By Susan Burgess

PORT ST. LUCIE — Budget cuts have left Port St. Lucie without its annual Elks Lodge Fourth of July parade this year. The parade’s veteran coordinator said he is saddened but optimistic that the parade will return next year with the help of private donors.

The patriotic parade featuring marchers and floats was organized and produced for about 20 years by Elks Lodge #2658 in Port St. Lucie on Midport Road, now called Veteran’s Memorial Highway. (more…)

By Alexi Howk

PORT ST. LUCIE — A total of 45 employees at the Police Department — 28 of them police officers — could be laid off by July 30 if additional money isn’t found to keep them, City Manager Jerry Bentrott said Thursday.

Police Chief Donald Shinnamon, at the direction of Bentrott, submitted a plan late Wednesday detailing how he would implement layoffs.

Bentrott asked all city departments earlier this year to cut their budgets by 15 percent to close a projected $10 million gap in next year’s budget. (more…)

STUART — Martin County’s Fire Rescue Department has proposed eliminating the LifeStar helicopter ambulance, cutting six lifeguard positions and increasing ambulance fees as part of the effort to save $2.7 million in the 2011 budget.

The Fire Rescue Department would still have to cut another $1.3 million to reach the target of a 12.5 percent reduction compared to the 2010 budget, county officials said Tuesday.

The Fire Rescue Department proposals are among the difficult decisions facing the county commission as it tries to reduce spending by almost $17 million in anticipation of a 12.5 percent decline in taxable property values.

Acting County Administrator Taryn Kryzda has endorsed about $8.5 million in spending cuts suggested by the county department directors.

Kryzda also suggested reconsidering the fire fee and looking into a referendum on a 1 percent sales tax for fire rescue service. The fee would replace a property tax to pay for firefighting services. The county commission discussed the possible assessment last year, but took no action.

“If a zero increase in (the tax rate) is where you’re all headed, we are a long way away from that number,” Commission Chairman Doug Smith told the other commissioners.

The commissioners are supposed to set the 2011 budget and property tax rate during the week of July 26. Public hearings to finalize the budget are set for Sept. 14 and 28. The 2011 budget year starts Oct. 1.

Commissioners Susan Valliere and Patrick Hayes said they oppose eliminating the LifeStar helicopter ambulance, and Commissioners Ed Ciampi and Sarah Heard also questioned the proposal.

Hayes said he would not vote to raise the property tax rate to balance the county budget this year if Heard and Valliere, the two commissioners up for re-election, don’t join the commission majority.

“If you’re not going to support your county administrator to give you the cuts you need, you’ve got to put something on the table,” Hayes said. “You just can’t say, ‘I don’t like this, I don’t like that … and I’m not raising taxes.’ ”

Valliere and Heard renewed their calls for pay cuts for county employees.

“By no stretch of the imagination am I approving what I’m seeing here today,” Valliere said, “I made a lot of suggestions that have not been considered.”

Kryzda said she was concerned a pay cut would hurt employee morale. And Smith said it wouldn’t save that much money.

Ciampi said pay cuts, furloughs and layoffs must be considered in light of the budget shortfall.

“We have 1,500 employees who have a piano hanging over their head, wondering, ‘What will this mean to me?’” Ciampi said. “It’s a tough situation for all of us.”

FORT PIERCE — Questions about how to revitalize the local economy, the future of Fort Pierce Utilities Authority are among chief concerns for voters entering Tuesday’s Fort Pierce City Commission elections for District 1 and District 2.

In District 1, R. “Duke” Nelson is hoping to return to the City Commission by defeating incumbent Rufus Alexander. In District 2, incumbent Christine Coke faces three challengers: Curtis Boyd, Tom Perona and Rick Reed. District 1 primarily includes citizens west of U.S. 1 and north of Delaware Avenue as well as those along northern Okeechobee Road. District 2 primarily includes citizens south of Delaware Avenue along with those east of U.S. 1 as well as those south of Okeechobee Road.

Unemployment was at 15.3 percent in the county in September, according to the state’s Agency for Workforce Innovation. High unemployment combined with foreclosure rates have led voters to search for elected officials to come up with smart solutions to fix the problems while managing a budget diminished by a 17.4 percent decline in local property values.
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The regional Boy Scout organization overseeing the Treasure Coast says it is in serious financial difficulties.

In the face of a 30 percent decline in financial support, the Gulf Stream Council cut staff and expenses earlier this year.

Still the administrative organization has “an urgent cash flow shortage that threatened our operations and program,” wrote John Marion, Gulf Stream Council Executive Board president, in a recent letter to local Scout groups.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — The International Union of Police Associations, which represents the city’s police officers, put a sign on a billboard Sunday at U.S. 1 and Jennings Road to protest the city sending layoff notices to eight police officers.

The notices advised the officers their last day of employment would be Sept. 30.

One side of the billboard reads, “Welcome to Port St. Lucie! Violent crime is up 14.4 percent! Feel safe???”

The other side breaks down what the city spent on the civic center and plans to spend to bring a private digital production studio to the city. It also cites a figure, $1.5 million, as the annual upkeep of the botanical garden project.
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PORT ST. LUCIE - In a turnabout decision, the City Council Monday night gave an initial 4-1 vote to increase the property tax rate by 11 percent.

The council also unanimously approved a 2009-2010 revised total budget of $430 million.

A final vote on the property tax rate and budget is scheduled for a 7 p.m. Sept. 28 public hearing at City Hall.

Last week, the council made a last-ditch effort to avoid an earlier proposed 26 percent property tax increase and held a special meeting to discuss using half of the city’s general fund reserves to help offset a more than $18 million deficit in the general fund.
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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A year after Sheriff’s Office employees got a $1,000 bonus in lieu of raises from retiring Sheriff Roy Raymond, current Sheriff Deryl Loar is expected to give at least some of them a bigger bonus, as much as $1,600 each.

It’s the product of an unusual situation, sheriff’s Comptroller Harry Hall said Monday. He said he expects to have $747,000 unspent at the end of the month.

Some of the savings, he said, came from budgeting $3.48 per gallon last fall for patrol cars’ gasoline and seeing prices drop to $1 less. And there haven’t been as many jail inmates hospitalized, he added.

“It’s like the planets all lined up,” Hall said. “It’s unrealistic to think this can continue (in future years).”
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PORT ST. LUCIE — City property owners may be able to avoid a proposed 26 percent increase in their property taxes.

During a special meeting Wednesday, the City Council unanimously agreed to use half of the city’s general fund reserves to keep the property tax rate at its current rate of $4.22 per $1,000 of taxable value. The council will formally vote on setting the property tax rate during scheduled 7 p.m. public hearings Sept. 14 and Sept. 28 at City Hall.

Using the city’s median home price of $112,000 with a $50,000 homestead exemption, an average city property tax bill using the current rate would be $261, excluding taxes from other agencies, such as the school and fire districts.
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PORT ST. LUCIE — Offering the unions a “final” opportunity to save eight police officer jobs and avoid other layoffs, the city agreed to guarantee no layoffs next year in exchange for a wage freeze.

But the Coastal Florida Public Employees Association, which represents the city’s civilian employees, voted Monday night to reject the city’s offer, said union acting Executive Director Johnny Bingham. The city’s other two unions, the Florida Police Benevolent Association, which represents lieutenants and sergeants, and the International Union of Police Associations, which represents police officers, have not come to an agreement.

Bingham said the Police Benevolent Association, which he also directs, was sending a letter to the city Wednesday advising officials they are interested in coming back to the table to negotiate.
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