Florida House Trying to Prevent Voter-Approved Transportation Tax

The legal challenges to a one-cent sales tax approved by Hillsborough County voters in 2018 continue.

1 minute read

September 11, 2019, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


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"The Florida House of Representatives is joining the fight over the future of Hillsborough’s transportation tax," reports Caitlin Johnston.

"House General Counsel Adam Tanenbaum asked the [Florida Supreme Court] to reverse a lower court ruling and eliminate the tax, along with the charter amendment that authorized it," according to Johnston.

The law has faced legal challenges almost constantly since voters approved the tax with 57 percent of the vote. The law survived an earlier lawsuit, albeit with a revisions, over the summer.

The challengers contend that the law, as it read on the ballot, misled some voters about where tax money would be spent. The one-cent tax is expected to raise $276 million, about half of which will be spent on public transit.

Angie Schmitt also provides commentary on the Florida House's actions.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 in Tampa Bay Times

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