Good Morning, Sunland
It’s Monday. We’re back in motion. I spent last week in and out of Orlando with family visiting Disney and Universal. And full transparency, I’m so happy to be back.
I really do love Saint Lucie County. In my head, a busy city always sounds great until I’m ready to come right back home. Anyway.
💜 People Pass Shoutout. Quick shoutout to Dorrian Bridges who just joined the People Pass crew. Left a short note “Love the work.” I appreciate that for real. If you want to support the newsletter and everything we’re building, you can do that here.
🌡️ Weather: At this point, I feel like anything could happen. Rain, Sunshine, Both?
🌦️ Day: High of 93°F | Showers and storms rolling through.
🌙 Night: Low of 75°F | A few clouds. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
🌅 Sunrise: 6:29 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 8:20 PM
🌘 Moon: Waxing Crescent | 🌔 Moonrise: 10:40 AM | 🌒 Moonset: 11:49 PM
🎶 Sounds like: Computer Love – Zapp & Roger
Ja’Min Devon
🚨 Sponsored: Meet The Yates Team!
Meet Tommy Conway! Five generations deep, and still serving with heart.
Tommy Conway grew up in this work. As the oldest son of Tom Conway, he carries on a legacy rooted in compassion, care, and community. A Fort Pierce native, graduate of John Carroll and Miami Dade College, Tommy’s just as comfortable helping families plan ahead as he is fishing the river with his kids.
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🏡 Main Squeeze: Fort Pierce Faces Higher Taxes to Fund Police Raises
📌 TLDR: Fort Pierce is staring down a big decision. City leaders are considering a property-tax increase to cover permanent salary bumps, especially in the police department. Staff warn that even with higher taxes, projected revenue drops in 2027 could still open a budget hole.
📊 The Backdrop: The city’s five-year forecast shows revenue peaking in 2026, then sliding from about sixty-seven point five million dollars to roughly sixty million by 2030. Property taxes, utility taxes, and state transfers all flatten or fall. At the same time, this year’s raises push expenses higher across police, public works, and other departments.
💬 Why It Matters: Twenty police vacancies and rising overtime leave patrol shifts thin. Public Works crews want matching raises and hint at walk-outs if left behind. Homeowners already pay a higher city tax rate than Port St. Lucie. A millage bump now could steady staffing, but it lands on household budgets during a cost-of-living crunch.
📈 By the Numbers:
Current city millage: 6.9000
Extra revenue from adding roughly one mill: about two point two million dollars a year
Police share of the general fund: 30.7 percent
Cost of this year’s raises across departments: about two million dollars
Projected revenue decline from 2027 to 2030: about seven million dollars
City finance staff say any millage change is still on the table. One option is adding around one mill; another is holding the rate and trimming elsewhere.
⚖️ The Trade-Off: Raise taxes now and secure money for raises, but risk backlash and still face a dip in three years. Hold the rate, keep bills flat today, and likely cut services, freeze hiring, or drain reserves when revenue slows.
🗓 What’s Next: Commissioners must set a tentative millage in August, followed by two public hearings in September under Florida’s Truth in Millage law. Between now and then they will weigh resident feedback, union pressure, and the looming shortfall before casting a final vote.
👀 What We’re Watching:
Will leaders reach for a millage bump or carve the budget instead?
How will Public Works react if police raises move forward without parity?
Can the city lower police workers-comp costs tied to injuries?
Does a countywide public-safety sales surtax surface as a long-term fix?
🎥 Watch the full meeting: Budget Workshop Video
📅 Heads-up: The City Commission meets tonight at 5 p.m. If you have opinions on the millage or the raises, this is your chance to speak up.
🍊 Press Round: Turtles, Treatment, Tributes
🐢 Turtles Need Dark Nights
Coastal Connections warns that seventy percent of nesting attempts on a busy half-mile of Vero Beach have failed since June 1 because beachgoers use white flashlights and crowd nesting turtles. Skip the beach after dark or go light-free so mothers can lay their eggs.
🚰 Wastewater Plant Funding Secured
Fort Pierce Utility Authority just landed five million dollars to finish relocating its storm-vulnerable island wastewater plant inland. The new facility is seventy-five percent built, will cut lagoon pollution, and is set to come online by December 2025.
🪧 Jetty Plaque Removal Delayed
Fort Pierce pushed the start of removing unapproved memorial plaques at Jetty Linear Park to the week of July 28. Intact plaques can be claimed at the Public Works Facility on August 4 and 5, with pickup available through August 15.
🤩 People Pass: What your support means!
From school coverage to better tools like play.sunlandnews.com, every upgrade you see is made possible by readers who pitch in. Thank you to everyone who already has. This is what the People Pass makes possible. Want to support it too?
🎉 Weekdayer: Some Monday - Friday Happenings
🍳 Business Bowl & Breakfast – Chamber-style morning mixer at The Saints Pub. | 8:15 AM Tue 7/22 | $17 RSVP | Details
🎉 Grand Opening Celebration – Chicken Salad Chick gives away treats all week at Tradition. | 10:30 AM Tue 7/22 – Sat 7/26 8 PM | Free | Details
🥳 Pop-Up Party – Deputies host popcorn, popsicles & games for kids at River Park Marina. | 9:30 - 11:30 AM Wed 7/23 | Free | Details
🛍️ Live Markets at Encore – Evening artisan market with honey, pet treats & local goods in Tradition. | 4 - 7 PM Thu 7/24 | Free | Details
🎨 State of the Arts Neighborhood Celebration – Two-day block party in Peacock Arts District with music, vendors & murals. | 6 PM Fri 7/25 – 9 PM Sat 7/26 | Free | Details
💧 The Last Drop: Jobs and School Prep
👔 Community Job Fair: Port St. Lucie teams with CareerSource Research Coast to match job-seekers with local employers Aug 25, 3:30-6:30 p.m., MIDFLORIDA Event Center Details & RSVP
🚌 Register to Ride: Every SLPS student who needs the bus this school year must sign up online. Do it now to avoid first-week route delays Quick form
🍎 Virtual Teacher & Para Career Fair: Educators and parapros can meet hiring schools and explore openings July 21 at 10 a.m. (online) Free registration
📸 This is Sunland: ✌️ My Friend J’Qwan
My friend and Head of Image at Sunland News J’Qwan put together a beautiful photo exhibit this weekend at the Sunland Bookstore. Grateful to see it come to life and excited for what it means for the future of art in this city.
See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min
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