Penny for Pasco backers urge officials to do what they can to build support for the proposal.
By MOLLY MOORHEAD
Published February 7, 2004
DADE CITY - Supporters of a proposed sales tax increase appealed to leaders of the county's six municipalities to help drum up support for the Penny for Pasco plan.
At a meeting Thursday of the Municipal Association of Pasco, Allen Altman of the Pasco Citizens' Committee told the city leaders that they need to be soliciting money, making phone calls and passing out absentee ballots to encourage voters to approve the 10-year, 1-cent-on-the-dollar tax increase on March 9.
"We need help getting the word out," Altman said. "We need you all walking your neighborhoods. We need you all on the forefront."
Altman was talking to a friendly crowd. All six municipalities have approved resolutions in support of the tax increase, which would fund capital improvements. The cities would get 10 percent of the anticipated $437-million in revenue over 10 years, divided up based on population. The other 90 percent would be split evenly between the county and the School Board.
Dade City Manager Harold Sample said cities have a special interest in seeing the tax pass. As droves of people move into unincorporated Pasco, the cities are facing old infrastructure replacement and other costs as taxable values hold steady.
"Our needs are a little bit different," Sample said.
Port Richey City Council member Phyllis Grae asked what she should tell retired residents who don't have children in Pasco schools when they ask why they should support the tax.
Ray Gadd, representing the school district, said juvenile crime will increase if more schools are forced into double sessions because of crowding.
Altman said, "Study after study proves that the entire community benefits when you have better schools, better roads."
Zephyrhills City Manager Steve Spina said the tax will give relief to city residents who now pay for capital projects through special assessments on top of property taxes. A sales tax, he said, would spread some costs to visitors and tourists.
"We've been nickel-and-diming our people. The penny helps us not do that," he said. Sample called for a vote by the municipal association in support of the tax. The leaders from Port Richey, New Port Richey, Zephyrhills, Dade City, St. Leo and San Antonio passed it unanimously.
