Hillsborough County Commission to hold emergency meeting after judge invalidates transportation tax referendum
TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Commission will hold an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss what to do after a judge invalidated a transportation tax referendum that would have been up for a vote next month.
Revenue from the one-cent sales tax referendum would have been used for transportation projects, but a judge agreed with the plaintiff who filed a lawsuit, accusing the county of using misleading language on the ballot.
Commissioner Gwen Myers, who is among the most vocal supporters of the tax, said she was "devastated" by the judge's decision because the county has a $13 billion backlog in road projects.
RELATED: Judge rejects Hillsborough County's one-cent tax referendum, nullifying measure on November ballot
"I'm hoping that we can keep this on the ballot," Myers told FOX 13 Tuesday. "To go another two years, it really would hurt our county. We are already stuck in traffic, complaining our infrastructure, our students are walking to school [with] no sidewalks, roads and bridges, traffic signals. So think about this as a one percent investment in our community."
Myers said county attorneys are expected to go over any avenues the county may have to keep the referendum on the ballot.
A judge ruled Monday the referendum included misleading and ambiguous language that attempted to make voters think their taxes would be used for certain types of projects when, in reality, the decision would be made by county commissioners at a later date.
Karen Jaroch, a former Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board member, filed the lawsuit leading to the measure being invalidated.
"The ballot language is misleading and ambiguous rather than asking a simple and narrow question, shall we levy a one percent transportation sales tax? They put in extra language to lure voters to vote for it," Jaroch told FOX 13. "The problem has been that we don't have a real honest debate about how we can fund our transportation improvements."
This is the second time the county has had problems with the word of a transportation tax referendum. In 2018, voters passed a similar proposal, but the Florida Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional because it identified projects where the revenue would be used.
Myers, however, sees a difference between the two circumstances. She said the group, "All for Transportation," put the previous measure on the 2018 ballot. This time around, it was the commissioners who agreed to the wording. According to Myers, the commission was trying to honor the state Supreme Court ruling, while also being upfront, not misleading, with the wording.
"We're the board. We set the policies," she said. "This time, it was the board of county commissioners who voted five to two to put the referendum on the ballot this coming November."
The emergency meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m.