County/City/School Board

Date

Discussed

Formally Proposed

Adopted/Rejected

Alachua County Commission

1/26

Extending current one-cent sales tax expiring on Dec. 31

Brevard County—City of Indianalantic

2/9

Property tax increase to upgrade Indialantic Fire Rescue equipment & personnel training

Passed; 2/19

Broward County School Board

1/22

Bond issue to finance construction and renovation to ease classroom crowding; Poll released showed 53% would vote “For” the issue; But voter approval rating of School Board dipped to 27%

Charlotte County School Board

1/23

1 mill increase over a four-year period to fund budget problems; would not be put on ballot until 2003; selling bonds or partnering with the City of Punta Gorda & Charlotte County for surtaxes that need voter approval

Charlotte County Commission

2/5

Third extension of 1% infrastructure sales tax, possibly for November ballot

Charlotte County Commission

2/12

Easing the informal tax cap approved by voters around 5 years ago; the cap limits the maximum property tax increase

Flagler County School Board,

County Commission, League of Cities

1/17

Extension of 1 percent sales tax that expires in Dec.; half of tax revenue for school improvements; half for county and its cities

Indian River School Board

1/17

Property tax increase to help meet budget short fall

Leon County Commission

1/7

County charter changes that would give commissioners power to change the way some residents are taxed

Marion County Commission &

Marion County School Board

2/1

1% sales tax increase over two years to fund county’s capital improvements; a half-cent sales tax increase failed several years ago

Miami-Dade County Commission

1/31

Mayor proposes half-penny sales tax to help overhaul county’s transit system & meet federal matches; similar proposal for full-penny tax was defeated in July 1999 by a 2-1 margin.

Miami-Dade County Commission

2/20

Poll released showing 59% of voters in favor of transit tax to be used for specific projects, such as purchase of 500 buses and laying 63 miles of Metrorail

Manatee County Commission

1/6

Charter government for Manatee County; countywide construction taxed (impact fees); Nov. ballot

Manatee County School Board

2/5

Half-cent sales tax initiative to pay for construction costs not covered by impact fees

Manatee County Federation of Manatee County Community Associations

2/10

Divide County into several tax districts to finance schools; should be different tax rate for districts, based on needed capital improvements

Manatee County Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Advisory Committee (ELMAC)

2/11

Property tax increase—33 to 50 cents per $1000 of taxable property value—to buy and preserve undeveloped lands

Martin County Commission

1/2

Special assessments for neighborhood projects if majority of property owners in an affected neighborhood approve; 1 percent sales tax idea rejected for 2002 ballot due to economy (commissioners voted 3-2 against putting such a proposal on the 2001 ballot)

Martin County Tourist Development Council

2/7

Mail survey—69% agree tourism is good for economy; but 43% said environment is harmed by tourism

A 2 percent “bed tax” to promote tourism in Martin County; Sept. 10 ballot; wording must still be approved by Martin County Commission on Feb. 26

Orange County School Board

1/22

Reduce property taxes in exchange for a half-penny sales-tax increase during 12 year period to build classrooms; (tax referendum defeated in 1997); Half-cent increase in sales tax—to 6.5 cents—without a property tax cut—but limit the increase to 10 years instead of 12; Poll showed slight majority of voters favors sales-tax increase if tied to the property tax cut. But Orange County voters have not approved a tax increase in 20 years.

Half-penny sales tax increase for 10 years to finance bonds issued to pay for construction but no reduction in property tax; May or Nov. ballot; County Chairman pledged to oppose May ballot (2/3)

Pasco County Commission

1/9

Penny sales tax increase for capital improvements (from 6 to 7 cents); placement on Nov. ballot rejected by 4 of 5 commissioners; timing not right and would be confused with state legislative proposals to reduce sales tax while broadening its base; voters rejected increase in 1998

Sarasota County School Board/Sarasota County Commission

2/6

Special election—Ad valorem millage increase for operating expenses of Sarasota County School District

March 19—Special election; 1 mill school tax increase for 4 years; County Commission unanimously approved the special election

St. Johns County Commission

2/15

1 cent sales tax increase (from 6 to 7 cents); most of the proceeds to go to the County for capital projects (half for transportation projects (half for acquiring land for recreation or preservation.); some would go to municipalities; voters rejected half-penny tax for purchase of land in 1998; commissioners considered an increase in 2000 but it did not formalize the proposal; voters have rejected sales tax increase proposals 3 times in 15 year. Commission will decide on Feb. 26 whether to put on ballot

St. Lucie County Commission

2/3

Parks bond referendum to help fund new expanded recreation area; would create seven urban district parks; possibly on Nov. ballot

St. Lucie County Commission

2/14

Renewal of tax abatement ordinance passed in 1992 designed to attract new businesses and jobs; comes on the heels of controversial and record-breaking exemption granted to Duke Energy of North America—a power company; the exemption was opposed by the County Property Appraiser and the County Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee; commissioners have not yet approved wording; probably on Nov. 5 ballot

Santa Rosa County

City of Pace

1/23

Property tax increase (0.4 of a  mill) for Pace residents to pay for a library; would create a municipal services taxing unit; If County Commission approves the referendum, it will be on either Sept. 10 or Nov. 5 ballot