Will Laughlin is running for the Group 1 seat on the City of Stuart Commission. A 33-year resident of the city, he worked as a school teacher before stepping away to care for his father, after which he moved into investment management, eventually starting a small investment fund. He said watching state legislation reach further into local decisions is what prompted him to run for office, particularly concerns about how new state laws could change the character of Downtown Stuart.
State Legislation and Local Control
Laughlin pointed to a series of state laws he said have steadily reduced local government’s control over development decisions, including the Live Local Act of 2024 and Senate Bill 180, passed in 2025. He described the trend as a gradual erosion of local authority rather than a single dramatic change, and said residents need to stay aware of these laws or risk losing control over decisions that shape their community.
He specifically raised concerns about the ball fields at Sailfish Ball Park, saying he believes the site could become a target for future development under these state provisions.
Property Taxes and the City Budget
Laughlin discussed the city’s current budget process, noting that Stuart’s property tax revenue has roughly doubled over the past decade even though the city’s population has not grown at the same rate. He said this reflects rising costs being placed on existing residents rather than new growth funding itself.
At a recent city commission budget meeting, Laughlin said officials discussed a potential shortfall of up to $3.5 million, with the millage rate under consideration to determine whether it would remain at 4.9 or return to 5.0. He said the additional revenue from raising the millage rate would largely be absorbed by fire and police funding, which make up roughly 52 percent of the city’s budget…