ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County’s mayor is meeting with business leaders Tuesday to deliver a final push for his transportation initiative.
The county board of commissioners is set to vote on putting the Mayor Jerry’s Demings penny sales tax measure on the November ballot at its Tuesday meeting.
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During a gathering at the National Entrepreneur Center on Monday, Demings spoke about how a one cent sales tax would help solve transportation problems, which have increased with population growth.
“The problems and the challenges we have today are only going to worsen,” Demings said. “I just want to make sure that every segment of our community understands the potential for this sales tax.”
If the transportation initiative passes, it would collect nearly $600 million annually for the next 20 years.
The proposal would create a robust mass transport system, including expanding SunRail and adding more buses to LYNX’s fleet. It would also include funding for road improvements and the implementation of new technology for pedestrian and bicycle safety.
“Twenty years from now, we will be a much more modern city in terms of having transit options,” Demings said. “We’ll have commuter rail, a light rail of some sort. We’ll have much better connectivity for people to be able to get out of their cars and get to the places where they need to go.”
Demings said 51% or more of the tax increase would be paid by visitors to Orange County.
“This initiative has the right balance, I believe, because the majority of the people who are going to pay for it are the visitors who are coming in and who are helping to clog up our roadways.”
A simple majority vote is needed from the county board of commissioners for the initiative to be decided by voters in November.
“That’s where this really should be is with the residents,” Demings said. “Let them determine whether or not if they should tax themselves in this manner.”
Discussion of the sales tax proposal is expected during the board’s afternoon session, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday.