Much has been made about the animosity that has existed between the City of Stuart and Martin County. It is true that, at times, there has been tension between the governmental entities. But why should it exist at all?
Simply put, both have forgotten why there are two governments and the differences between both.
This is an attempt to explain how the animosity occurred and what can be done to alleviate it in the future. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences between these two forms of local governments and how their roles evolved.
History of Cities:
Cities arose organically in the post-Neolithic Revolution period. The Neolithic Revolution was the period when humans went from hunter-gatherers to organized agriculture, including domestication of animals (around 12,500 BCE). Agriculture allowed for settlement in one spot. With an increased food supply available, man could live in higher density settlements.
Once a more stable food supply was established, there was enough of a surplus to allow a subset of the population to become specialized craftsmen. This allowed for bartering for food and other goods, leading to economic commerce which in turn produced more population density. With the rise of cities, came a formal hierarchical elite which ruled the inhabitants and made sure that the city would adequately function.
Taxation soon followed, along with the need for monumental public buildings. In order to support city resident services, different trades and occupations were developed. A system of writing to facilitate governmental and commercial records was invented. As a more complex society grew within cities, practical science and math were needed. The specialization of craftsmen led to the development of art.
In order to truly flourish, the city developed into the City-State which led to the exchange of goods and raw materials between Cities. A system of monetary valuation, economics, and the need for armies for protection and conquest arose. In every ancient civilization except for Egypt, large cities evolved and became the central point for the rise of empires.
The independent City-States of Classical Greece, led to a boom in the sciences, humanities, literature, architecture, and trade. Democracy first flourished there, as did the discipline of true city planning with the introduction of the grid plan. The Republic and Empire of Rome used that plan to lay out cities throughout the Mediterranean world. With greater urbanization came sanitation, providing of clean water, public housing, public buildings, and outside areas such as forums.
Throughout the Middle Ages in Europe, cities were the pivotal unit of government. They could be governed by a noble, the clergy or, in some instances, a merchant class.
Cities continued to increase in population and became centers of manufacturing, banking, the arts and increasingly acted as a refuge to those no longer needed in the production of food. In England, roughly 15% of the population lived in cities at the start of the 19th century. By the beginning of the 20th century, 75% did.
The first half of the 20th century continued to see cities increase in population throughout the world. During that same period In the United States, urban growth exploded as cities became more and more of a magnet for commerce and the arts. Then, with the widespread introduction of car ownership after World War II, cities (especially small and mid-size ones) began seeing their middle class move to the suburbs and become commuters.
However, in the past few decades, the suburbanization of America has slowed as people have begun to rediscover urban living. The 21st century is witnessing the rise of the international city. As the knowledge-based economy has expanded, places like New York and Los Angeles have more in common with London and Tokyo than with American cities such as Buffalo or Detroit. Just witness that Amazon choose two cities that are categorized as international cities to locate new facilities.
As the century progresses, it will be fascinating to see whether a knowledge-based economy can be transported to smaller cities. The technology to allow that to occur is available today. What we have not seen is a work force that wants to be dispersed from its peers.
Governance of Cities:
Cities, towns, and villages are classified as municipalities and, depending on the state, those terms are interchangeable. All local government, both counties and municipalities, are the purview of the states. Municipal governmental formation is done usually by a state charter. The authority that municipalities possess can be altered by charter and/or state statute depending on the state’s constitution.
In New England, municipalities are the prime local governing units with counties having much less governing authority than in Florida. In fact, in Connecticut and Rhode Island, counties have been abolished, except for statistical purposes. There was never a strong tradition of county government in those states since residents adopted direct democracy, having all white male landowners vote directly on issues. Even today, many New England towns hold annual town meetings during which important decisions are made.
In Virginia, for instance, there are both counties and independent cities. The 38 independent cities are not part of counties. Hawaii has no incorporated municipalities and Puerto Rico has no counties but 78 municipalities.
There are no legal distinctions in Florida between cities, towns, or villages. Local government has “home rule” authority under the Florida Constitution. However, that authority can be pre-empted by an act of the legislature that is signed by the governor. Cities are formed by an act of the legislature granting approval of a charter after a vote of the residents within the proposed boundaries. There are currently 413 municipalities in Florida.
History of Counties:
While cities evolved organically, counties originated from territory that was given by a sovereign to a liegeman, usually known as a count. When the Normans conquered England, they brought the term with them. Under Anglo-Saxon rule, a kingdom’s political subdivisions were called shires. These political subdivisions were formed to extend the authority of the king and were administered by those that owed their loyalty to him.
As the American English colonies were settled, the political subdivisions known as counties became established. Virginia established the first counties in 1617 in order to bring colonial governmental services to settlers far from the capital in Jamestown. Throughout the English Mid-Atlantic and South, the colonies established counties throughout the colonial period. Counties, though established as political subdivisions in the New England colonies, never attained the same authority as counties to the south.
The U.S. Constitution does not mention local governments. Therefore, under the 10th Amendment, it is up to the States to control political subdivisions within their borders. Of the 50 states, 48 have or had counties as political subdivisions while in Louisiana the subdivisions are called parishes and in Alaska boroughs.
Until the mid-20th century, counties as arms of the state provided very little municipal-type services except those things that the state was required to provide. For example, courts (usually in a town known as the county seat), a tax collector, and law enforcement through a sheriff. The state capital could be far away, and it was not reasonable for locals to travel that far.
