Florida County Commissioners to Vote on Increased Gas Tax

Florida may be the only state where counties not only have their own gas taxes, but can raise them without necessarily going to a vote by the people. Maximum county gas taxes are 11.9 cents per gallon in three categories [PDF]. The Santa Rosa County gas tax is 6 cents per gallon.

"The county is projecting about $9.8 million in major road resurfacing projects in the next five years, and has been eyeing the remaining 6 cents available in its local option gas tax in recent months," writes Kaycee Lagarde for the Pensacola News Journal. She adds that gas taxes in surrounding counties range from 7 to 11.9 cents.

A 1 cent gas tax increase would yield an estimated $560,000 annually if implemented Jan. 1, according to County Administrator Hunter Walker, and a 5 cent increase would bring in about $2.8 million each year.

Florida has one of the lowest gasoline excise taxes in the nation, only four cents per gallon, according to the American Petroleum Institute [PDF]. However, combined with "other state taxes/tees," which includes the average of county gas taxes, generally referred to as "local gas tax options," the total tax is a respectable 36.42 cents per gallon, 20 percent higher than the national average of 30.48 cents.

Some [county] commissioners noted that an increase likely would not impact drivers as much as it would businesses selling fuel, since gas prices are market-driven and are typically comparable in Santa Rosa County and neighboring counties.

“I can’t see where there’s going to be any measurable negative impact to our citizens,” said Commissioner Rob Williamson.

Furthermore, as noted in a comment below a post on Washington state's 7 cents gas tax increase effective August 1, it is up to the service station operator to pass on the increased tax. In fact, average gas prices decreased 1.3 cents on August 4.

Lagarde wrote that on Monday "the board agreed to vote at Thursday’s regular commission meeting on scheduling a public hearing for a possible gas tax increase, which is required in order to change the ordinance."