Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Gas tax rejected

The 20-year levy, which was to pay for a system of 'smart' traffic signals, missed passage by one vote.

Ê CLEARWATER -- The Pinellas County Commission narrowly voted down a Ê proposal Tuesday to levy an extra penny tax on gasoline to battle road congestion.

Supporters said the extra penny would help create a system of signals on major arteries that could rapidly adapt to traffic, reducing delays, improving air quality and cutting fuel consumption.

Ê ÊOpponents said they were anxious about approving a countywide tax without written support from the city of St. Petersburg and other municipalities.

Ê ÊBoard member Calvin Harris, running for re-election in 2006, questioned the merits of funding the plan with a tax.

Ê Ê""We want to improve and we want to get better,'' Harris said before the vote, ""but does every improvement require a new tax?''

Ê ÊHarris, who said political considerations had nothing to do with his vote, was joined in his opposition by board members Bob Stewart and Ronnie Duncan.

Ê ÊTo pass, the plan needed backing from five of seven board members. With three no votes, the proposal died.

Ê ÊCounty administrator Steve Spratt said all cities had agreed to participate but were waiting for the county to approve a funding source before entering agreements that could reduce their authority over traffic control.

Ê ÊPete Yauch, the county's director of transportation, said he hoped to secure the written agreements with the cities and bring the proposal before the board again, a process that could take several months.

Ê ÊStewart and Duncan said they would be willing to reconsider the idea after such agreements had been signed.

Ê ÊOfficials estimated the extra penny would have cost the average Pinellas motorist an additional $6.50 a year, based on data from the AAA.

Ê Ê""It's crazy out there,'' said board member Susan Latvala of traffic on Pinellas roads. ""I can't see any way to resolve this without high-tech tools.''

Ê ÊAccording to the state Department of Transportation, the total number of miles driven on Pinellas roads climbed from about 6-billion in 1999 to nearly 9-billion in 2003, the last year for which figures are available.

Ê ÊPinellas drivers currently pay 18.4 cents a gallon in federal tax, 14.5 cents to the state and 11.8 to the county, although 5.8 cents of that amount is levied due to an act of the Florida Legislature.

Ê ÊPinellas' gas tax has been among the lowest in Florida.

Ê ÊIt has not increased since 1992, when it went from 4 to 6 cents on a gallon. With the penny increase, Pinellas drivers would have paid 45.7 cents in taxes on a gallon of gasoline, the same as drivers in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.