The Fort Lauderdale Forum

Join us as top leaders discuss how Fort Lauderdale is at a financial turning point with shifts in the budget, ad valorem tax rate unchanged for nearly 20 years, rising costs, and the potential ripple effects of 2026 property tax reform—you’ll want to be in the room for this conversation! What does the future hold for City of Fort Lauderdale?

* Rickelle Williams, City Manager of Fort Lauderdale

* Marty Kiar, Broward County Property Appraiser

* Bill Brown, Chair of the Budget Advisory Council

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the city’s budget process and the pressures shaping fiscal decision-making.

With the ad valorem tax rate unchanged for nearly 20 years, rising costs, and the potential ripple effects of 2026 property tax reform, what does the future hold for City of Fort Lauderdale?

The conversation will examine the long-standing stability of the city’s ad valorem tax rate—unchanged for nearly two decades—against the backdrop of rising costs, service demands, and infrastructure needs. Panelists will also unpack the potential impacts of 2026 Florida legislative actions on property tax reform, and what those changes could mean for residents, businesses, and future revenues.

With projections pointing toward a possible budget shortfall as early as 2028, this forum offers a timely and candid look at the difficult choices ahead, the trade-offs involved in maintaining a balanced budget, and the strategies being considered to sustain Fort Lauderdale’s growth and quality of life.