St. Lucie County voters will once again decide the future of the county’s half-cent infrastructure sales surtax after commissioners approved placing the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The board voted March 17 to adopt an ordinance calling for a countywide referendum that would extend the existing 0.5% surtax for an additional 10 years. If approved, the tax would take effect Jan. 1, 2029, and run through Dec. 31, 2038.
County Attorney Katherine Barbieri said the measure is aimed at continuing funding for a range of infrastructure needs.
“Proceeds from the surtax, if approved, would be used to improve public roads, reduce traffic congestion, reduce neighborhood flooding, improve local water quality and other similar uses,” Barbieri said.
The proposal follows resolutions of support from local municipalities, including Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce and St. Lucie Village, requesting the county move forward with the referendum.
“The cities and the villages have adopted resolutions requesting that the board adopt the ordinance for a period of 10 years,” Barbieri said. “If adopted, it would direct the supervisor election to hold the referendum election on Nov. 3, 2026 on the ballot question set out in the draft ordinance.”
If voters approve the measure, the surtax would continue without increasing the current rate, which was first approved by voters in 2018 and took effect in 2019. That tax is set to expire in 2028, and county officials have said placing the measure on the ballot now would help avoid a gap in funding for ongoing and future projects.
Barbieri outlined the timeline tied to voter approval.
“If approved by the voters on Nov. 3, 2026 the proposed surtax would be effective for 10 years beginning Jan. 1, 2029,” she said.
Revenue from the surtax is distributed between the county and its municipalities based on state guidelines. Funds can be used for capital infrastructure projects, including roadway improvements, flood control, sidewalks and water quality initiatives, but not for operational expenses.
Commissioner Cathy Townsend said the funding plays a key role in maintaining essential infrastructure.
“This is something that benefits all of us because it's paid for with the roads and the swales and the sidewalks. Things that if this does not pass comes back to us which means we're going to have a shortfall of being able to maintain and take care of those things,” Townsend said.
County officials said the surtax has funded dozens of projects since its inception, including road resurfacing, drainage improvements and stormwater infrastructure, with additional projects currently underway.
Looking ahead, proposed projects in Port St. Lucie include roadway widenings, corridor improvements, drainage upgrades and traffic safety enhancements across multiple areas of the city.
Survey data collected in 2025 showed strong public support for using the surtax on infrastructure priorities such as road widening, traffic flow improvements, flood mitigation and emergency response enhancements.
Officials said public outreach will be a key focus in the months leading up to the vote.
“Whenever this went through the last time, it was important that the chamber, the cities, as well as the fire department came on board and we all had education and held town hall meetings,” Townsend said. “I think we need to do that again this time to make sure that everybody still understands because of the growth that's happened here in St. Lucie County.”
County Communications Manager Erick Gill said efforts are already planned to inform residents about the measure.
“We will be out there doing education explaining how much will be raised and where the funds will be spent,” Gill said.
Supporters of the surtax extension say the measure continues an existing funding source rather than introducing a new tax, while also helping offset costs through contributions from visitors and nonresidents who make purchases in the county.
Leslie Olson, a member of the county’s Infrastructure Surtax Oversight Committee, said the program has already demonstrated its value.
“The results are evident across this county and we are deeply grateful. Now the most important work is ahead making sure every resident understands what is at stake. This is not a new tax. It is the continuation of a proven program and with potential state revenue cuts on the horizon this local investment matters more than ever,” Olson said.
The referendum will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot, where voters will decide whether to continue the half-cent sales surtax for another decade.