FORT PIERCE, Fla. — With Fort Pierce Commissioner James Taylor’s resignation now official, city leaders are facing a pressing financial question: How much will it cost taxpayers to hold a special election?
Taylor was arrested by St. Lucie County deputies on Thursday, charged with 24 counts of child exploitation. He submitted his letter of resignation to the city Monday afternoon.
WATCH: City, taxpayers will be on the hook for special election
Fort Pierce's charter requires a special election to fill Taylor's seat, and a city spokesperson confirmed to WPTV that election is expected to cost about $60,000.
“We must do better. We will do better," Commissioner Michael Broderick told WPTV on Friday. “I intend to make sure we chart a path forward at that meeting on Monday.”
During Monday night’s commission meeting, officials are expected to weigh how to cover that price tag.
J. Edwin Benton, a professor of political science for the University of South Florida, said the estimated $60,000 cost will fall squarely on the city and on its residents.
“The city would be on the hook for whatever the cost is and chances are the county is not going to assist," said Benton.
Benton says the cost typically covers things like ballot printing, poll worker pay, polling site rentals, and mail ballot postage.
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Yet, for a city like Fort Pierce, it’s a heavy hit. The current budget only allots $500 for election-related expenses.
“That’s $50,000 that could probably pay the salary for a year, for a firefighter, maybe a police officer," said Benton.
The city has already been financially stretched. Its entire $64,000 budget is smaller than the $85,000 Port St. Lucie allocates just for its police department — and last September, that money crunch stalled salary negotiations when Fort Pierce’s police union asked for a raise.
“It will impose a burden, meaning less money for vital services," said Benton.
“It will be a burden on the city of Fort Pierce. It will be a burden on those taxpayers up there. And just one more level of the blatant disregard for the public by this predator," added Representative Toby Overdorf.
The city says it will officially set the special election date during its Aug. 4 meeting, with a vote expected to happen in November.
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