Hillsborough’s crowded ballot: Abortion, weed and half-cent tax
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Hillsborough County voters are one step closer to having another referendum on November's ballot, alongside statewide votes on abortion rights and recreational marijuana.
Why it matters: The half-cent community investment tax, which financed everything from ZooTampa at Lowry Park to Raymond James Stadium, expires in two years.
- Hillsborough's population is ballooning, and the sales tax is one of the few ways the county can fund the infrastructure needed to support that growth.
Driving the news: The Board of County Commissioners decided after an hourslong meeting last week to move forward with a new iteration of the half-cent tax.
- Republican commissioners Michael Owen and Joshua Wostal argued for the new tax to span a shorter time frame, much to the chagrin of the Democrats on the board.
- The board halved the tax's original life and slashed the school district's cut from 25% to 5%.
How it works: Under the original tax, the Hillsborough County School Board got 25% of the revenue. The Tampa Sports Authority received about $9 million for maintenance and stadium debt.
- The rest of the tax revenue went to the Board of County Commissioners, Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace, with distributions based on population.
- This year, the board will get about 74%, Tampa 21%, Plant City 2% and Temple Terrace 1.5% of the remaining revenue.
Friction point: Owen and Wostal had argued for excluding the school board from the new iteration, citing a separate referendum the school district is pitching to fund salary increases for teachers.
- Ken Hagan, the board's chairperson, said Hillsborough voters might see two tax referendums on the same ballot as "double dipping."
Yes, but: The school district's referendum is limited to operational costs — not building repairs, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
- Superintendent Van Ayres told Axios the district cannot build schools fast enough to accommodate population growth.
What's next: The Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing next Wednesday on the new tax.