Category Archives: Martin County

Does The School District Need the Millage Increase?

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The Martin County School District is asking for two tax increases in 2018. One will be a ½ cent sales tax increase to fund capital projects which will be on the November ballot.The second is a 1/2 mill for the ad valorem tax rate. Today I am only writing about the increase in the millage rate which is for ongoing operational expense. I met with Chair Christia Li Roberts and Superintendent Laurie Gaylord to discuss this proposed tax increase beside attending several school board meetings, community presentations, studied the proposed ballot language and the financial information supplied by the District.

To comprehend the reasons why the School District is requesting the increase, the voter must fully understand how schools are funded in Florida. In 1973 The Florida Legislature instituted the Florida Educational Finance Program (FERP). FERP was successful in having spending per student equalized across the state. To accomplish equalization, Florida mandates what the minimum school district tax rate (5.052 Mills) is going to be across the state’s 67 school districts. That rate is applied to the total taxable value and divided by the number of K-12 state wide students.

Using that mandated formula, Martin County collects more in ad valorem school taxes than can be allocated to the number of students the District has. The excess amount of allowable ad valorem tax collected ($45 million) is sent to Tallahassee to be distributed to other districts. Martin County real estate values are relatively high in comparison to other counties in the state. We are known under FERP as a “donor county.” The excess amount if allowed to remain in Martin County is 4 times more than what the requested hike would generate.

Florida further requires that the district provide certain programs and educational mandates that add expense without the state adding the necessary funding. Class size, transportation, minimum instructional minutes, testing requirements, which students will be retained at Third Grade, curriculum and supplies needed, security expense and even the amount of recess minutes per day along with many others are dictated by the Legislature.

Unlike other Florida school districts, Martin County provides many non-required educational components and student enhancements. Each elementary school has specialized music, art, and science teachers. The elementary schools have classroom reading materials in addition to those mandated by the state. There are middle and high school band & chorus programs plus multiple athletic teams in every high school.  High schools have extensive career technical training such as the culinary program at Martin County High School. The Environmental Studies Center is part of the student experience. According to the District, this is where cuts would be made if additional funding is not obtained.

The Martin County School District estimates that the ½ mill tax increase will generate $11.2 million per year. The bulk of the tax increase (77.43%) will be for increasing teacher compensation. Teacher increases are based on seniority in this instance. Teachers with 1-5 years of experience will receive $1000. Those with 6-9 years of experience $5000 and those with 10 plus years will receive $8000. According to the School District, teachers are transferring to either Palm Beach or St Lucie School Districts not in the early years when compensation in the three districts are compatible, but as their career’s progress when Martin County is lower than the other two districts.

An additional 9.4% of the tax increase will go to the District’s other employees. 6.5% is allocated for additional School Resource Officers. More than 93% of the tax increase are for employee costs including SROs.

The Martin County School District’s requested ad valorem tax increase is for 4 years from July 1, 2018 until June 30, 2022. The District has provided the following example to show how the tax increase would affect a homeowner. If your home’s taxable value is $250,000 then the additional cost would be $125 per year.

While the ½ mill increase is for only four years, I anticipate that the District will request that the voters approve an extension of the increase in the future. To have voters approve an extension it is important that they see that the money is being spent for the intended purposes. Therefore, the School District in the ballot language is committing to spend the added tax revenue in the specific way that is outlined in their material.

I believe in the validity of the data provided by the Martin County School District. The voters must decide whether the District should continue to provide the same quality and quantity of programs to Martin County students. The District’s personnel costs have and will continue to increase due to market forces in surrounding counties. The School District can meet this increase by either cutting non-required student programming or by the ½ mill tax increase.

The Meaning of a Local State of Emergency

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What can a city or, for that matter, a county commissioner actually accomplish regarding our rivers and environment? In my experience, an elected official at that level has very little influence. They can’t order the Lake Okeechobee flows to stop or a reservoir to be built.

What they do have is the “bully pulpit.” They can lobby at a state and federal level for funding and programs. They can write letters and articles in support of clean water policies.

If your local elected officials are only involved when they are up for election or when a crisis is occurring, then what they are committed to is being elected to office, not our environment. As voters we should be looking at the organizations they belonged to before the political bug bit. What were their environmental statements and donations? Did they write letters to the editor? Once in office, did they continue as a contributing member to the environmental cause or were they only seen for the photo-op and headline.