The criteria for establishing new municipalities was generally when enough people settled in an area and the population density required that a more organized entity was needed to provide municipal services. Achieving potable water, sanitation, and better roads would necessitate asking the state to allow incorporation. The provision of these services is the root cause for the animosity between the Martin County and Stuart.
Originally county commissioners were elected primarily to take care of county roads. The county sheriff’s role was to enforce the state criminal statutes and serve warrants and court papers. Elections, courts, tax collection and the property appraiser are state constitutional officers. They are there to make sure that the people have access to state governmental services. County government was never meant to provide other services. For example in Martin County, you hear county commissioners referring to the Martin County Golf Course as a “municipal course.”
Florida was the first place Europeans visited and settled in the now-continental United States. Spain founded St. Augustine in 1565, and it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the U.S. Throughout the colonial period, England and Spain continuously battled in Florida and the Caribbean. In 1763, Spain ceded Florida to England by the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Year War.
The British divided Florida into two colonies known as East and West Florida. As part of the Treaty of Versailles that granted American independence, Florida was returned to Spain in 1783. Madrid ceded the territories to the U.S. in 1821after pressure from American settlers and Washington. Florida became a state in 1845.
Sources of Friction:
Florida originally had only two counties for the entire geographical area, Escambia and St. John. All other counties were formed from these two. Stuart was a long-established town in 1925 when Martin County was created from parts of St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties. Stuart was the long-dominant county seat with about 40% of the county population in 1930. By 1960, it had 25%, and then by 2000, less than 10%. Today, the population has stabilized at a little over 10% of the county population.
Likewise, at one time, Martin County’s wealthier residents and citizens lived within Stuart. But, just as most of the population is now centered outside the City, so too have those with greater assets. The median household income for Stuart is $47,736 and in Martin County $53,244.
From the County’s inception until the 1980s, the City of Stuart was pivotal in electing County Commissioners. As the City’s percentage of population has decreased in proportion to Martin County’s overall population, Stuart has become less and less a factor in countywide elections. This loss of political power translates to a loss of governmental influence. Unfortunately, City policies that continue to limit development within its boundaries have the impact of making the City less relevant. Thereby encouraging the County to act more and more as a provider of municipal services.
However, culturally and historically, the residents of Martin County have looked to Stuart as their “city” regardless of where they live in the County. This has created an economic burden on the actual taxpayers of Stuart to provide for these perceived “citizens” and their expectations. The recent Sailfish ballfields are a good example since most of the people using them are not from Stuart.
At the same time, Martin County has been providing municipal services to unincorporated residents for decades. This has acted as a barrier to municipal incorporation throughout the County. As an example, one does not have to proceed further than the recent Hobe Sound defeat of incorporation. These two factors, history and culture and the county providing municipal services are the two main reasons for the discord.
Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties have proportionately few residents in unincorporated areas. Martin County has less than 20% of its population living in incorporated areas. Early on, Martin County began providing services instead of encouraging incorporation. Now the formation of new cities is much harder than in the past because the main reason for them has been usurped by County government.
In the past, Stuart and Martin County have been antagonists and competitors, much as Macy’s and Gimbles were in the movie Miracle On 34th Street. Instead of toys and clothes being sold, the governments are selling water and fire services. The County has won that fight because of its sheer size and budget. In the 21st Century, county government, especially in Martin County, does not only act as a political subdivision of the State but it is the largest municipality.
Conclusion:
So, what outcome can be expected? In the past, both governments have been too quick to impugn the motives of the other. Further, County Commissioners did not understand and act as if residents and taxpayers of Stuart were also residents and taxpayers of Martin County. As an example If the City annexes, the County does not lose ad valorem taxes. Their General Fund continues to collect tax revenue regardless of where residents live…unincorporated Martin County or The City of Stuart.
What is not collected by the County in municipalities are the MSTUs (Municipal Service Taxing Units.) Those additional revenues are how Fire/Rescue and Parks, for example, are paid for in unincorporated Martin County. Since these services are not provided by the County in the City, they can’t be charged through the County’s General Fund.
One of the sources of the friction is how the cost of providing the services is allocated between the specific MSTU and the General Fund. For instance, when calculating the Fire/Rescue MSTU, are the costs such as Human Resources or the Legal Department’s time allocated at all? If so, whether it is an accurate amount charged to the MSTU. If not, then the General Fund would contain costs associated with providing the services that should not be included. There are several other items, such as impact fees, that have contributed to the antagonism.
However, there are bright spots that have appeared in the last year. Both City and County are willing to look at issues in a more holistic aspect. Now most County Commissioners do not believe that annexation in and of itself is necessarily a bad thing. In fact, judicious use of that tool can be beneficial to both entities.
If you believe that western Martin County should keep the ranches and farms and not succumb to sprawl, then development needs to occur in Stuart and the CRA areas. There are literally hundreds of acres within those areas that can and should have infill projects and redevelopment of under-utilized sites. Density belongs within cities. Many of the problems we see in Martin County in this respect are brought about by the County trying to provide municipal services to suburban and rural areas while the City has a fear of growth and continues to act as if Stuart was the same farm town it was 70 years ago.
For example, Martin County’s transit system is underutilized because it is an urban mechanism for moving people being used in a suburban and rural setting. The routes are too few and the scheduled times of service make it unappealing for most people to use. At the same time within Stuart, their micro-transit system operates not as a true transit system but as a shuttle between parking lots and Downtown. Because of the lack of funding, it does not service the entire City. This is a good example of two systems not working very well because one lacks passenger density and the other lacks the money to operate in a city setting.
These and other problems could be remedied If both can acknowledge their different roles, then every taxpayer in Martin County would benefit.