Municipal property taxes here will decrease slightly if city officials approve the proposed 2019-2020 tax rate, but homeowners may still pay more because property values rose 7.09 percent.

City commissioners tentatively adopted a municipal tax rate of $6.3529 per $1,000 assessed value, down slightly from the current rate of $6.4548 due to a decrease in the debt service rate. 

What that means is the owner of a $350,000 single family home would pay $2,223.52 in municipal property taxes if the proposed rate is approved. Residents’ total property tax bill also includes additional fees paid to Broward County Schools, the North Broward Hospital District, South Florida Water Management District and other entities.

According to the proposed budget, fire assessment fees would also drop slightly for the first time in 12 years from the current rate of $219.24 to $216.09 annually. The reason?  A lower percentage of residential properties used fire services in proportion to other property types.

Last year, Wilton Manors hiked the fire assessment fee for single family homes by $4.73.

However, the city predicts the fire assessment fees will rise again next year, when Wilton Manors renegotiates its contract with the city of Fort Lauderdale, which provides its fire rescue services.

Fire assessment fees for commercial, industrial, institutional, government and nursing home rates are all slated to rise this year. 

Water and sewage rates are expected to remain unchanged. 

Budget hearings on the city’s $38.9 million budget are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall on August 27 and September 12.

The city budget includes one new position for an economic development manager.