County Council To Decide On Half-Cent Sales Tax Increase For November Ballot

Posted

Volusia County, FL - On Tuesday, the Volusia County Council is expected to decide whether or not to put a half-cent sales tax increase for local infrastructure on the November ballot. If the measure for the half-cent sales tax is approved for the November ballot and if it is passed by Volusia voters on November 6, the tax would be implemented for 20 years. Money collected from the tax would go toward roads, sidewalks, bridges, water quality, and stormwater and flood control, according to County records. If approved by the County Council and voters, the sales tax referendum would go into effect beginning January 1, 2019. Proceeds from the tax would be distributed to the County and each of the 16 municipalities in the County based on a statutory formula unless otherwise specified by an agreement between the cities and the County. Along with the possible referendum to put the half-cent sales tax before voters, Tuesday's measure would also establish a 17-member citizens' advisory review committee to determine whether or not the use of the proceeds from the tax should be authorized. According to County records, 16 of the members of the citizens' advisory review committee would be nominated by the 16 individual municipalities in Volusia County and appointed by the County Council. The seventeenth member of the committee would be appointed by the County Council from either the unincorporated area of Volusia County or one of the cities in Volusia. You can find earlier reporting on this story here and here. Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2018.