Town of Indian River Shores officials plan to reduce the property tax rate again for the second consecutive year. The proposed tax rate of $1.24 per $1,000 of taxable property value is a 3.4 percent decrease from the current rate of $1.28 per $1,000 in taxable value. Due to the town’s 7.3 percent increase in assessed values, this reduced rate will still bring in enough cash to fund soaring employee healthcare premiums and provide 4-percent raises for higher-paid employees and 7-percent raises for lower-paid employees. Health premiums rose 15 percent from last year, a trend seen by local governments across the board. Mayor Brian Foley has been tracking efforts to reform property taxes and recent polling showing that nearly two-thirds of overall voters surveyed favor property tax reform. Among Republican voters, that number soars into the high 70s or even low 80s depending on the poll. A referendum on the November ballot will give Florida voters an opportunity to substantially reduce taxes on homesteaded properties, but Shores officials are not worried about the loss of revenue that would result if the amendment were approved. “I think people deserve to pay lower taxes,” Foley said at a recent town meeting. “I think they deserve some kind of tax reform given the huge increase in property values and some of the windfalls that some municipalities have reached by just keeping the ... [property tax] rate the same. There will be a lot of debate about this.” Indian River Shores is taking a pragmatic approach, planning and budgeting as if tax reform will pass, or at the very least that the majority of town voters want tax reform. According to Indian River County Supervisor of Elections Leslie Swan, 2,509 or 61.6 percent of registered voters in The Shores are Republican, 628 are Democrat and 930 have no political affiliation. “Some municipalities are, as I put it, freaking out. Don’t take away our money,” Foley said, presumably referring to the City of Vero Beach, which has become known statewide as opposing the proposed tax reforms. “In my view, it's your money, not our money. We’re the custodians of the sacred trust when we tax,” Foley said. “So you'll ultimately make the decision. It will require 60 percent approval and a referendum in November, and if that passes, then the fun begins. The enabling legislation has to happen in the House and the Senate and the details of how this will be implemented then go forward.” The town’s operating budget is set to increase by $278,000, but since the capital budget is set to decline by more than $1.74 million due to the completion of road work, public safety and town hall improvements, overall expenditures are expected to decline by $1.46 million or 13.5 percent across all funds in the coming fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The biggest increase in this coming year’s proposed budget, apart from the health insurance costs, is a $318,500 increase in the Public Safety Department. Public Safety, which encompasses the town’s triple-trained police, fire and emergency medical services, absorbs 68 percent of the town operating budget. Foley reminded the public and the council that public safety is a protected essential government service in the tax reform legislation, as is education, meaning that those services can be cut due to reduced property taxes. Vice Mayor Bob Auwaerter commented on the employee health insurance costs hike, which for the Public Safety Department alone was $108,000. “I just want you to know that our council believes our staff is important. There's going to be no increased employee cost,” he said. The town’s Finance Commission met and discussed the numbers but did not have a quorum to forward an official recommendation of the proposed budget to council. Indian River Shores budget public hearings are scheduled for Sept. 15 and Sept. 22. At that time, residents can express their thoughts and opinions about the town’s proposed budget priorities.