HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Plans to enact a 30-year, one-percent transportation sales tax referendum in Hillsborough County are moving forward.
Commissioners voted Wednesday to direct staff to schedule and advertise a public hearing on the referendum on April 20. If passed, the referendum would be up for a vote and appear on the ballot in November.
Commissioners, along with several proponents, said the area is severely underfunded and cannot keep up with the growth. However, critics argue it’s costly, especially at a time when inflation, housing, and gas prices are reaching record highs.
The money from the proposed referendum could go toward more lanes, better lighting, sidewalks and curb extensions. Plans to complete road construction projects are stalled.
The county estimates the one-percent transportation sales tax would generate $252 million from the first fiscal year if voters approve the referendum.
Here’s how the money would be distributed:
- 54.5% to the county and municipalities, including Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace.
- 45% to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART).
- 0.5% to the Metropolitan Planning Organization.
On Nov. 2018, voters approved a ballot that levied a one-percent sales surtax but just more than two years later, the Florida Supreme Court struck it down after finding it unconstitutional.
More than $500 million were collected from taxpayers during that period. A Tampa circuit judge ruled at the end of March that it be in the hands of the Florida Legislature to decide what to do with that money.
At this point, there is a line item in the state budget that puts the money collected into transportation projects in Hillsborough County — the budget has yet to be signed by the governor.
Commissioners Wednesday also voted to make an amendment to a portion of the proposed referendum. Commissioner Pat Kemp, who also serves as chair of HART, said the change is meant to allow more flexibility on how the money is spent.
The amendment now reads:
“No less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the 233 Transit Restricted Portion shall be spent on transit services that utilize exclusive transit 234 right-of-way for at least fifty percent (50%) of the length of the applicable 235 service.”
When 10 Investigates recently looked into dangerous roadways, Commissioner Harry Cohen discussed how the lack of funding from the sales tax was hurting the county's ability to make road improvements. He described how the county had a backlog of projects to complete.
Click here to read our investigation.