- What to do with $10M worth of property? 🤷♀️
- Everything you ever wanted to know about RV Parks! 🤦♂️
- Are train horns really effective? 🚂
- Tortoise trouble 🐢
What goes into the price of GAS? A little over half of what you pay per gallon of gas covers the cost of the crude oil. Another 20% is refinery costs, and 11% is marketing and distribution. The remaining 18% is tax. When you fill up at the pump, your purchase is subject to multiple layers of taxation. The federal government imposes a flat tax on all gas purchases. Congress raised this to 18.4 cents per gallon in 1993 and it hasn’t changed since. Plus, every state government and Washington, DC, levy their own per-gallon gasoline excise taxes. https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-do-you-pay-in-gas-taxes/
West Virginia has America’s highest gas-price burden, with a standard fill-up consuming 5.2% of median weekly household income. California has the nation’s highest gas prices but ranks outside the top 10 in burden thanks to higher incomes. Florida ranks somewhere in the middle at 4.1%...(https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-states-paying-most-for-gas-relative-to-income/)
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Some important concepts to keep in mind: Grants are YOUR tax dollars whether they are distributed from the state or the federal government. County funds are YOUR tax dollars. MSTU stands for municipal service taxing units. There are several in Martin County and they are YOUR tax dollars called by a different name. See how this works?
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Board of County Commissioners
Martin County resident, Louise Yeiser, donated 13 parcels of land to be conserved in Hobe Sound near the scrub preserve worth approximately $10,000,000. If you haven’t visited the preserve, it’s located on Dixie right around Jenkins Landscape. What a remarkable thing to do!
The County applied for yet another grant for MARTY. The Commissioners decided previously to give smaller buses a try and the grant for $146,920 will go toward the purchase of 2 of those. Jim Gorton, Public Works Director, clarified that the MARTY program costs between $2.5 and $3 million per year but, the County taxpayers only foot the bill for about $1 million. The rest of the money comes indirectly from you through state and federal taxes. The Commissioners got an update on the “success” of MARTY since it became fair FREE! Ridership is up 37%, they claim. They are not counting riders. MCTA was told by the former Director of Transportation long ago that they don’t count “riders”. Additionally, if a single rider must transfer from one bus to another, it is counted as 2 trips. MCTA might also point out that if you give something away for FREE, it doesn’t mean you’ve been successful. (Econ 101). Give aways tend to encourage reliance on government (taxpayers’) generosity. Now they’re planning to add 21 more stops. Yes, the MARTY program ONLY costs the county $1 million as the County is the recipient of grants which support it. But again Econ 101… grants are ….wait for it….tax dollars! That’s right, no matter if they come from the State or the Feds, they ultimately come from YOU. Just sayin’. 😕
The Safe Streets and Roads program will supply a grant for $280,000 for a road safety study for SE Bridge Road. The County will match with $70,000.
The County will apply for a grant for $3,644,729 for handling 911 calls. Also, another $261,175 grant to comply with evolving industry standards. Zero county match.
Application will be made for a $1 million grant from the Bureau of Justice to provide housing, transportation and treatment to a “vulnerable population” in our county with 0 county match.
An adjustment to the budget will be made in order to move money from impact fees reserves to pay $978,000 for a traffic signal and intersection improvements for SE Salerno Road.
An adjustment to the budget will be made to accept an unanticipated contribution of $53,120 from the Auto Ranch in lieu of building a sidewalk in Hobe Sound.
Whitham Field will build a hold bay extension for $1,037,082.
A $5,500,000 continuing service contract will be signed for the removal of invasive vegetation over 5 years. Commissioner Capps suggested staff research to see if exotics could be added to the nuisance category so Code Enforcement might be able to enforce their removal on private lands.
Environmental consulting will be contracted for $5 million over 5 years.
Director of Tourism, Nerissa Okiye reported that visitors to Martin County spend $729.5 million which supports 8,307 jobs and generates $69.3 million in state and local taxes. Without tourism, she said, each household would pay an additional $815 in taxes [each year].
Sea Turtle Café at Jensen Beach which was originally built in 2020, but burned down, will go out to bid by year’s end. Be sure it will rival Sand Dune Café on the Stuart Beach.
Many residents showed up to speak during public comment at the May 19th BOCC meeting. They want quiet zones in Martin County. They reason that other counties have them and that once a person is within the arms of the crossings, injuries or death incurred is not the County’s nor the train’s liability. The group calls themselves Quiet Zones for Martin County and they were pleading for their quality of life which has been diminished by frequent horn blowing. There are thousands of taxpayers who live within the corridor of the tracks. They say they understood they were purchasing a home near the tracks, however with the frequency of Brightline, they’re hearing horns continuously through the day and late into the night. Their ask was simply to put the issue on the agenda for re-consideration as the commission had voted against quiet zones earlier in the year. While Commissioners Ciampi and Hetherington were responsive to their constituents, Commissioner Capps was more contemplative. He made a motion counter to Commissioner Ciampi’s insisting on having a representative of the Federal Railroad Commission at the future meeting. So, the issue waits on the representative’s schedule. It is of note that no one spoke against the issue during public comment. 🚂
There had been some confusion between City of Stuart Fire/Rescue and Martin County Fire/Rescue as to the responsibility of transporting pregnant moms. This has now been resolved thanks to the 2 chiefs’ personal collaboration. Non-profit Healthy Start is attempting to solve the issue of transporting pregnant moms all the way to Cleveland Clinic in Port St. Lucie by building a birthing facility here in Martin. To assist, the commissioners voted to lease county owned land to them for $1 per year for 25 years with several options to renew. They currently have a MOM MOBILE which you can learn more about here: https://www.mchealthystart.org/mom-mobile/
The 50-year-old Floridays RV Park in Hobe Sound will be allowed to redevelop. The vote was touch and go. The owners who have already spent $100,000 on plans requested more density. As an RV park it is commercially zoned property, so it’s treated more like a hotel. Permanent residents are not allowed. Interestingly, RV parks are also regulated by State authority, not local. They are permitted by the Department of Health. The actual density allowed by law is 25 per acre. The owners promised to expand to only 15 per acre. Commissioner Ciampi who visited the Park, commented that there is not enough land to pursue 25 per acre anyway. They will now be allowed to expand from 88 to 123 units.
