As a business owner and resident invested in the future of Port St. Lucie, I have always believed that a thriving community requires strong, transparent, and fiscally responsible leadership. Unfortunately, the latest developments from City Hall paint a troubling picture of our city’s financial health and the urgent need for a change in direction.
This is why I am firmly endorsing Steven Giordano for Mayor of Port St. Lucie.
Recently, the City of Port St. Lucie released an internal letter revealing a severe and sudden budget crisis. Less than halfway through the year, the City Manager has instituted “Temporary Spending Restrictions”—effectively a spending freeze—citing rising capital project costs, unfunded expenses, and increased overtime.
When a city is forced to freeze hiring and halt essential spending just months into the fiscal year, it is a glaring red flag of fiscal mismanagement. It shows a lack of foresight and an inability to prioritize taxpayer dollars effectively.
The Evidence: The City’s Internal Memo
For full transparency, here is the exact letter sent by City Manager Jesus Merejo to the Leadership Team on May 6, 2026:
Date: May 6, 2026
To: Leadership Team
From: Jesus Merejo, City Manager
RE: Temporary Spending RestrictionsAfter carefully reviewing the City’s latest economic indicators, revenue trends, and budgetary trends, I want to share that we are confronting considerable challenges and uncertainties that could affect our financial outlook and the formulation of the Fiscal 2026-27 Proposed Budget.
Among the key contributors to this situation are rising capital project costs, unfunded expenses, and increased overtime. We are also closely monitoring factors that could further restrict our future revenues, such as a slowdown in construction, potential shifts in taxable property values, and possible property tax reforms being discussed by the State Legislature and Governor.
To maintain fiscal discipline and protect the City’s financial stability, prompt and proactive measures are necessary. Based on recommendations from the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Finance, I am instituting temporary spending restrictions on all non-essential expenditures, effective immediately.
Directives:
- All vacant position hires require executive review and pre-approval
- Salary adjustments are suspended temporarily
- No new or unapproved contractual hires will proceed
- Vacation buyback requests will be reviewed individually
- Travel, conferences, and professional development activities will be evaluated case by case
- Other non-essential spending, including food and promotional items, will be considered individually
- Food purchases are permitted only for the City’s annual end-of-the-year employee luncheon, Strategic Planning Workshop, Winter Workshop, and Summer Workshop
What This Means for Port St. Lucie Residents
Let’s be clear about what this spending freeze reveals. The city administration has admitted—in their own words—that they are facing “considerable challenges and uncertainties” due to rising capital project costs, unfunded expenses, and increased overtime. These are not external forces beyond anyone’s control. These are the direct results of poor planning, lack of oversight, and irresponsible budgeting.
When a city cannot fill vacant positions, when salary adjustments are frozen, and when professional development is halted, it is the employees and residents who suffer. City services slow down. Response times increase. The quality of life that attracted so many of us to Port St. Lucie begins to erode.
Steven Giordano: The Leader Port St. Lucie Deserves
When Steven Giordano shared this internal letter with the public on Facebook, his commentary was direct, honest, and exactly what residents need to hear:
“It’s not even halfway through the year yet, and now we are seeing frozen positions and spending restrictions. That is not a good look for the City of Port St. Lucie. Residents deserve transparency, accountability, and responsible budgeting with taxpayer money. Poor planning and mismanaged funds hurt city services, employees, and ultimately the community. We need leadership that focuses on smart spending, priorities, and putting the people of Port St. Lucie first.” — Steven Giordano
Steve understands what the current administration clearly does not: you cannot build a prosperous city on a foundation of poor planning and reactive financial panic.
As the CEO of Levine Capital, I deal with budgets, risk management, and strategic planning every single day. I know firsthand that when revenues slow down or project costs rise, a competent leader adjusts their strategy proactively—they do not wait until a crisis forces a hard stop on operations. The current leadership’s failure to anticipate these “unfunded expenses” and “rising capital project costs” is unacceptable. It is the taxpayers who will ultimately bear the burden of this mismanagement through reduced city services and potentially higher taxes.
Why Steve’s Platform is What PSL Needs
Steven Giordano’s platform is built on exactly what Port St. Lucie needs right now:
1. Unwavering Transparency — Steve was the one who brought this internal memo to the public’s attention. He believes residents have a right to know how their money is being handled. No backroom deals. No hidden crises. Full accountability to the people.
2. Strict Fiscal Accountability — He will hold city departments accountable for their spending and ensure that budgets are realistic, properly funded, and adhered to. No more “unfunded expenses” appearing mid-year as a surprise.
3. Responsible Budgeting — Steve knows that taxpayer money is a trust, not a slush fund. He will prioritize essential services and smart infrastructure investments over bloated, unfunded projects that lead to emergency spending freezes.
4. Putting Residents First — Every decision Steve makes will be measured against one standard: does this serve the people of Port St. Lucie? Not special interests. Not political allies. The people.
A Call to Action for Port St. Lucie Residents
We are at a critical juncture. Port St. Lucie is one of the fastest-growing cities in Florida, but growth without fiscal discipline leads to the exact crisis we are seeing today—a city that cannot even maintain basic spending halfway through its budget year.
I urge all residents of Port St. Lucie to:
- Read the evidence — Look at the city’s own admission of financial struggle above
- Demand answers — Ask your current leaders how we got here
- Support Steven Giordano for Mayor — Follow him on Facebook and get involved in his campaign
- Vote for change — When election day comes, vote for transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership
Port St. Lucie deserves better than a government that lurches from crisis to crisis. We deserve a mayor who plans ahead, spends wisely, and puts the community first.
Steven Giordano is that leader. I’m proud to endorse him, and I encourage every resident of Port St. Lucie to join me in supporting his campaign for mayor.
— Adam Levine, CEO of Levine Capital, Port St. Lucie, FL