Declaring a “State of Emergency” for a city the size of Stuart is a grand gesture with no practical effect. It is a way for the Stuart City Commission to seem environmentally friendly but rather useless and void of any true meaning. If that is the extent of the Commission’s commitment, there is not much to these Commissioners.

When there are no looming environmental catastrophes, is the City proceeding with sewer to septic conversions? They need to be seeking grants and appropriations from Tallahassee for the money so that homeowners can affordably hook up. They should be advocating, and mandating homeowners hook up within several years. This would be a meaningful program.

As we prepare to cast our votes in August we need to look beyond the candidates’ statements during campaigns. Have they put their money where their mouths are? Have they worked for water causes when no one was looking? Who are their campaign contributors? Are unfamiliar PACs sending out mailers on their behalf?

These are the questions that need answers. Don’t be fooled by their garbled campaign rhetoric. It is easy to say I am for clean rivers. It is much harder to have done something to accomplish the task.

 

FREINDS & NEIGHBORS JUNE 23RD

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If you want to know more about Martin County’s Governments Subscribe to my Friends & Neighbors email by sending your email address to tom@tomforstuart.com. It is free!!

COUNTY GOLF COURSE

During Commissioner comments, Commissioner Smith made a motion to sunset the Golf Course Advisory Committee (GCAC). The motion passed 3-2 with Commissioners Heard and Jenkins dissenting.

In some respects, the GCAC had never lived up to its potential since the BOCC ignored their advice and comments. There were several vacancies since Commissioners had not bothered to appoint members. The Commission disregarded the GCAC recommendations anyway. So, dissolution was probably a good thing.

The Commission not only ignored their own committee but also two reports done by CBRE and the National Golf Foundation. The Commission has also spent money on designing and re-designing the course, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. I don’t understand why government hires consultants, pays them huge fees, and then ignores the results if the results do not match their own desires. On a different matter a few weeks ago, one Commissioner stated that he would listen to the experts. I guess that doesn’t apply to golf courses.

The Martin County Taxpayers Association has issued a report regarding this issue. I hope the Commission will read and digest that report. Isn’t it time to do what the majority of the residents and those that play golf want?

Like so many things, government should provide an inexpensive way for residents to enjoy the game. They should not be competing with the private sector. Politicians should stop trying to build monuments with their names attached. Government employees should stop trying to aggrandize and expand their departments at the taxpayers’ expense.

 

School Board Annexations

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On Thursday evening, the Stuart Local Planning Agency will consider the School Board’s request to annex two high schools and one elementary school into the City.

The schools are Martin County High School, Jensen Beach High School and Felix Williams Elementary School. What is the reason, after all these years, that the School Board is making this request? It is to give the School Board more options in providing school security.

School security issues and who provides security will be a contentious problem for the next several years. Mandates by the “Lords of Tallahassee” better known as the Florida Legislature, will necessitate millions of dollars more in expense for the Martin County School Board. Will Stuart or the Sheriff provide security? The City can only do so if the schools are within its jurisdiction.

What are the advantages and disadvantages to Stuart of the proposed annexations? As to the two high schools, I see only disadvantages. First, it would be a grave mistake to agree to provide the necessary SROs for both schools. It would take time to find and train the additional officers. It is also a long-term commitment by the City to those officers that are hired. If the School Board decides in two years to contract with the Sheriff or form its own force, what happens to those additional officers?

In addition to the possible providing of SROs, Stuart PD would need to respond to any law enforcement calls such as a disturbance during a Friday night football game. Stuart’s Fire/Rescue would now need to answer any calls. Even if Martin County Fire/Rescue responds through an interlocal agreement, the County must be reimbursed by the City for doing so. The School Board pays no property tax. These additional burdens will be paid by Stuart’s taxpayers.

Further, all three schools pay City water and sewer charges. They will continue to do so but at a reduced rate if they become part of Stuart. This will result in Stuart being paid 25% less in those enterprise funds. All City users will have to make up the difference.

While I am not in favor, I can see the argument for annexing Felix Williams. The prime benefit would be it would allow Stuart to annex other property surrounding the school if those property owners wished, adding tax revenue for the City. The high schools do not provide this option because of location.

I can even understand the argument that by Stuart PD now having jurisdiction at Felix Williams, relationships between officers and students can be developed. Those would be very expensive relationships.

