The early retirement of state Sen. Ken Pruitt will cost local governments — and therefore taxpayers — more than $475,000.

Tuesday’s special election to replace Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, for one year will cost at least that much.

Elections officials in the five counties that comprise state Senate District 28 base their costs projections upon printing, staff overtime, poll worker costs, advertising and the cost to mail out absentee-style ballots. (more…)

MARTIN COUNTY — The typical long-time Martin County homeowner would pay $94 more in county property taxes in 2010 under a budget proposal released Wednesday.

Acting County Administrator Tary Kryzda proposed setting the property tax rate at $7.98 per $1,000 of assessed value for the budget year starting Oct. 1.

That represents an increase of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or about 10 percent, compared to this year.

However, the county would still collect $141 million in property taxes in 2010, the same as this year, because the overall value of the county’s real estate declined by 10 percent, Kryzda said. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — Thousands of festival-goers might not be able to enjoy the next annual Oktoberfest, St. Patrick’s Day Festival, and Art and All That Jazz because of city budget cuts.

The city’s Community Redevelopment Area staff is recommending the City Council cut the $10,000 sponsorship it gives to each festival. Assistant City Manager Greg Oravec, who also serves as the agency’s director, sent letters earlier this month giving the bad news to the organizers.

He said last week he doesn’t know how long the cuts will last, and the festivals will have to raise more money privately.
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“Hopefully, this is going to bring an end to the massive overtime problem we’ve had in Martin County for the last 12 years,” Billington said. The county paid $2.3 million in overtime to fire rescue workers last year. (more…)

STUART — It’s up to Stuart commissioners to decide if they want to negotiate with Martin County commissioners to merge the city and county fire rescue services.

The Martin County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to endorse a merger proposal that would save the typical homeowner in unincorporated sections of the county $25 per year, but would cost the typical homeowner in Stuart $58 more annually. (more…)

STUART — Hoping to save $300,000 in overtime costs this year, the Martin County Commission decided Tuesday to hire nine new fire rescue workers.

County Administrator Duncan Ballantyne said he asked the commission to approve the new workers because they will be needed even if the county takes over the city of Stuart Fire Rescue Department.

A financial analysis showed it would be cheaper for the county to hire the new fire rescue workers than to pay overtime to fully staff ambulances and fire trucks, Ballantyne said. (more…)