A poll of 400 residents shows support for a proposed 1 cent sales tax increase, but an opponent takes issue with the questions.
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published July 13, 2003
Although the referendum is more than a year away, and the heaviest campaigning from both sides is yet to come, voters are leaning in favor of the Penny for Pasco, according to a poll conducted for the Pasco Times.
The survey showed 61 percent support the proposed 1-cent-on-the-dollar sales tax increase, which would provide about $31-million a year for public schools and local government projects. Another 31 percent opposed the measure, while 8 percent were undecided.
"As a starting point, those numbers look great," said Chuck Rushe, chief financial officer for the Pasco County School District, noting the efforts to sell the tax have barely begun.
But opponents say it's too early to call the issue.
The County Commission has decided to spend its share of the money on roads, land preservation and public safety projects - but has not yet said which ones. In the meantime, critics such as Ann Bunting are just starting to flesh out their arguments against a tax they say will only accelerate the county's growth.
"Once people know exactly what (officials are) going to be using this for, what the ramifications are going to be in terms of increases in population and, subsequently, property taxes, I think they're going to vote against it," said Bunting, head of the Spirit of '76 Republican Club.
Under the proposal, the county and the school district would each get 45 percent of the revenue from the sales tax increase. The cities would split the remaining 10 percent, and the tax increase would be sunsetted after a decade.
Communications Center Inc. conducted the telephone survey of 400 randomly selected Pasco County residents from June 29 to July 1. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.
Most interviews were conducted from 1 to 7 p.m. on June 29 (Sunday), and after 5 p.m. June 30 (Monday) and July 1 (Tuesday) to get a good mix of working people and retirees, said Steve Kircher, research manager for the St. Petersburg Times.
The survey did not distinguish between people more or less likely to vote, however.
And such polls are never an ironclad indicator of how people will vote. Just look at the last time the Pasco Times polled voters on a sales tax issue.
According to that 1995 survey, 51 percent supported a 1-cent sales tax increase for schools. When the referendum was held a few weeks later, however, voters shot down the measure by a ratio of nearly 2-1.
That was then, said Allen Altman, co-chairman of Pasco's Citizen Committee, a group pushing Penny for Pasco. Now the group cites four polls, including the latest one from the Times, that place support for Penny for Pasco around 60 percent, he said.
A survey conducted in April for Altman's group showed 60 percent supported Penny for Pasco. Among those questioned, 70 percent supported a sales tax increase for schools, while 65 percent supported an increase for roads and other county projects.
Two other polls conducted for political campaigns this past fall also showed more than 60 percent would support a sales tax for school and county projects, he said.
"I think it just validates what we've been hearing from citizens and what we thought beforehand, that the overwhelming majority understand the needs and the initiative," said Altman, who is no relation to county Commissioner Peter Altman.
Bunting doubts that's the case. She said the wording of the Times' question "skewed the results" by saying the sales tax increase would reduce property taxes. While county Commissioner Ted Schrader has suggested lowering the property tax rate if the sales tax passes, it has not become a formalized part of the proposal.
"That completely throws off the results, as far as I'm concerned," Bunting said.
In the long run, she thinks property taxes could go up if Penny for Pasco is approved. If the sales tax money goes to pave new roads and build new schools, she said, it will open the door to thousands of new residents. She fears property taxes would go up to support the additional facilities for that growing population.
But Allen Altman disagrees. The money would go to widen roads and build schools that are needed now, he said. Some of the revenue would also go to buy land for preservation, ensuring it will not be developed, he said.
"To insinuate this initiative would further (development), I think, is ignoring the intent of it," Altman said.
- Staff writer Rebecca Catalanello contributed to this report. Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com