The City of Stuart is a relatively small place geographically. It has 10% of the overall Martin County population. For too long a disproportionate share of the Martin County tax burden has fallen on Stuart’s taxpayers. A Department of Economic Opportunity study has shown that 21,000 people come into the City daily. Stuart is not reimbursed for the additional public safety or public works needed. Since sales tax, gas tax and other taxes are based on population, it does not matter where those taxes are generated within the County.

A few City Commissioners believe that Stuart should bear an unrealistic share of these governmental costs. Their belief is based on outdated facts that Stuart is in the same position that it was 60 years ago in relationship to the County. Stuart then had more than 40% of Martin County’s population. There was no Palm City. There was no shopping anywhere but downtown. Stuart could sway Martin County elections. Not anymore.

If Stuart is to survive, the City needs to shepherd its resources. One Stuart Commissioner has said that it is not always about dollars. Well it might not be about any one Commissioner’s dollars, but it is about all the taxpayers’ dollars. If this passes the LPA, the Commission needs to look at the big picture. These annexations will bring no additional revenue, only additional expense. I believe it is an easy choice if you care about the Stuart taxpayer.

Citizens Deserve the Transparency

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For the last few years, the City of Stuart had been live streaming their meetings and then had the video available on their website for later viewing. All that stopped a few months ago when the City received a letter from someone purporting to be from South Florida stating that he was hearing impaired. In response, the City quickly removed all videos and no longer streams meetings live.

Many of Stuart’s citizens, and even people apparently outside the City, would watch the meetings via the live stream or videos. I think it was an important service and provided transparency for Stuart’s public meetings. When the City started streaming and having the recordings on their website, it allowed government to be closer to the people.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, which pertains to local and state government, reasonable accommodations must be made. The then City Manager made the decision to remove the videos and discontinue live streaming. It was, in my opinion under the circumstances, the right move. But where does the City go from here?

David Dyess, the new Interim Manager, is fairly technologically proficient. If anyone can find a solution to this dilemma, it is Dyess. It will require spending some resources. The question will become how much a municipality spends to be able to communicate with its citizens. In my cursory research it didn’t seem that a solution would be beyond the City’s budget.

I understand the purpose and intent of the ADA, and most Americans support its implementation. But does it make sense to penalize every Stuart citizen, resident and interested party because of one letter and the intended fear of a lawsuit? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I suspect it is a justifiable fear.

I do know that currently the City Commission has a problem with the perception of transparency. Citizens not being able to see how this local government operates doesn’t help that perception. Perhaps some may even like it that way.

Martin County’s Government Restaurants

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Americans love to say they believe in the capitalistic system.

We believe that government should stay out of the markets. We should leave to the private sector to operate businesses, instead of bureaucrats. If the public sector is involved, it usually results in the product being more expensive. This has been proven repeatedly. Government needs to step in when the private sector won’t do so.

But in Martin County we must like government involvement. Two prime examples are the concession stands at the beaches and Sailfish Splash Park. I will admit the concession stands are small potatoes compared to the water amusement park but nonetheless it is emblematic of government intruding on the private sector.

This entire blog post was precipitated by something I read in Gil Smart’s piece on TCPalm this morning. Apparently, the Martin County Parks and Recreation Department wants to take back the stand at Stuart Beach. They intend to gut rehab the building and then have it be operated by Parks & Rec. I don’t believe that anyone would dispute the fact that the building needs to be refurbished.

I don’t have a problem with the County spending money on facilities. We should improve County property. I do have a problem with the County then bringing the businesses “in house” so that public employees can operate the restaurants. This is just what they did after rehabbing the Sand Dune Café at Jensen Beach. So far this year, according to Smart, that County operation has made $18,000.

I have a little familiarity with the restaurant trade having grown up in the business, worked in many and even owned a few through the years. I have to say that making $18,000 so far this year is nothing to brag about. Let’s remember the Sand Dune Café does not pay rent or must make a profit. I haven’t even factored in the cost of the renovations.

Presently the Stuart Beach concession known as the Chef Shack pays a percentage of sales equating to about $1000 a month. I am not a fan of leases that calculate rent as strictly a percentage of sales. I’ve seen those figures manipulated too many times.

So, these two assets, paid for by the taxpayers and residents of Martin County, are not exactly contributing money to the public coffers. Assuming, not unreasonably, that beachgoers might want to grab something to eat or drink while at the beach and that the stand should not be an eyesore, why does that mean the public sector should operate these concession stands? Why shouldn’t both have someone that knows the business and, just as importantly, have a financial stake in their success operate them? Why hasn’t there been an RFP soliciting private companies to bid on operating these businesses?

