Public Record · For Residents
FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE
The fee was meant to stabilize and improve dedicated funding for fire services in West Palm Beach. This page traces the public-record timeline — ordinances, rate changes, commitments, and reporting — so residents can see the history.
IAFF Local 727
A PUBLIC-RECORD TIMELINE FOR RESIDENTS
Milestones below are drawn from city ordinances and FAQs, commission materials, news coverage, Local 727 statements, and the Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General audit. Union positions are labeled as Local 727; city responses are labeled as City of West Palm Beach. This page is for public information — not legal advice.
2008 – 2026
FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE TIMELINE
Residential rate path: $25 (2008) → $50 (2018) → $100 (2019) — unchanged through 2026. Proposed FY27 adds ~$700K+ from ending the nonprofit / institutional buy-down.
-
2008
City establishes the Fire Services special assessment
The City Commission adopts Ordinance No. 4141-08 (with related Resolutions No. 212-08 and No. 332-08), establishing an annual recurring Fire Services special assessment to fund assessable costs of providing fire services, excluding Emergency Medical Services. The residential rate starts at $25.
Source: City Fire Fee FAQ · Ordinance 4141-08 (PDF)
-
2018 Aug
First residential increase since 2008
On August 27, 2018, the Commission approves the first Fire Service Assessment rate increase since 2008. Residential fee moves from $25 → $50.
Source: WPBF (Aug 26, 2019 coverage referencing prior-year increase) · City commission materials summarizing 2018/2019 increases
-
2019 Aug 26
Commission doubles residential fee to $100
Commissioners approve raising the residential Fire Service Assessment from $50 → $100.
Local 727 position: The Association supported the increase based on City Administration commitments to (1) two new fire trucks, (2) additional firefighters to staff them, (3) $3 million appropriated to those items, and (4) quarterly reporting / transparency on where the money is allocated.
Source: WPBF · WPTV · Live site — Fire Assessment Fee
-
After 2019
Local 727: commitments largely unmet
Local 727 position: Only one additional firetruck has been placed in service, staffed with existing personnel on overtime — impacting the department budget. Per the Association, the other 2019 commitments have not been kept. The fee amounts to nearly $8.7 million.
“The misuse of these funds is having a truly detrimental impact on the Fire Department. For the first time in history, our fire department is not a coveted place to work. Our staffing for emergency responses has fallen well below Palm Beach County standards. When the fire fee, which amounts to nearly $8.7 Million, is not used for the fire department it is merely another tax unknowingly created on the backs of our firefighters.” — Jayson French, President, West Palm Beach Association of Firefighters
Local 727 ask: The fee should either fund fire department needs appropriately, or be abolished and the money returned to the citizens who paid it.
-
FY21
General-fund items shifted onto the fee
Per Local 727 / homepage: City Administration publicly admitted shifting general fund items onto the Fire Assessment Fee in FY21, rather than improving fire service to residents.
Source: wpbfirefighters.com homepage (Local 727 statement)
-
2021+
Public coverage of misuse concerns — city disputes allegations
Local news reported union concerns that Fire Assessment dollars were being transferred out or charged with internal service charges rather than used as residents expected for fire service improvements.
City of West Palm Beach statement (as reported by WPTV): “Allegations of fire fee misuse are blatantly false… the manner that fire fee funds are being used is perfectly legal and in accordance with the ordinance,” citing new fire positions added that fiscal year.
Local 727’s ask remains unchanged: allocate the fund to increasing units and resources for emergency response — or abolish the fee and return the money to residents.
-
2023 Nov
Palm Beach County OIG audit publicly released
The Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General releases its audit of the West Palm Beach Fire Service Assessment Fund covering FY18–FY21 (testing period Oct 1, 2017 – Sept 30, 2021). Among the findings: for at least one transfer to the Capital Acquisition Fund, the City did not provide sufficient documentation identifying allocation for a portion of transferred funds; that amount was treated as a questioned cost for lack of sufficient supporting documentation.
Cited as OIG audit findings — not editorial opinion.
-
2020–2026
Residential rate remains $100
The residential Fire Service Assessment rate has remained $100 unchanged since fiscal year 2020 / calendar 2020. City FAQ and 2026 commission materials confirm the rate holds for the upcoming fiscal year.
Separate from the residential rate: 2026 commission materials also address institutional / nonprofit assessment treatment — see Proposed FY27 below.
Source: City Fire Fee FAQ · Palm Beach Post · 2026 City Commission materials / Resolution No. 169-26 coverage
-
FY27 Proposed
Nonprofit / institutional buy-down removed — ~$700K+ new fee revenue
Public record: For the proposed FY27 cycle, the City removes the fire assessment exemption / 80% buy-down for nonprofit and institutional properties, generating an estimated $700,000+ in new Fire Assessment Fee revenue (Resolution context / commission materials). The residential rate stays at $100.
Local 727 reading of the budget pattern: Instead of using that new revenue to increase fire service — more units and resources for residents — the City is using it to fund services currently covered by the general fund, and presumably reallocating those general-fund savings to another department. Same pattern Local 727 flagged after the FY21 general-fund shift onto the fee.
Framed as proposed FY27 + Local 727’s reading of the budget pattern — not a finding of illegality.
Source: 2026 City Commission materials (Resolution No. 169-26 / related buy-down removal) · Boca Post coverage of Aug 2026 commission action · Local 727 budget-pattern analysis (same ask as homepage Contact Officials)
Take Action
WHAT RESIDENTS CAN DO
Urge City Commissioners to vote against any budget that does not allocate the Fire Assessment Fund toward increasing available units and resources needed for responding to your emergencies.
Discoverability
PUBLIC RECORDS & REPORTING
Primary links for residents researching the Fire Assessment Fee.