A famous phrase "All politics is local," is most closely associated with Tip O'Neill, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987. It couldn’t be more true today. The turnout for the primary was low in Martin County. Only 28.9%. Did you vote? If you did not…we would love to know why. Your response will be kept confidential. Mctaxpayers1950@gmail.com.
The MCTA would like to congratulate all who won their races and also congratulate those who lost but were courageous enough to face the slings and arrows justly or unjustly flung their way. Running for public office is NOT an easy thing to do. The county appreciates your dedication! Stay engaged!
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Pass this newsletter along to someone else. We all need to know what is really going on!
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- Scaring People
- You always hurt the ones you love!
- DREADED DATA CENTERS
- Librarians just have common sense
- We told you so!
September 15th at 5:00pm is the 1st public hearing regarding the millage rate for next year. If you want a roll-back rate which we have not had since 2013, you should show up and tell them so.
At the Board Of County Commissioners meeting on August 11th there was a very interesting situation regarding a landowner who wants to build a home which does not comply with the COMP rules. MCTA is not going to comment on this except to say after watching the entire presentation, there were a lot of gray areas and had this actually gone to court, MCTA would have understood why. The Commissioners have to determine how best to protect Martin County. And as Commissioner Ciampi said “I’m not afraid of law suits, I’m afraid of losing law suits.“ This one may have deserved its day in front of a judge and may yet get it.
The data centers controversy has arrived in Martin County. The public presented the following arguments. MCTA’s responses are in blue.
This will hurt our resources. WHAT are you talking about? Please be more descriptive.
Communities are not intended for this use. They wouldn’t be in neighborhoods. If that’s what you’re referring to. “Communities” are intended for whatever their residents decide.
Land will become storm water runoff as it will be paved over. This is an argument against anything requiring a parking lot, not particular to a data center.
Rich tech companies will benefit. Yeah, so? So will the communities by millions and millions of tax dollars. MCTA LOVES rich people. They pay taxes!!! We wish EVERYONE was a billionaire!
Noise. There are plenty of ways to mitigate that. Besides they’re not going just anywhere.
They support FLOCK cameras. We just can’t even respond to this.
Diesel Combustion and Air Quality. Modern data centers are addressing air and heat pollution by transitioning to advanced zero-emission cooling systems and replacing diesel backup generators with clean energy storage.
"Blow-down" or water concentrated minerals . Modern facilities have turned this negative into a plus but extracting the chemicals and reusing them. American innovation! Gotta love it!
Lower water pressure. Data centers can be mandated to use dedicated water sources.
Higher electric bills. State law now says that data centers will not be allowed to affect communities electric sources. Some communities have experienced lower bills because the data centers upgrade their infrastructure.
The US has 12x more data centers now than China. Yes. And let's stay ahead. Would China vote for data centers in Martin County? What does that tell you?
Only 3 counties in Florida have approved them. And they will be reaping the rewards. When you are complaining about your tax bill, those counties will be enjoying all kinds of new infrastructure paid for by data center taxes.
As Commissioner Ciampi remarked “Its much easier to scare people than it is to reassure them.” Nonetheless, the commissioners voted to move forward with considering a 1-year moratorium. 🤷♀️
🚂Commissioner Capps explained that the Hobe Sound railroad intersections will be getting some enhancements such as extra lights, pre-signal lights, a sensor which forces the gate open so people who have found themselves stuck on the tracks can proceed and a “2nd train coming” warning in case another train is coming from the other direction. They shoulda had a V-8! Since these are coming and since nearly every time someone gets hit by a train, the horns are going off…lets see more of these enhancements and get rid of the horns which apparently do nothing but wake citizens up at all hours. 🔊
Michelle Miller, Director of Human Services announced more dollars for the SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) program. They may help low-income manufactured and mobile home residents with re-location, lot rental assistance and rehabilitation or emergency repairs up to a certain dollar amount. Check it out here: https://www.martin.fl.us/HousingProgram
A non-profit called the Tent City Helpers is addressing the BOCC at every meeting lately insisting that the County provide housing for the homeless. They want a “Dignity Bus” which accommodates showering. They estimated the cost of the vehicle would be at least $150,000. They do not seem to understand or care about the liability and additional responsibility this would pose for the County. They are a non-profit organization and as stated by Commissioner Vargas they need to ‘step-up’ and do some fundraising if they want to realize this ambition. Their 2025 990EZ form shows $91,064 in contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts received so apparently, they are good fundraisers.
