St. Pete Beach is facing a $200 million crisis—our stormwater systems are outdated, our sewer lines need upgrades, and recent hurricanes exposed just how vulnerable our infrastructure really is. The cost of fixing it all is overwhelming for a city with fewer than 9,000 residents.

Mayor Adrian Petrila has proposed a simple, fair solution: a $1 toll on tourists driving into St. Pete Beach, projected to raise up to $11 million a year. This could fund crucial improvements—without raising taxes on the people who actually live here.

Tourists enjoy our beaches, our roads, and our public services. They use the same infrastructure we do—so why shouldn’t they help maintain it? Residents, business owners, and employees would be exempt from the toll. This plan focuses on ensuring those who visit help carry the costs of keeping our city safe and functional.

Some say the toll might hurt business, but other Florida cities like Sanibel and Treasure Island have made similar models work. In fact, investing in strong infrastructure is part of keeping our beach town vibrant, clean, and resilient. 

We believe in smart, shared solutions. A tourist toll isn’t punishment—it’s common sense. It’s time for everyone who benefits from St. Pete Beach to help protect it.

Sign now to tell the St. Pete Beach City Commission: We support a tourist toll to fix our city’s infrastructure—without raising taxes on residents.

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