STUART — Stuart City commissioners convened Sept. 8 to discuss the tentative budget for the 2026 fiscal year. The meeting was the first of two required public hearings before the budget is finalized. City Manager Michael Mortell kicked off the meeting to go over the plan.
“We’ve adjusted the budget to re-budget the four additional employees and the balance then was reduced down and it then results in a millage rate of 4.9 instead of 5, so it’s a reduction in the millage rate,” Mortell said.
Despite the lower tax rates, some Martin County residents may still see an increase in their property taxes. Martin has ranked among Florida’s top ten counties for median home value growth over the past decade. Martin County saw a $270,009 increase in median home value, placing it fifth in the state, according to a study by SmartAsset…