The Finance & Budget Department provides critical financial and managerial support on a wide array of Town functions. Additionally, it performs other duties as are specified in the Charter or as may be required by the Town Council .  The department’s personnel facilitates a variety of services, including: 

Finance Administration – Manages all Town policies, ordinances, and resolutions that pertains to financial matters.  Conducts research and analyses, and makes recommendation regarding operational planning and program evaluation.

Accounting & Financial Reporting – Maintains accounting records including accounting system, accounts payable, payroll, and accounts receivable.  It also oversees daily recording and deposits of cash receipts.  Prepare State Annual Financial Report (AFR), Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), and all necessary financial reports.

Budget preparation and monitoring – Develops and prepares the Town’s Annual Budget and Five-Year Capital Improvement Program.  Administers budget amendments/transfers, and monitors the Town’s financial performance.  Prepare ad valorem and non ad valorem tax rates, budget reports, and TRIM notice.

Human Resources & Risk Management – Partner with Town’s departments to drive excellence in recruiting of qualified individuals and retention of valuable employees.  Administer compensation and benefit plans that include medical, dental, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability and retirement.  under the Risk Management umbrella, administer insurance for workers compensation, liability and property for all Town exposures including claim filing.

Procurement – Manages all purchasing and acquisition activities, including evaluation and selection of vendors.  Assist Town operations by providing integrity to the procurement process, ensuring continuity and that all department contracts for the procurement of goods and services are negotiated and executed in the most cost-effective manner possible while adhering to Town’s policies, Charter requirements, and procurement guidelines.

Accounts Payable

Vendors, suppliers, and contractors are paid bi-weekly by our Accounts Payable Division after processing and approval by the appropriate Town Department.
Send invoices to:

Town of Southwest Ranches – Attention: Finance Department
13400 Griffin Road Southwest Ranches, FL 33330
Phone: 954-434-0008

Accounts Receivable

Send payments to:
Town of Southwest Ranches
Attention: Finance Department
13400 Griffin Road Southwest Ranches, FL 33330
Phone: (954) 434-0008
Via e-mail to: swrfinanceacct@southwestranches.org

All services performed by the Town for individuals are paid to the Accounts Receivable Division. Such services may be for paper copies of documents, copies of CDs, purchasing Town merchandise, and other services offered through our contractors. Certain vendors, such as CAP Government Inc., SEPI, Inc., and JA Medina, LLC collect checks for the Town for various permitting, planning and zoning services. ALL Checks or Money Orders MUST be made payable to the “Town of Southwest Ranches” . Cash is accepted for merchandise under $50. Exact change only please. Thank you.

Current Local Taxes

The following are the major Town taxes for fiscal year 2022-2023.

Ad Valorem/Property Tax

The Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office sets the Town’s assessed and taxable values of property. Ad valorem translates from Latin, “according to value.” This is the property tax paid based upon the assessed value of one’s property and it is calculated by a millage rate. Each mill generates $1 of tax revenue for every $1,000 of taxable property value. Taxable value may differ from assessed value because of exemptions, the most common of which is the $25,000 to $50,000 homestead exemption, and another $25,000 in exemption for homeowners aged 65 or greater, subject to income requirements. The maximum millage a Town may levy is 10 mils, but this can only be accomplished through a unanimous vote of all Council members. Under the Save our Homes provisions (Amendment 10), all homestead properties can only have an annual increase of assessed value of either 3% or the CPI, whichever is less.

For FY 2023, the adopted millage rate is equal to the rate of 3.9000 mills.

To learn more about how your taxes are disbursed to different agencies, how to pay them, who assesses your property value, how to get a Homestead Exemption and more, please contact the Broward County Property Appraiser by Clicking Here !

Sales and Use Taxes

The State of Florida has up to a 6.0% sales tax while Broward County imposes a 1% sales surtax (effective January 2019) specifically for transportation which the Town receives a portion. In addition, the Town receives revenue sharing funds from the State for cigarette taxes, motor fuel, alcohol and beverage licenses, and mobile home licenses. Broward County assesses an additional 2 cents motor fuel tax which is shared with the local governments.

Utility, Franchise, and Local Business Taxes

The Town collects three types of utility, franchise, and local business taxes: electric, gas, and pro-rata Broward County local business taxes. The Town currently does not impose its own local business tax. Utility taxes may be levied at a maximum rate of 10% for each utility. Since Fiscal Year 2002, the Town has been prohibited from collecting taxes on telephone franchises, telephone utility taxes, and cable television franchise taxes. These taxes (considered Communication Services) are now collected by the State of Florida’s Department of Revenue and re-distributed to municipalities according to use records at a rate of 5.22%.

Credit Card & Returned Check Policy

The Town accepts most major credit cards and charges a processing charge in the amount of 2.84% to cover the cost assessed by our Credit Card processing vendor Square. Credit Card Processing Charge & Returned Check Fee Notice.  There is a credit card maximum transaction amount of $5,000.