Martin County’s Parks & Rec Department should stop trying to build empires and concentrate on their core mission…parks and recreation. The sooner they do just that, the better off we, the taxpayers, will be. I can go on about Sailfish Splash Park, but I will save that socialistic endeavor for another day.

Elected or Appointed?

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On this year’s ballot, voters will have a choice regarding whether Martin County should continue to elect its school superintendent or have the superintendent appointed by the School Board.

Only Florida and Alabama continue to have elected superintendents; Mississippi just ended the practice. In Florida, it is up to the voters in each school district to determine whether to elect their superintendents. Out of 67 districts in the state, 41 continue to have superintendents chosen through elections. The larger districts, including Miami/Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and St Lucie, all have appointed superintendents. The Martin County School District ranks higher than those other four do.

The most compelling reason to have the superintendent appointed is that the school board members can search throughout the country to find the most qualified candidates. This would result in someone who has all the right credentials being selected. Right now, you must be 21, live in the district and not be a felon to be qualified to run for superintendent. By having an appointed superintendent, the politics are removed from the position. Since the superintendent reports to the board, if enough friction develops between them, the board can remove the superintendent.

It is quite true that elections are messy. They are to some extent popularity contests. Unqualified people are elected to positions of authority all the time. Voters make mistakes. But those mistakes are usually corrected at the next election. Besides, is some friction between a board and superintendent necessarily a bad thing?

As citizens and voters, we are slowly giving up our rights for expediency’s sake. Our local governments are run by supposed experts instead of having the people choosing strong mayors and county executives. Billions of tax dollars are in the hands of unelected people. This is not democracy. We are a little less free because of it. I don’t even believe that we are necessarily in more capable hands.

By voters giving up a little more in the name of “better government,” we become a little more removed from our government. Any bureaucracy, whether a private business or a public entity, works best when the shareholders, taxpayers and citizens are as close to the levers of power as possible. To enjoy the fruits and benefits of a democratic society, it is imperative that citizens are an integral part of the process.

And we shouldn’t decide the question based on a like or dislike of any one elected superintendent or school board member. That would be like saying we don’t want to elect the president anymore because the current one is not our choice or very good at the job. As a nation and a people, we don’t believe in setting up a dictatorship so that our nation runs efficiently.

It is hard to decide whether an appointed or elected superintendent is best. There are good points to both sides of this argument. After I have examined the pros and cons, I am going to be voting in favor of electing the superintendent. I believe that the people will get it right more times than not. If we entrust our nation to elect someone president with the only qualifications being an age requirement, being born in the United States and a resident for the past 14 years; then I think we will survive electing a bad superintendent once in a while.

Indiantown Plans

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The Village of Indiantown is the first new municipality in Martin County in over 50 years.

That brings the grand total to five municipalities within the County — with perhaps another, Hobe Sound, on the way in November. Compared to the counties to our south (Palm Beach County 39, Broward 32 and Miami-Dade 34), that number is hardly impressive. With that said, Indiantown’s incorporation is a big step forward, bringing real local government to that western community.

It is exciting to see the Village taking the steps necessary to control its destiny. For far too long, Indiantown has been stymied by being just an insignificant, unincorporated piece of the greater Martin County pie. What the residents and property owners of the area wanted to see happen was constantly being prevented. When the seat of your local government is miles away, the County Commissioners may not always put your interest first.

Indiantown is slowly feeling its governmental way. It had its first visioning session last Saturday. The Village Council and the community came together to brainstorm under the guidance of The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. Many things were discussed from communication with residents to enticing manufacturing back.

One of the central themes is Indiantown’s affordability and how it would be nice to have law enforcement officers, fire/rescue people and teachers live in the community. That is a noble goal but not easily attainable when none of the people working in those jobs are presently the Village’s employees. Perhaps, if permissible under Florida law, the Council may want to require that their executive staff live within the Village boundaries. At least they can require the village manager live there, as Stuart does with their city manager.

As Indiantown begins to put its government together, it will have to be cognizant of its finances. Building a city is a multi-generational undertaking. It is akin to building the pyramids. The present Council will not be there to see most of what they are laying the groundwork to achieve. That is the challenge and the fun of what is happening in Indiantown. I wish them well as they move forward.

