Port St. Lucie approves Waste Pro settlement tax credits for residents
Port St. Lucie residents will receive the city’s $24 million Waste Pro settlement through property-tax credits rather than having the money directed to general city projects.
The City Council approved the allocation plan at a special meeting June 15, 2026. The plan covers eligible single-family residential properties that received solid-waste collection service and sets different credit amounts based on ownership history.
How the credits will work
The city said 95,159 properties received solid-waste service. Of those, 57,242 properties with the same owner since 2022 will receive a total credit of $364. That amount includes a $64 consumer-price-index-related credit on the 2026 property-tax bill.
Another 24,676 properties with a title change will receive a $64 credit. The city also identified 13,241 newly added properties that will receive a $64 credit.
The plan does not provide the same payment to every property owner. The credit depends on the property’s ownership history and its status under the city’s eligibility categories.
Residents who sold a home and bought another property within Port St. Lucie during the relevant period may be able to seek the remaining $300 credit. They will have a 180-day claims window to submit documentation, with an approved claim applied to the following year’s property-tax bill.
Claims process and timing
The city said its staff and legal department will establish the claims process. Port St. Lucie has not announced a launch date or submission location for those claims, so residents who moved within the city will need to watch for further city instructions before submitting documents.
The city also has not specified the exact date when the $64 credits will appear on 2026 tax bills. The approved mechanism is a property-tax credit, not a mailed check.
Settlement followed Waste Pro litigation
The settlement grew out of litigation involving Waste Pro of Florida’s former solid-waste contract with the city. The case was filed in 2021 and expanded in 2022 over allegations involving the company’s performance and the early cancellation of the contract.
City records identify the case as City of Port St. Lucie v. Waste Pro of Florida, Inc., Case No. 2021-CA-001628. The city’s claims included alleged failures to timely and adequately collect refuse, garbage, bulk waste and yard waste.
The council approved the settlement resolution April 10, 2026, before a scheduled April 13 trial. The agreement resolved the claims and counterclaims, ending the case before it went to trial.
The June 15 allocation vote establishes how the settlement funds, including interest, will be returned to residents. For property owners who kept the same home since 2022, the plan identifies a $364 credit. For properties with a title change or newly added service, the initial credit is $64, while qualifying residents who moved from one Port St. Lucie home to another can pursue the additional $300 through the later claims process.
Sources
- City approves plan to allocate $24M Waste Pro settlement to residents, City of Port St. Lucie
- Resolution 26-R31: Waste Pro litigation settlement, City of Port St. Lucie City Council
- Port St. Lucie approves $24 million settlement with Waste Pro ahead of trial, WQCS
Look for updates to this story
Discover more from Interactive News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.