Dear Friends,
You may have heard that the United States Postal Service reported a $9 billion loss in 2025. Consequently, the USPS is considering a rate hike that could push first-class postage above 90 cents per stamp.
Because our office sends out more than 2 million pieces of mail annually, these increases require us to adjust our budget significantly. So, how can you avoid these rising costs as well? If you typically mail your tax payments, now is the perfect time to switch to our digital platform.
By visiting www.pbctax.gov/pay-online/, you can explore various secure payment options. Paying online is:
- Cost-Effective: Save on stamps and envelopes.
- Fast: Instant confirmation of receipt.
- Convenient: Skip the trip to the post office.
By choosing to pay online, you are not only saving yourself time and money but also helping our office operate more efficiently and cost-effectively for all taxpayers
Anne M. Gannon
Constitutional Tax Collector, Serving Palm Beach County
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On February 24, representatives from the local non-profit Living Hungry joined me and our employees at our Downtown Administrative Office for an exciting check presentation. Through our Community Involvement Program, last year, our employees donated $16,043.66 to support the non-profit’s mission of ending food insecurity for homeless students in Palm Beach County schools.
Our staff is deeply committed to making a positive change in the community we serve. A hallmark of our Community Involvement Program is that every dollar and item donated comes directly from our team—no public tax dollars are involved. These funds are generated through our “Dress Down for Charity” program, where employees contribute to dress down on designated days, alongside various internal fundraising activities throughout the year.
This charitable spirit extended beyond financial support. Our team also collected more than 2,500 items for “good time packs” to support children during the summer months. These packs, which included books, journals, travel games, and snacks, ensure students have resources and nourishment when school is out of session.
“I continue to be impressed by the compassion shown by the Tax Collector’s team,” said Maura Plante, Founder of Living Hungry. “Our local homeless children are so deserving of this support. These contributions will directly nourish the potential of students who need it most.”
We are incredibly proud of our team’s dedication to giving back. You can read more about our community involvement initiatives at pbctax.gov/about-us/#community.
You have probably heard the news that pennies are becoming a bit of a rare breed lately! Due to the ongoing national penny shortage, we are finding it challenging to keep those coins in our registers. To keep our in-person checkout process smooth during the ongoing national penny shortage, we are implementing a small change for cash transactions at our service centers.
Going forward, we will be rounding cash totals to the nearest nickel as follows:
- Rounding UP – If your total transaction amount ends in 3, 4, 8, or 9.
- Rounding DOWN – If your total ends in 1, 2, 6, or 7.
While this change helps us manage the lack of physical pennies in circulation, this only applies to cash payments. If you prefer to pay the exact amount down to the cent, you are welcome to use a credit or debit card*, as digital transactions remain unaffected by the coin shortage. Or you can always pay with exact change too!
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we adapt to these national banking trends to better serve you!
*2.4% convenience fee applies ($2.00 minimum), which is collected by our payment processing and is not retained by our organization.
On Saturday, March 14, an energetic group of employees from the TCO, including yours truly, joined more than 70 other exhibitors on a walk down Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, for the 56th annual Delray Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Decked out with festive accessories and sporting bubble blasters, our team passed out wrist bands promoting our website (www.pbctax.gov) to our enthusiastic South County neighbors, who lined the street, cheering for the floats and other parade participants.
A huge thank you to the City of Delray Beach for hosting this much-loved event!
I also want to thank our dedicated staff, Sarah, Melanie, Marcela, Denise, Trimika, Julissa, Javel, Richard and Juliana, who volunteered their time and enthusiasm to take part in the parade. A special shout out to our Community Engagement Ambassador, Victoria, who organized our participation in the parade…thanks, Victoria!
I am pleased to present this year’s “Report to Our Citizens,” our 2024-25 annual report. It can be challenging to present a large amount of data and figures in an engaging format, but I think you will agree that this report successfully tells the story of our organization’s accomplishments over the course of the fiscal year. It was thoughtfully designed to present important information in an organized and interesting fashion, to highlight our efforts and initiatives.
In fiscal year 2024-25, more than $6 billion in property tax revenues were collected and distributed to the individual taxing authorities throughout the county, in support of critical local public resources. Data for the report was gathered from multiple departments to accurately and fully detail our performance during the previous fiscal year.
One of our goals this past fiscal year was to create a more accessible experience for you, and, of course, continuing to provide an exceptional client experience. We want you to have a positive experience whether you visit us at one of our service centers, interact with us online, speak with us over the phone, or even visit one of our MV Express vehicle registration kiosks.
There is a great deal of valuable information in this 16-page report and I encourage you to review it by visiting www.pbctax.gov/annual-report where you can also request a copy be mailed to you.
As we enjoy the many digital conveniences available to us, we must also stay mindful of new challenges. We are aware of a rise in sophisticated scams specifically designed to target residents of Palm Beach County. Below are some essential tips to help you identify and avoid common scams appearing in our area.
Scammers use different methods to reach you, but their goal is always the same: to obtain your money or your sensitive personal information.
- Phishing (Email): Fake emails that look like they come from a government agency or reputable source.
- Smishing (Text): Fraudulent text messages sent to your mobile phone.
- Vishing (Phone): Deceptive phone calls, sometimes using recorded voices.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be on the lookout for these common tactics used by those impersonating the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FLHSMV), the Clerk of Court, or our own office:
- Extreme Urgency: Scammers use alarming language like “URGENT: YOUR LICENSE IS EXPIRED” or “PAYMENT NEEDED NOW!” They hope you will panic and act impulsively.
- Unsafe Links: Messages may include a web link that appears to lead to a payment site. These are often traps designed to steal your information or access your device. Do not click.
- Obscure Payment Methods: Scammers often demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or apps like Zelle and Venmo. Our office will NEVER require you to use these methods for payment.
- Impersonating Loved Ones: Some attacks use technology to mimic the voices of friends or family members, claiming they are in trouble and need immediate financial help.
How to Protect Yourself
Staying alert to these red flags is your best defense. If you receive a suspicious message or call that gives you pause:
- Stay Calm: Do not let the sense of urgency pressure you into acting.
- Verify Directly: Use a trusted phone number or website to contact the agency yourself.
- Use Official Portals:
- Driver License Status: Check safely at the official MyDMV Portal.
- Property Taxes: Visit our secure site at pbctax.gov.
- Jury Summons: Contact the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller directly.
We are here to serve you, not to scare you—but in a world where scammers are working overtime a little bit of healthy skepticism is your best defense.
Important Dates & Holidays
| May 1 | Tourist Development Tax Due |
| May 10 | Mother’s Day |
| May 25 | Memorial Day – Tax Collector Locations Closed |
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