This year's proposed budget may go down in history as the most important document this City has ever crafted.

The budget that must we ultimately adopt for this year must set the stage for a solid financial future for Lake Worth.

That said, I am asking for some real help in the disection and analysis of this year's proposed budget.

Won't you lend your time and expertise to be one of 10 or so independent analyzers to help break this document down and put it back together again in a manner that will help lead us to a much brighter financial future? 

Please contact me through the Contact Scott link or call me directly at 561.714.7817.

Thanks in advance for your support!

By Willie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 3:47 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1, 2010

LAKE WORTH — Pensions, special pay and health-care benefits are at the forefront of city negotiations with three labor unions representing 270 city employees.

Faced with a 23 percent drop in property values, City Manager Susan Stanton is recommending $4.7 million in spending cuts for the upcoming budget year, including substantial reductions in personnel costs.

Click here to read complete article

By Willie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 9:28 p.m. Wednesday, July 21, 2010

LAKE WORTH — Mayor Rene Varela promised to cut the "drunken spending" of city commissions past and do everything in his power to avoid a property tax increase for the upcoming budget year during a speech Wednesday.

Speaking to a crowd of about 100 at the Lake Worth Playhouse, Varela said the city commission is working to trim $4.5 million from the general fund budget. The savings are expected to come from reductions in the sheriff's office budget for Lake Worth and in employee benefits and pension contributions, though unions for city employees are challenging the proposed cuts.

Click here to read complete article

By The Palm Beach Post

Posted: 9:03 p.m. Friday, July 16, 2010

Lake Worth's budget suffered double whammies in previous years. That's why the city's reserves basically are gone. By now the city is up to quadruple or quintuple whammies But some people still don't see it.

In her budget message accompanying the proposed fiscal 2011 budget, City Manager Susan Stanton says, "During the last 14 months, I have been surprised by the sense of institutional denial associated with the economic conditions in the community and the city's diminished capacity to continue its current spending levels."

The message includes a slew of factoids intended to knock the denial out of anybody still hanging on to it. Since 2006, Lake Worth has lost 44 percent of its taxable value.

 Click here to read complete article

July 12, 2010 

PRESS ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM: Office of the Mayor

CONTACT: Rachel Smithson, Assistant to the City Manager 561-533-7394

DATE: July 12, 2010

RE:Mayoral Discussion on the City’s Current Financial Condition 

Lake Worth Mayor René A. Varela, will be giving a public budget presentation on Wednesday, July 21^st, at 7:00 pm in the Lake Worth Playhouse, 713 Lake Avenue.

During his address the Mayor will provide a report on the current economic condition of the City and also outline the City’s plan to stabilize the economic condition in Fiscal Year 2011 and improve conditions in future years; providing Lake Worth residents and business owners with a better understanding of where the City currently stands and how these challenges can be overcome.

This will be the first Mayoral Budget Presentation given in Lake Worth. 

Mayor Varela is committed to ensuring fluid and open discussion with residents and business owners to promote transparent government and to keep the community aware of the progress that is being made.

The event is free of charge and open to all interested residents of the City.

7/1/10

The Commission voted 4 - 1 to set the tentative millage rate of 6.42 mills per $1000 of taxable property value.

Last year's rate was 4.999.

While this proposed rate appears to be a "tax increase", the reality is that because of the plumenting property values in Lake Worth over the past 2 - 3 years, 

...the vast majority of property owners will not see an increase in their taxes and, in many cases, taxes may actually decrease a few dollars...

I will be explaining & commenting on this point at length in the near future for much greater clarification and understanding.

Click here to read complete article

6/29/10

The City Manager presented her Proposed Budget for 2010 - 2011 this morning.

The presentation pace was brisk and centered primarily on a powerpoint presentation of many graphs and charts...total presentation time, roughly 45 minutes.

The presentation didn't seem to offer a clean, nor logical flow of information and, in the end, offered a surprising picture of the potential for next year.

Unfortunatly, I was able to glean a number of inconsistencies during the rapid pace of the presentation which of course will become the basis of the many questions requiring clarification, as I dig into this 300+ page document and schedule appointments and interviews with department heads to learn the answers.

Click here to read complete budget

By Willie Howard

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 4:04 p.m. Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Posted: 4:54 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, 2010

LAKE WORTH — Facing an expected 23 percent drop in the taxable value of city property, City Manager Susan Stanton is recommending $4.7 million in spending cuts to balance the budget for the year that begins Oct. 1.

Click here to read complete article