Joe Henderson
With less than a week to go before the general election, supporters of two Hillsborough sales tax referendums have reason to be optimistic – and nervous. —
A recent sampling by St. Pete Polls showed both proposed amendments to the county charter are leading among likely voters.
The 30-year, one-percent sales tax increase would pay for multiple projects throughout the county aimed at making a dent in the chronic traffic congestion here. The poll showed 48 percent favorability compared to 43 percent against.
Confetti time for backers of the measure, right?
Not even close.
The number that should keep them awake nights is that 8.8 percent undecided.
The proposed half-percent sales tax hike to help Hillsborough schools address a mountain of unfunded maintenance needs – crumbling air conditioning units in many schools, things like that – led the naysayers 54.5 percent to 39.7.
Even better, only 5.8 percent said they hadn’t made up their minds.
Full disclosure: I’ve already voted yes on both measures, although I guess if you’ve read my columns much that won’t come as a surprise.
If both measures pass, it could be a tipping point in how county residents view themselves and what they are willing to set as their priorities.
The usual suspects have come out against the All For Transportation plan with the usual arguments. They say the tax would generate $15 billion and they don’t trust government agencies to spend it properly. They say the money is already there to pay for the county’s transportation needs.
I think they’re dead wrong on that, by the way, because the money reallocated by the county, about $800 million, to address the problem won’t come close making a dent in the kind of traffic we have now – let alone the nightmare forecasts for the not-too-distant future.
Let’s be clear about something with the transportation issue: Approving the tax won’t magically make all the congestion go away. We have too many people moving here, and since the primary way we get around is by automobile the roads are still going to be crowded.
But doing nothing is not an option because that would make things much, much worse. Saying the tax should be rejected because it won’t fix everything is a lame argument, but some opponents are making it anyway.
If both taxes pass, people will probably see a more immediate impact for the schools than for the highways. The school district has an estimated $1 billion backlog in capital needs and it has been hamstrung on funding by the Legislature’s determination to keep taxes low.
That’s why multiple counties throughout the state have resorted to sales tax referendums to help ensure their kids have a suitable learning atmosphere.
I’ve said all along that while no one likes paying taxes, something must be done to address the most pressing needs in the county – transportation and public schools.
Two months ago, would I have bet that two Hillsborough sales tax referendums on the same ballot would pass?
Probably not.
But I’m always willing to be pleasantly surprised, and even though a lot of things can happen in the next week it’s just possible that might happen.
3 comments
Jim Davison DO
October 31, 2018 at 8:15 am
Your making progress Joe. I know how painful that was to admit that $15 billion dollars and our congestion gets worse. Much worse according to the MPO. Your argument that “doing nothing” is not an option does not really apply because there are multiple other options besides a 30 year sales tax. You know there is another transportation plan already advanced by the BOCC that raises $6.2-6.7 billion over 22 year and $12.6 billion over 30 with $9.2 billion for transportation only it doesn’t raise your taxes. It was vetted by the county administration and found it to be credible. Don’t you think the people of this county deserve to know both plans and make an informed decision? Why would anyone want to suppress that kind of info? Is this where we are in America today. Whoever can suppress the information better wins. Is that something to aspire too? I will be presenting the No Tax transportation plan to the Hillsborough County Citizens Advisory Committee on Nov 30th at 9am. From there I hope the MPO and County will amend it, take it to the 4 corners of the county for their input and to the inner city for their considerations. There is so much more at stake here then just a transportation plan. I hope you and the Times and the Florida Politik will participate. Just Vote No on the Transit Sales Tax.
Sharon Calvert
October 31, 2018 at 10:49 am
Stuck in a 30 year costly bad plan that will be front loaded with debt is worse than no plan – putting all taxpayers at risk for 30 years. Remember the 30 year CIT tax blow out? Joe refuses to acknowledge there is another transportation funding proposal that does NOT require a 30 year $16 BILLION tax hike. The truth is emerging how deceptive and misleading local media has been with their rah rah support of a tax hike plan that is worse than the defeated 2010 rail tax. All for Transportation’s exaggerated claims that their 30 year $16 Billion 14% tax hike will reduce congestion was debunked by their own spokesperson at the CAC meeting on Monday, debunked by the County Administrator at the CAC meeting and debunked by the MPO at their meeting yesterday. Joe makes statements without speaking to anyone who opposes the greedy transit tax hike. But then Joe has always been on the losing side. Pick up the phone Joe and get out of your media bias bubble.
Jerry Lane
October 31, 2018 at 2:10 pm
A 30 year costly bad policy that taxpayers get stuck paying for is worse than no policy. This massive tax hike plan was manufactured behind closed doors in a downtown Tampa tower like the corrupt, crony smoke-filled rooms of the past. The $16 Billion tax hike was arrogantly crafted without any input from the diverse stakeholders across the county. Joe and his local media accomplices have done their part to support the tax hike and continue to ignore the fact that they have made themselves irrelevant on the transportation issue.
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