The Tax Collector's Office:

• collects property taxes for every local government agency that has the power to levy,
• serves the county as its agent for the administration of Business Tax Receipts and tourist development taxes.
• serves the state as an agent for The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, The Department of Environmental Protection, The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, and The Department of Revenue,
• serves the public as an educational resource.

The Florida Constitution set up the Tax Collector as an independent agency so it would be free from influence by local or state agencies that have the power to levy taxes.

The Tax Collector's Office is not funded by tax dollars…it is a fee-based office. The fees collected for the services provided are used to fund the operating budget which is approved by the Florida Department of Revenue. The work volume and cost-effective operations results in fee revenues well in excess of the budget. This “additional revenue" is returned to the local government agencies, including the county, in proportion to the amount they pay. As a result, these local agencies receive tax collection services at low cost and the community is better served.

The Tax Collector is the only Palm Beach County official with the authority and resources to manage both state and local revenue programs. The Tax Collector is a vital link between the citizens and the diverse programs that affect them. The Tax Collector insures that both government agencies and individual citizens are treated equitably.