A taxing situation
Mayor Demings considering a second try to fund transportation network with sales tax increase
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who campaigned hard but in vain last year for a pennyper-dollar sales tax increase to improve the region’s transportation network, said Tuesday he was uncertain about trying again.
“I don’t know the answer to that today,” he said, before his executive staff outlined a $100-million “interim plan” that would prioritize pedestrian and bicyclist safety projects and the Lynx bus service.
About 58% of voters rejected a referendum to raise the sales tax surcharge to 7.5%.
“That said to me our citizens … did not want to see increased taxes for themselves,” he said.
Whether he asks voters in 2024 to reconsider depends on timing, the mayor said.
“We’re watching very carefully,” Demings said of the local and national economic climate. “All of that is going to be germane to us making decisions about moving forward with a major change.”
The interim spending plan doesn’t call for higher local taxes, just belt-tightening.
“We continue to use the same funding streams,” he said.
The sales tax was projected to generate $12 billion over 20 years for “transformational improvements” to highways, SunRail and the Lynx bus service — with tourists shouldering half the costs.
County analysts had identified $21 billion in “transportation needs.” Those still remain.
With $100 million coming from existing money streams, the proposed five-year plan would add lighting to 131 miles of roads; add 25.7 miles of sidewalk; fix nine major intersections; add 266 bus shelters — 44 in each commission district — and provide seed money to apply for $13.2 million in state aid.
Here’s the proposed spending breakdown:
$15 million for 264 new bus shelters.
$15 million for street lighting.
$15 million for pedestrian safety.
$25 million for sidewalks. $30 million to improve the frequency and reliability of Lynx buses.
Creating a dedicated funding source for transportation remains Demings’ top priority.
Some commissioners expressed concerns about the proposed interim plan, which they will likely examine more thoroughly during the county’s budgeting process next month.
The mayor acknowledged their frustration.
He said the region needs multimodal solutions to move people, add capacity and improve safety for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, all of which will cost billions of dollars the county doesn’t have.
“But it’s not a good option to do nothing,” he said. “This is what we can afford to do today.”