DeLand, FL - There will be a special mail-in election in May for Volusia residents to decide if a half-cent sales tax raise for road and water improvements are worth it.
That became official during today's (February 5th) County Council meeting, with almost all members backing the ordinance and its nearly $500,000 price tag around a year after shelving that question for the November 2018 ballot.
The one exception was Ormond Beach area rep Heather Post (District 4), who objected to the election as well as the tax itself.
"It's a regressive move that unfairly taxes and puts the burden on the citizens in the county that can least afford it," Post added. "I would strongly encourage the current County Council to demonstrate leadership and find other ways to pay for the items that have been neglected."
Precincts will not be operating for this election as a means of cutting down on costs. Instead, Volusia County residents will have the ballot mailed to them. It must be mailed back by May 21st.
Should voters decide to approve the tax, officials believe it will generate over $40 million a year for the next 20 years, all of it dedicated specifically towards fixing roads, improving water quality and fixing flood-prone areas.
Much of it will come from tourists, which was a big selling point to VCC At-Large Representative Ben Johnson.
"Do I like the idea of another half-cent sales tax? No, 'cause it's going to come out of my pocket," Johnson noted. "But it's the only way that I can see that is halfway fair and does something for our community."
District 2's Billie Wheeler and District 3's Deb Denys came out strongly for the election, saying the money is desperately needed to fix "crumbling" roads and other key infrastructure components as well as funding actual improvements.
"We have to do the right thing for our citizens," Denys added. "We are not saying [to] raise the sales tax. All we are asking is to let the citizens decide."
Denys also mentioned increased construction costs and not as much state and federal money available for road projects compared to years past as key reasons to have the election right away instead of waiting for the 2020 presidential ballot.