Library Director, Jennifer Salas presented a long-range service plan for the library system. It included 1. Simplifying processes 2. Reconnecting to core services and 3. Sun-setting or streamlining services that are no longer providing sufficient value to residents. And she mentioned that she is continuously evaluating! Did we mention that Ms. Salas is a past recipient of the MCTA Friend of the Taxpayer award! We think this plan could be instituted countywide. What say you, Commissioners?
It was mentioned that the last fair at the County fairgrounds on A1A would be in February of 2027. There was concern as to where the Master Gardeners and the Martin County Model Railroaders’ Club would relocate. Why is this the County’s concern? Asking for a friend.
😤It is most frustrating for the MCTA to listen to commissioners explain how Amendment 3 may hurt Martin County more than other counties because we rely so disproportionately on residential ad valorem taxation. HOW ON EARTH DID THAT HAPPEN?!?!?! Perhaps because for so many years the commissioners who were absolute anti-growth fanatics wouldn’t allow any Commercial or Industrial into the county. MCTA has complained for years that no plan is NO plan. Stubborn refusal to explore possibilities led to the incorporation of Indiantown and only about 4% Commercial and Industrial in a county one commissioner referred to as “affluent”. Is that how you describe the taxpayers crying out for affordable housing, who were forced to sell their homes when their property taxes continued to grow? Or who are afraid Amendment 3 will lead to new fees which are regressive in nature? To employ cliches with sickening applicability...You always hurt the ones you love. Oh, and we told you so!
😕Two “surplus” county owned properties may go up for sale at a public auction or may be given to the Martin County Community Land Trust. House of Hope is eyeing them for "transitional" housing for the homeless. MCTA is perplexed that not one of the commissioners asked the value of the land.
GRANTS:
Total applied for $10,835,727 County Match $5,644,518
Total accepted $4,368,770 County Match $4,068,135
💲💲💲The County went coastal on grants applying for $1,575,380 for Bathtub Beach/Sailfish Point Beach restoration with a County match of $2,683,556. A $2,200,000 application for MacArthur Blvd Dune Project with the County matching $2,200,000. Acceptance of $3,400,000 grant with a County match of $3,400,000 for the ST. Lucie Inlet Management Plan Implementation Project for sediment monitoring. Also accepting another $425,000 with a County match of $425,000 for the St. Lucie Inlet Management Plan. They accepted a grant of $206,865 with a match of $243,135 for Shore Protection monitoring. The St. Lucie Inlet and Bathtub Beach are the gift that keeps on giving. A grant for a Shore Protection Project for Hutchinson Island will be applied for $206,865 with the County matching $243,135. They will apply for an FDEP grant for $5,900,000 which is a design cost for the St. Lucie Inlet Management Plan. They will apply for a grant of $400,000 in order to stabilize Boy Scout Island. The match of $400,000 is expected to come from FIND (Florida Inland Navigational District). Another application for $500,000 will be made to construct a breakwater for Bird Island Critical Wildlife Area near the St. Lucie Inlet. That match will come from the County …$500,000. The County will apply for $53,482 from FIND to remove 14 derelict boats. The County will match that with $17,827.
Other grants not water-related, will be accepted such as the $81,448 for a full-time library specialist with 0 match from the County. They will accept the CDC Drug Free Community grant allotment for this year in the amount of $125,000. Only an “in-kind” match of staff time will be necessary. MCTA wonders what the impact of drugs on our community would be without such money being spent on its eradication. Seems like we've been eradicating this problem forever! The Health Emergency Medical Services grant fluctuates and this year an additional $3,539 will be accepted.
A Justice Assistance Grant for the Martin County Sheriff’s Office to enhance traffic crash investigation through acquisition of a laser scanning system will be accepted for …$21,112. Emergency Management Preparedness programs will be accepted for $105,806 with no County match.
