WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida Tax Watch is out with a new study on where all of Florida's 67 counties rank in property taxes.
The report, according to the CEO of the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, is to set an, "informed factual basis," in the discussions about reeling and even eliminating property taxes in Florida.
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"The property tax has grown so, so fast, because of the success of Florida, it is a by-product of paradise in Florida," said Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Florida Tax Watch.
The study shows the statewide average of per capita tax levies at $2,397.57 a person.
Palm Beach County ranks fourth on the list at $3,741.67, with Martin fifth at $3,656.86, Indian River 15th at $2,537.59 , St. Lucie 18th at $2,307.45 and Okeechobee ranked 31st at $1,645.69.
In school taxes per capita, the study shows Palm Beach ranked fifth at $1,4543.48, Martin ninth at $1,337.17, Indian River 12th at $1,097.71, St. Lucie 22nd at $756.38 and Okeechobee 28th at $681.64.
St. Lucie County is also ranked first in the state for average millage, which is the tax rate used to set property taxes.
As for cities, Port St. Lucie had the fourth largest property tax growth over the last 10 years at 257%.
West Palm Beach ranked 15th at 156.3%, and Boynton Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington also making the top 50 list.
Cutting and even eliminating property taxes is a priority for Republicans in control in the state capitol when the next legislative session starts in January.
"I'm here to calls balls and strikes," said Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia during a recent visit to Palm Beach County. "I do not care if you are a Democrat-led city or county and you are overspending, I'm going to call you out. I don't care if you are a Republican city of county, if you are overspending, I'm going to call you out."
Ingoglia said his auditors have uncovered close to $2 billion in wasteful spending across 11 counties and cities, with $344 million in Palm Beach County alone, a number county officials dispute.
"We don't know what the number is, how they arrived to it," said Palm Beach County Administrator Joseph Abruzzo. "To put it in perspective, the portion of the budget the board controls is $730 million, so if we require the board to cut $344 million, half of the county budget would be decimated."
The entire study, "2025 How Florida Counties Compare from Florida Tax Watch" can be found here.
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