Page 5 - Palm City Spotlight - October '24

Palm City Spotlight, Page 5

all about Kids

Community Foundation our programming,” said Rhodes, “Our goal of increasing
student reading proficiency is one of many benefits that
Awards Grant To Education this grant supports.”
Foundation Of Martin County For more information on the Education Foundation and
its programs, visit www.educationfoundationmc.org.
Photo by Doreen Poreba
The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin
Counties has awarded a $49,000 grant to the Education
Foundation of Martin County. This funding will support the Referendum from page 1
Education Foundation’s efforts to continue strengthening
organizational operations and programs by investing in staff amount of land targeted for purchase and permanent
expansion and retention. This will benefit Martin County protection is more than four times the size of Jonathan
public schools, teachers and students. The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Dickinson State Park. The lands to be purchased from
Lisa Rhodes, the Education Foundation’s executive Counties’ grant to the Education Foundation of Martin willing sellers would help to improve water quality in
director, expressed her gratitude to the Community County enabled the nonprofit organization to expand its staff. our rivers and waterways, ensure safe drinking water
Foundation for its important support. “This grant will From left, Candice Tedesco and Jinara Reyes recently joined sources, preserve wildlife habitats and open spaces,
enable us to successfully grow our operations and expand Pamela Amsbaugh and Lisa Rhodes on the foundation’s staff. and create more recreational opportunities.
Safeguards Built Into The Referendum
Martin County Forever advocates worked with
county staff to structure the referendum with built-in
EVERY SUNDAY | FLAGLER PARK safeguards to ensure the funds raised are only spent
the way voters intended. The land purchases will
9AM-2PM be overseen by a citizens advisory committee, with
activities conducted with public transparency and
annual audits required. Only lands within four key
areas are identified for purchase. Those areas are
Live Music Blueways, 400 acres of “in town” parcels, adjacent to

Fresh Local Produce local waterways; Indian River Lagoon South, 27,000
acres of critical importance to the health of the lagoon;
Artisanal Foods Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Headwaters, 9,800 acres
essential to the health of both rivers; and Pal-Mar, 8,500
Unique Handcrafted Goods acres of high-quality wetlands in Martin County.
Key Facts About The Half Cent Sales Tax
Monthy FREE Yoga & Wellness Activities • In 10 years, it would generate about $183 million.
• More than a third of the total (37.5 percent) would
be paid by people who don’t live in Martin County.
Kids Market (1st & 3rd Sunday Monthly) • The dollars raised locally could leverage matching
funds from federal, state and other land conservation
sources.
• The current sales tax rate would increase from 6.5
to 7 percent.
• Importantly, just like our current sales tax, the half-
cent increase would not apply to groceries, prescription
medications or school supplies or to the portion of any
purchase over $5,000.
“This referendum puts the future of Martin County
SCAN TO in our own hands,” said Merritt Matheson, former
LEARN mayor of the City of Stuart, environmental advocate
MORE Operated by Stuart Main Street and strong supporter of
the referendum. “We urge
all Martin County voters
to educate themselves
A market for growers, crafters, artists & other creators on the referendum, get
involved and help spread
the word. The clock is
ticking. If we don’t buy
the land now, it can be
developed and gone
forever.
Many Ways To Be Part Of The Campaign
Volunteers are needed to spread the word and
campaign organizers have some fun ways to get the
message out to voters. A song, Let’s Buy the Land,
was produced to make the campaign more memorable.
The folksy tune and heartfelt lyrics are a fun way to
get across a serious message, according to Martin
County Forever organizers. The song is easy to learn
and available on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and
other streaming services. A full cut video featuring
the song as well as shorter versions are also available
to watch and share through Martin County Forever’s
YouTube channel.
WILL YOU For more information, visit www.martincountyforever.
com. Follow Martin County Forever on Facebook,
Instagram and YouTube.
Additional Referendum Information
VOLUNTEER? Here’s how the official referendum wording will
appear on the ballot:
Lands To Protect Water Quality, Natural Areas And
Wildlife Habitat
Shall Martin County protect its water quality and
unique character by acquiring critical natural lands in
Martin County within the Indian River Lagoon South,
Looking for ways to serve your neighbors? Pal-Mar, Loxahatchee and St. Lucie Headwaters,
Blueways areas and provide municipal infrastructure
Consider Safe Families for Children. We match volunteers with allowed by law, by levying a one-half percent (0.5%)
struggling families so they don’t have to face hardship alone. county sales tax for 10 years starting January 1, 2025
with Annual Audit and Citizen Oversight?
Jim Snedeker and Merritt Matheson are available
FOR MORE INFO, CALL 772-217-5467 | SafeFamiliesFlorida.org | Treasure Coast Chapter for interviews.