Licensed to support
Big Bros Big Sis’ get license plate
A3
Debut fishing column
Fred Caimotto’s fishing report
A26
British invasion to LOL to Cleese and Idle invade St. Lucie.
B1
ST. LUCIE WEST • TRADITION
YourVoiceWeekly.com VOL. 3/ISSUE 48
YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
Taking a swipe at City adopts 2016 the SLC Sheriff tax increase Patrick McCallister STAFF WRITER
pmccallister@YourVoiceWeekly.com
Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Scott Van Duzer of St. Lucie West tried to up the ante to shave the eyebrows of Ken Mascara, St. Lucie County Sheriff during a benefit for Deputy Corey Todd through The Van Duzer Foundation at Big Apple Pizza in Fort Pierce. Deputy Todd is battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia. More close shave images on page B11.
PORT ST. LUCIE — After impassioned opposition from the public and Mayor Greg Oravec, the City Council raised property taxes for the coming year by about 15 to 20 percent depending on how the calculation is made. That was at the city’s second budget meeting, Monday, Sept. 28. “I don’t know what’s the matter with you people,” resident Michael Harrison told the council before the 4-1 vote approving the tax increase. “You’re twisted. Who can afford this kind of tax rate in Port St Lucie? Not me. I know people who are scared they’re going to be taxed out of their homes.” Out of about 20 speakers, one urged the council to adopt the higher tax rate of about $6.62 for every $1,000 dollars of accessed, non-exempt property value. That includes about $1.22 for voted debt. The other
$5.41 goes toward the 20152016 budget approved by the council: $559.3 million. As opponents to the tax hike followed one another to the public lectern, Oravec compared the scene to the buildup to the American Revolution. “Nobody has boxes of tea, do they?” he quipped. The four council members who voted for the increase said they’re not just raising others’ taxes. They pointed out that they’re city taxpayers, too. “I don’t want to pay it either,” councilwoman Linda Bartz said at the meeting. “It doesn’t fit with my budget at home. But, frankly, my job is to take care of the city.” Councilman Ron Bowen said he was voting for the tax increase out of principle knowing it’s likely to cost him a chance at reelection next year. He said, before the vote, that it was obvious three others would approve the tax, enough to pass it without him.
See TAXES page A11
Two years later, mother carries on daughters’ legacies through scholarship Lisa Barry
FOR YOUR VOICE NEWS & VIEWS
ST. LUCIE WEST – News of a plane crash killing two young women and their father ripped a
hole in the Port St. Lucie community and turned the girls’ mother’s life upside-down almost two years ago. Now, Roberta Huber is carrying on her daughters’ legacies through a scholarship that blesses a new student athlete each
year from the girls’ alma mater, Lincoln Park Academy (LPA). Hand-picked by Roberta, scholarship recipients must exemplify academic achievement, dedication to their sport, and heart for their community. A tough bill to fill, but exactly what Roberta said
her daughters, Tess and Abigail “Abbey” Huber stood for. On Dec. 8, 2013, Tess and Abbey were flying from Port St. Lucie to Jacksonville on a Cessna 310 plane piloted by their father,
See LEGACY page A11
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