Continuing contracts of not more than $3 million over 5 years will be signed for disaster removal. Sailfish Sands Golf Course will get a pump statin replacement for $1,569,068. A continuing service contract for household hazardous waste collection transportation and disposal services will not exceed more than $1 million over 5 years. Landscape maintenance for Utilities and Solid Waste contract for $1.5 million over 5 years. Finally, Jensen Beach will get 2 aquifer protection wells for $7,492,300. Whew! That's a lot of dough!
Children's Service Council of Martin County
Youth Diversion Saves Taxpayer Dollars —
and Gives Kids a Second Chance
By Laura Haase
Executive Director, Children’s Services Council of Martin County
Imagine you’re 13 years old and pressured by older kids into stealing a candy bar. You get caught. Now what? For some young people, that first mistake can lead to deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system. In Martin County, there is another option.
Through your local property tax dollars, the Children’s Services Council of Martin County (CSCMC) helps fund the City of Stuart’s Youth Crime Prevention/Intervention Program. This year, CSCMC is investing $63,343 to provide individualized services for 40 youth, along with prevention and intervention services reaching hundreds of additional children and parents.
One component is juvenile diversion, giving youth who commit certain misdemeanor offenses an opportunity to complete program requirements rather than continue further into the juvenile justice system. Along the way, the program also helps youth recognize gang recruitment, resist peer pressure and make better choices.
The results are encouraging. During the 2024-2025 program year, 93% of diversion participants had no new referrals to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) within one year of completing the program.
That first year matters. Florida DJJ research found that among youth who reoffended within a year, more than half did so within the first five months after completing services.
There is a financial benefit to prevention, too. When youth become more deeply involved in the juvenile justice system, costs rise significantly. A Florida DJJ Justice analysis estimated residential treatment costs starting at more than $51,000 per youth.
For CSCMC, this is prevention at work: reaching young people early, giving them a second chance and investing in a safer, stronger Martin County. Learn more about your property taxes at work at CSCMC.org.
South Florida Water Management District
July 9, 2026, Governing Board Meeting Highlights
The July Governing Board meeting focused on the tentative Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget. South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Drew Bartlett spent time presenting the budget development approach for the transition from Fiscal Year 2025-2026 to Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to the Governing Board.
The Governing Board’s comments and concerns were consistent when discussing the mission of flood control and the importance of addressing aging critical flood control infrastructure. They also expressed the need for additional investment in capital
operations and maintenance, while maintaining the importance of water supply and Everglades restoration. They determined that reducing expenditures alone would not be sufficient to meet future needs, so staff was encouraged to make capital operations and maintenance budget a priority; reprioritize resources; and investigate the economic benefits of innovative technologies.
The Board also noted that operations and maintenance funding is often more difficult to communicate than new infrastructure projects and they commended Mr. Bartlett for emphasizing the importance of maintaining and protecting the District's infrastructure investment and encouraged creative approaches to communicating that message considering increased public awareness.
Funding for the District originates from taxpayers, whether federal, state, or local. The District has not raised millage rates in 29 years but continues to bring new infrastructure online while maintaining aging infrastructure. The Florida Legislature has augmented the District’s budget over the past decade.
Martin County School Board
All 13 of the District VPK (voluntary pre-kindergarten) programs earned a designation of "meets expectations" or higher from the Florida Department of Education based on last school year's results. Four earned the state's highest rating of "excellent". Nine of thirteen programs improved their classroom quality scores from the previous year.
All 3 high schools have been recognized among the best high schools in the country and in Florida by U.S. News & World Report. Jensen Beach ranked number 204, Martin County High School ranked 303, and South Fork ranked 323 in the state. Based on academic performance, graduation rates, and college readiness, each school also ranked within the top 30% of public high schools nationwide.
Martin County School District earned the MVP Trophy in the 25-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) challenge. Florida colleges, universities, and state agencies use the information submitted through the Official FAFSA Application to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid like grants, scholarships, and work-study programs. Florida College Access Network started the Florida FAFSA Challenge in 2015 to encourage Florida schools and districts to increase FAFSA completion by 5% over the previous year and ensure students receive financial aid if they are eligible. MCSD completion rate increased by 4.8%.
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