax rate or further dipping into the reserve fund to maintain the operations.
County department heads are being tasked by Baker to discern whether further cuts in their spending plans can be made or if increased revenues could contribute to balancing the budget. A contentious user fee that faces consideration is a proposed $5 per hour charge for every athletic field utilized by non-profit youth sports organizations, a suggestion that has already met significant pushback.
Tom Ferraro, the director of the West Boca Youth baseball program opined, ‘Although it doesn’t seem like a hefty fee, it’s large enough to make youth sports unaffordable for many Palm Beach County families’. His non-profit organization alone spends upwards of 1,000 hours per season on county baseball fields. With kids often participating in multiple sports, and his organization’s inability to absorb these costs, the fees would inevitably be passed on to the parents.
In a county like ours, Ferraro asserts, parents should never be forced to choose which sports their kids can participate in due to financial constraints. In reaction to this proposed fee, Ferraro has already initiated a petition aimed at preventing the county from imposing such a fee. As the Parks Department noted, it is the only establishment in the region that does not charge for field usage at this time.
The anticipated fee increase is projected to generate $351,000, which will be designated to help maintain the fields and ensure the long-term sustainability of athletic programs. Park Director Jennifer Cirillo affirms her department’s increasing costs and identifies these fee hikes as a means to alleviate the burden on property taxes funding county programs. She discloses that 84% of her budget comes from property taxes and says, ‘We are attempting to lower that percentage.’
An additional $4.2 million could be raised by the Parks Department by extending the $4/hour beach-parking fees to the 12 county beaches that currently forego charging such fees. At present, parking fees are exclusively enforced at R.G. Kreusler Park in Palm Beach and South Inlet Park in Boca Raton, and their fees would increase from $3 to $4 per hour.
Hyperlinking consistent parking fees to all County beach parks creates a dependable source of funding to improve public safety, maintain beach facilities, and cover operational costs, as per the budget document. The document further outlines the need to cover increasing operational and maintenance costs associated with beach facilities. Other planned fee increases include the annual boat-trailer permit fee from $35 to $50, and general admission fees at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in suburban Delray Beach from $16 to $17.
Usually, the discussion on the budget takes place in June, when preliminary assessment data is available from the property appraiser to aid in calculating the tax levy. Barker, however, is expected to retire on the 1st of June and is intent on providing a briefing to the County Commission prior to her departure. The standing tax rate, or millage, is $4.50 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
In conclusion, Palm Beach County is facing unprecedented budgetary challenges due to the additional security expenses for President Donald Trump. The county is looking at various ways to bridge the budget gap, including implementing numerous user fees and potentially decreasing the budget for law enforcement, utilities, and infrastructure.
The post Palm Beach County Grapples with Fiscal Impact of Trump’s Security Costs appeared first on Real News Now.
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