Pasco voters to decide on penny sales tax for projects to accommodate county's growth
PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - Thousands of new residents moved to Pasco County recently, and those voters will get to decide on the future of the county’s projects through a penny sales tax to accommodate its growth.
The penny sales tax is up for renewal on the November ballot, and it would pay for projects throughout the county for the next 15 years if voters approve it. The tax has been around for 18 years, but this year’s tax referendum takes on new importance with a fast-growing Pasco County.
Pasco County Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd said the district enrolled about 4,000 new students this school year, up from about 2,000 new students last year.
"So from Trinity to Zephyrhills, we’re exploding in growth, and that new growth requires new schools," said Gadd. "We’re a fast-growing county, and we know what it’s like not to have the funding that you need to keep schools in good shape, to build new schools."
Money for those new buildings and renovations come in through Pasco’s penny sales tax. What you buy at checkout paid for county projects the past 18 years, from new emergency equipment to land conservation, even bringing in new jobs.
"The penny has provided us with a little over a billion dollars in funding for quality of life issues in Pasco County," Michael Cox, chairman of the Pasco Citizens Committee. "People coming into the county, they do business here, so they’re helping to pay for that too. So, it’s not a total burden on just the residents."
According to the tax referendum, 45% of the funds will go to Pasco County Schools, 45% goes to Pasco County government, and the rest is divided among the county’s municipalities to pay for projects to address growth. If voters do not approve the tax, Cox spelled out the alternatives.
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"So that would equate to higher property taxes. They would look probably toward other sources of fees that they could generate to pay for those things," said Cox.
Longtime leaders said Pasco’s growing pains aren’t going away. It’s up to voters whether to keep paying a penny on the dollar at the checkout.
"When we look at projected growth in Pasco County, we don’t have any reason to believe that it’s not going to continue," said Gadd. "This is the only way that we can truly stay ahead of growth."
Pasco school leaders said the penny tax would also pay for about $45 million in new safety and security measures and help provide upgrades to technology in classrooms. Voters will decide whether to keep the penny tax on November 8.