Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's Condo Annexation Lowered Residents' Taxes

1. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's
Condo Annexation Lowered
Residents' Taxes
By: Robert Baldwin

2. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's Condo Annexation
Lowered Residents' Taxes
An experienced city manager for multiple cities in Florida, Robert Baldwin serves as city
manager of Dania Beach, Florida. Robert Baldwin previously held the position of town
manager for Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, where he led a key initiative to lower taxes for the
town in 2010.

3. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's Condo Annexation
Lowered Residents' Taxes
In a unique move to reduce taxes for its residents, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea annexed the
Sea Ranch Lakes condominiums, a neighboring condominium complex that had
previously belonged to the unincorporated Broward County. By annexing the 1,800-
resident complex, the town raised its tax base by 58 percent, which resulted in a total
taxable value of $428 million.

4. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea's Condo Annexation
Lowered Residents' Taxes
Although the annexation boosted the town’s tax base, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea was
obligated to pay a fee of $112,000 to Pompano Beach, its provider of wastewater service,
in exchange for the addition of the condominiums to the town’s sewage disposal
arrangement. In addition, residents saw their sewage rate rise slightly. However, the
annexation ended up lowering taxes for residents while helping the town build its
reserves and fund a budget that was more than $800,000 higher than the previous year’s
budget.