After a long, tense budget hearing on Sept. 23, 2026, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council voted 4-1 to keep its property tax rate at 3.2564 mills, the same as last year but 9.52 percent above the rollback rate. The deal came together only after the council promised to put excess reserves toward road and capital projects. Supporters say the rate is needed for public safety and long-overdue improvements. The council member who voted no had questioned spending line by line. Here's what was decided and why it was so hard.
Loxahatchee Groves' 2026-27 budget at a glance
- Tax rate
- 3.2564 mills, unchanged, which is 9.52 percent above the rollback rate
- Extra revenue
- About $231,000 more in general fund revenue
- Law enforcement
- $207,652 set aside for public safety, the difference between the rollback rate and the current rate
- The deal
- Any money above 25 percent in the town's two reserve funds goes to capital improvements
- The vote
- 4-1 on both the tax rate and the budget, with Vice Mayor Manish Sood dissenting
What "above the rollback rate" means
The rollback rate is the tax rate that would bring in the same property tax revenue as last year, not counting new construction. Because property values rose, keeping the same rate means the town collects more, about $231,000 more in this case. Under Florida law, rates above rollback require extra steps, and in Loxahatchee Groves this rate needed a supermajority vote of the council, the Town-Crier reported.
How the deal came together
- A public safety line. To win support at the first hearing, staff added a budget line for law enforcement equal to the difference between the rollback rate and the current rate.
- Reworking the numbers on the spot. Mayor Lisa El-Ramey asked staff for revised figures during the meeting, including eliminating the community standards director position in favor of outside professional services, replacing a 3 percent cost-of-living raise with merit raises of up to 4.5 percent at the acting town manager's discretion, and approving more than $1 million in capital improvements to be chosen later.
- The reserves guarantee. Councilwoman Anita Kane agreed to support the rate only with a promise on reserves. "I would be in support of the millage rate… if I have a guarantee that all of the excess will be put into the capital project budget," she said.
The case for the budget
- Room to adjust later. "I don't think anybody up here is under the illusion that this budget is going to stay in the form that we are looking at tonight," El-Ramey said, proposing a series of workshops to refine it.
- Balancing many views. "It is very difficult to take five individual opinions and try to make everybody happy," Acting Town Manager Valerie Oaks said of staff's effort to incorporate every council member's feedback.
- Deadlines matter. Councilman Paul Coleman urged the council to act, noting the town had to pass a budget to stay in compliance with state law.
- Money for roads. The reserves deal sends excess savings toward capital projects instead of leaving it in the bank.
The case for caution
- Scrutinizing every line. Vice Mayor Sood spent much of the hearing questioning staff on specific items, including salary increases, and voted against both the rate and the budget.
- A higher bill for many owners. A rate 9.52 percent above rollback means many property owners pay more even though the rate didn't change.
- Unfinished business. The budget was reshaped late in the meeting, and the mayor herself expects more changes, which leaves open questions about final spending.
What happens next
The council plans workshops to revisit parts of the budget, and it still has to hire a permanent town manager. Oaks, who has served as acting manager since April, has said she doesn't plan to take the job permanently. For a similar debate next door, see why Wellington didn't lower its tax rate, and for another Loxahatchee Groves issue, the Okeechobee Blvd. equestrian crossings.
What do you think?
Was keeping the tax rate the right call for Loxahatchee Groves' roads and public safety, or should the town have dropped to the rollback rate? If you live in the Groves, what should the extra money go to first?
Frequently asked questions
What is the Loxahatchee Groves tax rate for 2026-27?
3.2564 mills, unchanged from the prior year and 9.52 percent above the rollback rate. The council approved it 4-1 on Sept. 23, 2026.
What is a rollback rate?
The tax rate that would bring in the same property tax revenue as the prior year, not counting new construction. Keeping a rate above rollback means the government collects more as property values rise.
How much extra revenue will Loxahatchee Groves collect?
About $231,000 more in general fund revenue, with $207,652 set aside for law enforcement.
What happens to Loxahatchee Groves' excess reserves?
Under the deal that passed the budget, money above 25 percent in the town's two reserve funds goes toward capital improvements.
Sources
- Town-Crier: At Contentious Meeting, Groves Council Passes Budget With Unchanged Tax Rate (Oct. 2, 2026)
- Town-Crier: Loxahatchee Groves Council Wrangles Over Budget Details At First Hearing (Sept. 2026)
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