Port St. Lucie residents will receive money back after the city secured a $24 million settlement from Waste Pro, their former trash hauler. Both the city and company filed lawsuits against each other in 2021 during the pandemic. The city alleged that Waste Pro failed to meet its contractual service standards, while the company attributed the problems to labor shortages caused by the pandemic. Rather than receiving checks, residents will see credits applied directly to their property tax bills.
The settlement amounts vary depending on property ownership history. More than 57,000 properties with the same owner since 2022 will receive $364 credits each. The city determined that these residents experienced the most significant problems during Waste Pro's service failures in 2021 and 2022, including service interruptions. The remaining credits address rate increases that occurred while Waste Pro breached its contract, plus costs associated with litigation and transitioning to a new provider.
A second group of properties will receive $64 credits. This includes 24,676 properties that experienced title changes since 2022. Because the city cannot determine whether these changes resulted from trusts, marriage, divorce, or relocation, and cannot reach former owners, all properties in this category receive the smaller amount. Additionally, 13,241 new properties will also get $64 credits since these households have paid pandemic-related rate increases.
The city has created an opportunity for property owners who sold their homes and purchased another within the city during the same period. These residents may submit documentation proving continuous ownership to receive the remaining $300 credit on their next year's tax bill. A 180-day claims window will allow eligible households to apply. The city will establish the claims process after review by city staff and the legal department. Mayor Shannon Martin stated that from the beginning, he maintained the funds should benefit residents who experienced the problems in 2021 and 2022. Councilman Anthony Bonna said the city had reached the right balance, while Councilman David Pickett noted that residents suffered through the disputes and litigation. One resident, Kelly Lee, expressed that she was pleasantly surprised by the outcome and appreciated the city's thoughtful approach to the settlement distribution.