Expansion in Hobe Sound is rampant apparently! (Read sarcasm and do not panic). The Pine School wants to extend its athletic fields after a winning season. To do so, they must move some Gopher Tortoises. YIKES! State Representative Toby Overdorf, who has enjoyed a long career as an environmental consultant, is an expert in moving the Gopher Tortoise with around 3,000 relocations under his belt. While doing their due diligence over 4 years for this project, the Pine School found a rare Lichen and Scrub Jays on school property. The Lichen will be relocated. The Scrub Jays will not be disturbed. The private school will pay approximately $8,000 PER TORTOISE to move them off site.
A grant will be accepted from FDOT for a long-awaited sidewalk on Bulldog Way which is the entrance to South Fork High. The total cost of the sidewalk is $1,133,940, but the grant will pay for $1,072,940. County funds will pay the remaining $61,000.
The OMB Director will allocate a $24,400 unexpected contribution from the Hobe Sound Community Chest to pay for improvements to Doc Meyers Park. Commissioner Capps will throw in some of his MSTU money to help.
The Dixie Stormwater and Street scape design will get $1,700,409 for the corridor re-envisioning project which is a goal of the Hobe Sound Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the dream of former Commissioner Jenkins.
A continuing service contract in the amount of $2,500,000 will be awarded for Parks and REC Planning and Design. Martin County boasts 74 parks now. What will they be planning and designing next? .🤷♀️
There will be a continuing service contract for disaster recovery and resiliency not to exceed $3,000,000 over 5 years.
John Maehl, Environmental Resource Administrator, received permission to enter into an agreement with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs hoping it would advance to the purchase of development rights of 3 areas …500 acres on Turnpike Dairy (ranchland out in western Martin by Fox Brown Road), 55 acres in much abused PalMar and 239 acres on Bridge Road. There is no dollar figure on this agreement yet. The agreement merely means to show FDAC that should they want to help Martin County purchase these development rights (meaning the farmers will still be allowed to farm, but not to develop …ever) the County has skin in the game. It pushes MC to the top of the list for financial assistance from FDAC for such purchases.
ARE WE DOING A GOOD JOB? PLEASE BECOME A MEMBER WHICH WILL HELP OUR EFFORTS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AS TO WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING. GO TO: https://mctaxpayers.org/join-now/
Children’s Service Council (an independent taxing authority – see the back of your property tax notice aka TRIM notice)
CSCMC’s 2026-2027 Proposed Budget Lowers Admin Costs
and Meets Needs of Local Families
By Laura Haase, Executive Director
With careful attention to fiscal responsibility and an in-depth understanding of the growing needs of our community, the Children’s Services Council of Martin County (CSCMC) unanimously approved the proposed 2026-2027 budget at its May 18, 2026, public meeting.
The proposed millage rate for CSCMC funding remains unchanged at 0.0003618. The accompanying one-page comparative budget summary provides an overview of the proposed 2026-2027 budget and highlights key changes from the current fiscal year including a 12.59% reduction in administrative and support expenses which offsets a 7.48% increase in projected funding for nonprofit programs engaged in meaningful and measurable work in Martin County. Operating expenses will be reduced as well by 3.50%, along with a nearly 10% reduction in communications expenses.
The proposed budget, which was first reviewed and approved by the Council’s Finance Committee on April 27, 2026, may be viewed on CSCMC’s website at the following link: https://www.cscmc.org/cscmc-agendas-meetings-packets/. Fiscal information can also be found at https://www.cscmc.org/financials-reporting/.
The CSCMC staff is focused on operating with transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Public discussion is welcomed at monthly Council meetings, which includes the final budget approval vote scheduled in September. CSCMC’s meeting calendar may be found on its website at the following location: https://www.cscmc.org/cscmc-meetings-calendar/.
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Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
A public speaker asked if the property at 4070 SE Salerno Road or the Basin Seafood property had been acquired by the County. Susan Kores, Director of CRA reported that the CRA is not involved with 4070 SE Salerno Road property. But, that it is a county initiative funded by district funds. She had no knowledge of the Basin Seafood disposition.
Septic to Sewer is moving right along with 73% or 564 homes connected. El Camino Trail is under construction in Golden Gate. The landscape vision plan is at the public input stage.
In Hobe Sound the unpaved roads of Elenor and Hammond are paved. Haslom and Sagave are to be paved next. Fundraising for the historic Hobe Sound Train Station continues. Home #12 of 18 that are to be built in Pettway Village is complete.
In Jensen Beach, design options have been submitted for West End Blvd drainage improvements. The Church Street Project is in the process of securing design bids.
The School Avenue property has been sold in Palm City. The Cornell Avenue streetscape is being designed, and community comment is welcome.
A bid for neighborhood improvements including paving roads in New Monrovia Park has been accepted.
In Rio the Dixie Highway Streetscape and Town Center Civic Club property has been designed and will include light poles, banners and crosswalks.
County owned property in Indiantown has been sold for $275,000.
The Office of Community Development’s tentative operating budget for ’27 was unanimously approved at $824,358. This department has 6 full-time employees. |
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