Port St. Lucie - Friday July 1, 2022: For the seventh year in a row Port St. Lucie City Manager Russ Blackburn has recommended a property tax rate decrease in his budget for the next fiscal year.
The proposed budget recommends reducing the City’s overall tax rate by 0.2000 mills from this year’s rate, dropping the total tax rate to 5.4000 for FY 2022-23. The millage rate is the rate of tax per $1,000 of taxable property value.
Overall the budget proposes $728.4 million in spending for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. That represents an increase of 19.3% compared to the current fiscal year.
The final budget will be adopted in September after two public hearings Sept 12 and Sept. 26.
City Council will review budget during summer budget workshop which will be televised live on the City’s website and on Channel 20 on Comcast and Blue Stream Fiber and Channel 99 on U-Verse.
Other Budget Highlights
• $31.8 million upgrades to the Westport Treatment Plant upgrades
• $10 million to continue Floresta Drive roadway improvements
• $8.6 million for the new police training facility
• $4.5 million for fiber infrastructure construction
• $1.1 million for equipment at three new parks (Tradition Regional, Riverland Paseo and Pioneer at the Port)
The City Manager’s full proposed budget and budget-in-brief can be found at: www.cityofpsl.com/budget.
“We believe this budget should equip the City for growth now and in the future. This budget provides the resources and tools necessary to effectively respond to the needs of our residents and advance the City’s long-term strategic priorities,” Mr. Blackburn said. “I am confident we have developed a conservative, reasonable and responsible budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year.”
"The budget supports the City’s strategic goal of being a high-performing government organization and its initiative to reduce the City’s tax rate while ensuring a balanced budget that still provides excellent service for City residents," states the news release from the City.
The population of Port St. Lucie is now over 217,000.
Solid Waste Credit for Poor Service
In addition, as directed by the City Council, Blackburn's budget recommends a one-time credit on the upcoming solid waste assessment "to provide some relief for Waste Pro’s extremely poor service", according to a news release from the City.
When the solid waste contract was awarded to the City’s new hauler, FCC Environmental Services Florida, the original proposed annual rate was $423.36. After further budget review, the City Manager was able to propose a reduced rate of $416.21. The new yearly solid waste assessment fee will support the new automated solid waste hauler that should bring consistent and reliable service back to the City. City Council will discuss this proposal, along with the entire proposed budget, during the three-day budget workshop that begins July 20.
The proposed one-time credit of $36.76 equates to about six weeks of solid waste service. It would reduce the proposed annual assessment of $416.21 to $379.45 for FY 22-23 only.