 

Quotations To Live By

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There is a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson that is especially apropos today. “The government you elect is the government you deserve.” This statement is true on the federal, state and local level.

I was in my twenties when President Nixon was in office and the Watergate scandal occurred. He was re-elected in 1972 by winning all but one state and had 520 electoral votes to Senator McGovern’s 17 electoral votes. Less than two years later, Nixon was forced to resign the presidency.

Joseph de Maistre, an 18th century French diplomat, wrote, “Every country has the government it deserves.”

As I look at Tallahassee, I see a legislature that is power hungry. The leadership is so interested in micromanaging and aggregating power in their own hands, that they ignore the will of the electorate. Yet the electorate continues to send back the same people who are ignoring their will. Can we not see the connection between blind loyalty to our political tribe and the legislators ignoring our desires?

Locally, we have elected bodies that preach fiscal responsibility and then spend tax dollars on projects that most taxpayers do not want. A failed water park instead of a municipal pool is what Martin County taxpayers are stuck pouring money into. Now they want to include a shiny new money-losing clubhouse instead of just a place for people to play golf. Yet the County doesn’t have the money to fix a road or build a fire house.

The City of Stuart in the last year passed a budget that depleted reserves by $2 million dollars, included a 55% raise for each commissioner, and spent $600,000 in early separation pay which was unbudgeted. The City Commission also approved a ballooning tree planting project downtown while not spending the money in neighborhoods in the CRA that need sewers and sidewalks. No need to mention the failed City Manager payoff or lawsuit coming down the pike.

Government on all levels is broken. We can blame elected officials, but who elected them. It is the voters that cast ballots to put them in office that must assume the ultimate responsibility. If we continue to elect people just because of political party or because they are nice, like our slightly fractured aunt, then the ineptitude continues. Walt Kelly had his comic strip character Pogo once utter, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Government doesn’t work because we as citizens have not done what we should. Complaining and watching cable news is not the answer. Get involved and make sure you elect the people who will do the work and understand what they are doing. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

Stuart Could Be today’s Pineland Prairie

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Knight Kiplinger’s Pineland Prairie has passed another hurdle to being fully approved and built. The entire new community is an example of New Urbanism. It will have walkability to stores and offices.  Housing of different sizes, styles and prices will be within close proximity to each other. Most of the land will be open. Mr. Kiplinger touts that younger people want to live in this environment. I can’t say anything bad about the project. I think it is a great and necessary idea.

Many of the characteristics that Mr. Kiplinger wants to create at Pineland Prairie already exist. The infrastructure, roads, and amenities are built. A vibrant restaurant scene exists. The largest employers of Martin County are located within its boundaries and it has everything from athletic fields to vest pocket neighborhood parks. It is the City of Stuart.

The problem lies not in what the City has but what it doesn’t. The City Commission has exhibited a lack of imagination and knowledge on how to capitalize on Stuart’s assets. Being the “Happiest Seaside Town” is one thing but being a city that has an economic and demographic future is quite another. For the past fifty years, Stuart has allowed Martin County to grow and prosper around the City but has done very little to enhance and maintain itself as the hub of the county.

As an example, at their last meeting, the City Commissioners voted to approve a lease with Mulligans for 20 years with a $2 million cancellation clause. This, in essence, locks up any possibility of having an enhanced Flagler Park, creating new economic opportunities and a more vibrant Downtown. The entire peninsula which is owned by the City will now be frozen in time due to the lack of basic real estate experience and a “good old boy” approach to governance. This 1960s mindset in a 21ST century environment will continue to hobble the City’s viability. It is too bad for the taxpayers, residents and commercial real estate owners within Stuart’s borders.

By tweaking zoning and land development codes, Stuart could immediately begin the process of implementing what Kiplinger wants to do in rural Palm City. The City has all the pieces necessary to attract younger people, new jobs and businesses. What we lack is a political establishment within the city that has the vision and the business acumen to see what Mr. Kiplinger, our young people, and most of the County Commissioners have seen.

I am all in favor of Pineland Prairie being allowed to exist and prosper. It will be a long-term asset to Martin County. It will not be sprawl but, rather, a self-contained community. When finally built and completed in twenty years, it will be a fantastic place to live in the future.

With foresight, imagination and will, Stuart could be the Pineland Prairie of today instead of the City of yesterday.