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HUTCHINSON ISLAND MSTU
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ALL HUTCHINSON ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS PAY 2 SPECIAL TAXES
All Hutchinson Island property owners in Martin County pay TWO special taxes or MSTUs. These are Martin County taxes levied only against Hutchinson Island property owners. The original Hutchinson Island MSTU was created to help fund the costs of beach renourishment projects. All Hutchinson Island property owners in Martin County have paid that Special 61-A MSTU tax since 1995. Beginning in 2012, the millage for the Special 61-A MSTU increased from .1118 to .2224. The information below explains the tax increase and why the additional tax continues today.
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CLICK HERE to search by your last name for your tax bills on the Martin County tax collector's website. Look for "SP DIST A-61 (MSTU) HUTCHI" Your 2011 tax bill, deliquent on April 1, 2012, will show the increased rate.
WHY DO HUTCHINSON ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS PAY 2 SPECIAL TAXES?
The original Hutchinson Island MSTU reportedly was created to help fund the costs of beach nourishment projects. All Hutchinson Island property owners in Martin County have paid that Special 61-A MSTU tax since 1995.
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In July 2011, Hutchinson Island property owner, Jim Hudson, on behalf of the Hutchinson Island Coalition, emailed the Martin County Commissioners asking for a five (5) year, 100% increase in the millage of the Hutchinson Island MSTU. The additional revenue from the increased tax would be used to pay for Hutchinson Island Coalition projects.
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CLICK HERE to read the July 2011 emails.
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The County Commissioners approved the MSTU millage increase at the September 2011 budget meeting. Beginning in 2012, Hutchinson Island property owners in Martin County were taxed for beach nourishment and to fund Hutchinson Island Special Project 2028-A. That tax still is being collected, despite the five year request.
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CLICK HERE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF THE TWO MSTU TAXES IN 2012 and 2013
WHAT IS HUTCHINSON ISLAND SPECIAL 2028A?
The image to the left is the Hutchinson Island Beautification Project 2028A page in the Martin County 2022 Capital Improvement Plan. CLICK HERE to view the entire Martin County FY22 Adopted Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
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In a November 2012 email, Commissioner Sarah Heard offered a Hutchinson Island Property Owner a good explanation of the Hutchinson Island MSTU. CLICK HERE to read that email and explanation.
HOW MUCH REVENUE HAS BEEN COLLECTED SINCE 2012?
The miuntes of the March 19, 2018 meeting of the Hutchinson Island Coalition Executve Steering Committee state, "We currently receive about $106,650 from MSTU tax each year (approximately $640,000 to-date)." This is the $106,650 listed on the "Hutchinson Island MSTU" flyer from the county tax assessor, posted at the top of this page.
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HOW HAS ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS' $640,000 BEEN SPENT?
The miuntes of the March 19, 2018 meeting of the Hutchinson Island Coalition Executve Steering Committee state: "Completed Phase 1 Landscaping (east side of A1A at MacArthur Blvd). Cost: $360,000. (MSTU funded)." "Completed Phase 2 Landscaping (west side of A1A at MacArthur Blvd). Cost: $280,000. (MSTU and grant funded)."
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CLICK HERE to read the March 19, 2018 meeting minutes of the Hutchinson Island Coalition Executive Steering Committee
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Please CLICK HERE to view Hutchinson Island MSTU income/expenses 2012-July 1, 2019.
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WHAT DID OUR $640,000 PAY FOR?
CLICK HERE to see a record of expenses charged to the Hutchinson Island Special 2028-A MSTU through March 9, 2019.
In July 2019, HIPI received this email from the Martin County District 1 Commissioner (includes Hutchinson Island) Doug Smth's office in response to HIPI's request for information about current and planned projects and expenditures related to the Hutchinson Island MSTU and Project 2028A, Hutchinson Island Beautification.
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We have provided the attached recap of the revenues and expenditures for the Hutchinson Island MSTU. You will see the Hutchinson Island project in each year’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) because it is an ongoing effort predicated by the 2012 Hutchinson Island Master Plan. Below is a list of elements that comprise the Master Plan, including those that have been completed and those elements remaining on the project list.
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*In process - the drainage improvement project, which runs along the north side of SE Ocean Blvd. (between the Causeway and MacArthur Blvd.) has been designed and permitted ($15K). The current construction cost estimate is $60K. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2019 – early 2020.
As you may know, the Capital Improvement Plan is both a budget and planning mechanism. This means that often the annual MSTU is accumulated over a period of time (sometimes years) in anticipation of a project requiring a large expenditure. Upon completion of the drainage improvement project, our Capital Projects Division will schedule a meeting with the Hutchinson Island property owners to discuss their priorities for the remaining projects.
We are happy to provide periodic updates, as they are requested. Please feel free to contact me at any time should you have any other questions. Thank you and I hope you have a great day!"
Best regards,
Kathy Boden
Executive Aide
Commissioner Doug Smith, District 1
Martin County Board of County Commissioners
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The chart shows which Hutchinson Island projects have been completed using Hutchinson Island Special MSTU funds (YES), which are planned/budgeted (YES*) and which are currently not planned/funded (NO).
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Those projects with an X in the YES column were completed as Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Hutchinson Island Coalition's Community Strategic Plan.
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Descriptions of those expenditures can be found above under "HOW HAS ISLAND PROPERTY OWNERS' $640,000 BEEN SPENT?"
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Four versions of the Hutchinson Island Coalition's strategic plan are linked below,
The Hutchinson Island Coalition (HIC) was dissolved by November 2018,
yet the Martin County CIP continues to list the HIC on the Project 2028A page.
Hutchinson Island Coalition Master Strategic Plan
The Hutchinson Island Coaltion (HIC) has submitted at least four versions of its "Master Strategic Plan" for Hutchinson Island.
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The first version of the plan was emailed by HIC president Jim Hudson to Martin County Commissioners on Sept. 12, 2011: HIC Hutchinson Island Master Strategic Plan Phase 1-September 8, 2011
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The second version of the plan expanded on the first vesion and was supposed to include feedback received from Hutchinson Island residents who were invted to a March 2013 open house at IRP. This version, dated May 31, 2013 was emailed to Martin County Commissioners by HIC president, Jim Hudson: HIC Hutchinson Island Master Strategic Plan Phase 1-Updated May 31, 2013
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A third version of the Master Strategic Plan appears in files provided to HIPI by HIC president Jim Hudson: HIC Hutchinson Island Community Strategic Plan-version 1. This plan does not have a title, cover page or county seal.
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The final version of the Hutchinson Island Community Strategic Plan, dated January 2014, has the Martin County seal on the cover page: HIC Hutchinson Island Community Strategic Plan with County Seal January 2014. Please note that this document and the third version are not identical.
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The Hutchinson Island Community Strategic Plans (often called the Master Strategic Plan) reference the plans created by Lucido & Associates, a land planning firm in Stuart, FL. At the request of the Hutchinson Island Coalition, the Hutchinson Island MSTU paid over $100,000 to Lucido & Associates for these plans, prior to the March 2013 Open House, the first and only known public meeting of the Hutchinson Island Coalition. Tom Lucido, president of Lucido & Associates, describes the plans and shows renderings at the March 2013 HIC Open House.
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Please click the link below to see a list of charges to the Hutchinson Island MSTU 2012-July 1, 2019.
Hutchinson Island MSTU income/expenses 2012-July 1, 2019
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