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Commission cool to 2-cent hike in gas tax
By JAMES THORNER, Times Staff Writer NEW PORT RICHEY -- For a majority of Pasco County commissioners, raising the gas tax 1 cent is a no-brainer. After all, many of the pennies would come from out-of-county travelers who exit Interstate 75 and U.S. 19 to fill their tanks. "It's an opportunity to reach out and import some money to meet our needs," Commissioner Pete Altman said Tuesday at the first hearing on an ordinance to boost the price at the pumps. Although the same logic applies to a second ordinance to raise the gas tax yet another cent, political unanimity appears to break down on that measure. As the second public hearing wound down Tuesday, two of the five commissioners still opposed the second cent, which is one vote shy of the "supermajority" needed for approval. "I think you pull the tax lever as a last resort," said Commissioner Steve Simon, who insisted there was no compelling reason to raise gas tax beyond a penny. Residents at the meeting came down on both sides of the issue. Republican activist Ann Bunting wondered why the county couldn't make do with the 6 cents it collects now from gas taxes. "It's unfair to keep hitting the public on taxes . . . in order to feed this public need," she said. Mel Phillips, who represents a coalition of neighborhood associations, said the key for commissioners was pinpointing specific, popular ways to spend the gas money. Absent that, people usually resist tax increases. As if taking a cue from Phillips, Commissioner Pat Mulieri, along with Simon, persuaded commissioners to narrow the projects on which the county could spend the 1 cent. The estimated yearly take from the penny is $1.5-million. Commissioners tweaked the ordinance to ensure the county would spend the money on road repairs, street lights, traffic signals, drainage and bridges, eliminating the categories of public transportation and servicing the debt of existing roads. In opposing the second cent, both Simon and Mulieri stressed that the tax, contrary to expectations, couldn't be used to pave many of the hundreds of miles of private dirt roads in the county. Only county-maintained roads may be included. Final public hearings on both penny gas tax proposals are scheduled for June 18. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in Dade City.
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
