To the editor:
St. Johns County voters will have the opportunity to consider a 1% or one-cent sales tax increase on Nov 8. You will decide if for the next 10 years we should be taxed to pay for our ever-growing infrastructure needs. Yes, we are a rapidly growing county with no signs of slowing down. This is no surprise because it has been the case for the last decade or so. SJC has received multiple accolades, one of which is our top-rated school district, and it has been recognized as such for the past 14 years. Developers can’t build homes and businesses fast enough for people and families that want to raise their children here. There had been some talk about this discretionary sales surtax, but it was never provided the opportunity for public discussion by the Commission until this referendum.
Did you know that …
SJC is surrounded by four counties that currently have a surtax and most have more than one. We currently have a 0.5 or half-cent surtax for our public schools, it has provided much needed revenue for the district.
SJC receives only a half cent of the 6-cent sales tax that we currently provide the state of Florida. This additional one cent would go directly into our county coffers and would be restricted for approved infrastructure expenditures only and, if instated, a Citizen Oversight Committee would be established.
SJC has an annual 6.3 million tourists (2017 Visitor Profile Survey) that utilize our infrastructure, be it roadways, emergency operations, beaches, etc. These visitors would help contribute approximately a third of the estimated 49 million in projected annual surtax revenue.
SJC developers are required by state law to pay their proportionate share to provide for some of the impact a new development will have on surrounding communities. Impact fees are common in low tax states where the tax structure doesn’t provide enough revenue through other sources to pay for growth. The impact fee structure is county-reviewed every four years.
SJC residents want more public parks, rec facilities, libraries, sidewalks, etc. This proposed surtax would help to supplement those wants.
St. Johns County voters … YOU decide.
