Unincorporated Areas
Unincorporated Area (MSTU) Information
Pinellas County features both incorporated municipalities and unincorporated areas. Approximately 280,000 people — representing 36% of the County — reside outside of the county’s 24 cities and within unincorporated Pinellas County. The unincorporated areas include communities from the Pasco County line to Tierra Verde.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners serves as the local government for residents in the unincorporated areas. A portion of the County budget, called the Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU), is paid by residents of the unincorporated area to provide municipal services, such as law enforcement and building permitting, to the unincorporated area.
Unincorporated Area Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) Budget
MSTU Expenditures include both direct and indirect costs in unincorporated areas of the County and consist of the following activities:
- Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement: The Sheriff provides law enforcement services to the unincorporated area. The Sheriff’s Office determines the budget based on an analysis of these resources (patrol officers, vehicles, etc.). The methodology for this allocation is based on an independent consultant review in 2003. Year-end financial reporting for the previous eight fiscal years, from FY16 through FY23, indicates that an average of 27.0% of the Sheriff’s law enforcement activity is dedicated to the MSTU. The following budget summary table applies 27.0% to the calculated MSTU portion of the Law Enforcement budget for FY24 and FY25.
- Departments or programs entirely dedicated to the MSTU: Several agencies are engaged in providing services exclusively to the unincorporated area. In the FY25 Budget, these activities include building services, development review services, code enforcement, surface water management, and lot clearing. Additionally, three County positions provide focused support to unincorporated communities, work with local organizations to ensure strong communication,• Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement: The Sheriff provides law enforcement services to the unincorporated area. The Sheriff’s Office determines the budget based on an analysis of these resources (patrol officers, vehicles, etc.). The methodology for this allocation is based on an independent consultant review in 2003. Year-end financial reporting for the previous eight fiscal years, from FY16 through FY23, indicates that an average of 27.0% of the Sheriff’s law enforcement activity is dedicated to the MSTU. The following budget summary table applies 27.0% to the calculated MSTU portion of the Law Enforcement budget for FY24 and FY25.
- Departments or programs entirely dedicated to the MSTU: Several agencies are engaged in providing services exclusively to the unincorporated area. In the FY25 Budget, these activities include building services, development review services, code enforcement, surface water management, and lot clearing. Additionally, three County positions provide focused support to unincorporated communities, work with local organizations to ensure strong communication, and help guide local projects to fruition. These staff liaisons help coordinate priorities with these communities and improve the overall quality of life for residents.
- An allocation of $220,000 is included in the MSTU budget each year to fund special projects in the unincorporated areas.
- Departments or programs partially dedicated to the MSTU: Departments whose services, and therefore costs, are allocated between countywide and MSTU activities include zoning services and Economic Incentive Grants for job creation.
- Activities associated with revenue collection: The budgets for the elected Property Appraiser and Tax Collector are determined by statutory formulas that spread their costs in proportion to the property tax and other revenue they are responsible for supporting. Their budgets are approved by the State Department of Revenue. After the fiscal year, any charges exceeding what these agencies require to operate are returned to the supported funds in the same manner, proportionate to the property tax and other revenue collected.
Call the Pinellas County Information Line at (727) 464-3000 for assistance regarding unincorporated area programs and services.
