North St. Lucie River Water Control District, St. Lucie County:
HB 4049 revises the charter provisions for the North St. Lucie River Water Control District in St. Lucie County. The bill increases the district’s maximum annual maintenance tax levy from $25 to $50 per acre, while keeping the assessment equal and uniform across land within the district and limiting any annual increase in the assessment rate to no more than 10 percent compared with the prior year.
The bill also requires a referendum of district landowners by mail ballot to approve the higher cap. The referendum must be held on or before December 31, 2026, and the measure only takes effect if a majority of voting landowners approve it. Until that approval occurs, the new authority to levy the higher maximum assessment does not become operative.
If approved by the affected landowners, the act amends a special law governing the North St. Lucie River Water Control District and expands the district’s authority to raise maintenance tax assessments on acreage within the district. It directly affects landowners in the district by potentially doubling the maximum annual per-acre maintenance levy, while preserving a 10 percent annual cap on rate increases and maintaining the district’s equal-and-uniform assessment structure.
The bill appears largely administrative and locally focused, with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. Its structure suggests a cautious approach: it authorizes a higher funding ceiling for district maintenance needs, but only after direct approval from the landowners who would pay the assessment. That referendum requirement indicates an effort to balance district financing needs with taxpayer consent.
The main point of contention is likely the proposed increase in the maximum maintenance tax from $25 to $50 per acre, since that would raise costs for landowners in the district. Supporters would likely emphasize the need for additional revenue to maintain district infrastructure or water control functions, while opponents may object to higher assessments or question whether the increase is necessary. The 10 percent annual increase limit and the referendum requirement are the bill’s principal safeguards and likely the focus of any debate.