Port Tampa Bay in. Tampa, Florida on Dec. 20, 2024. Credit: Ray Roa / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay
Have you noticed the property tax labeled “Port Authority” under “Independent Special District” on your TRIM notice (“Truth in Millage”)? State Representative Susan Valdes has and she wants to get rid of it.
For over 30 years, Port Tampa Bay has benefited from a property tax levied against Hillsborough County property owners. Last year, it pulled in around $11.5 million, which by law can only be used for construction, maintenance and repair of port infrastructure.
No other port in Florida collects property tax and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority doesn’t either.
The port had $87.6 million in operating revenue in 2024, including property tax revenues. That money comes from lease revenues, parking, cargo fees, cruise ship passenger fees, dockage fees and service fees, along with state funding. Most ports support construction through grants and revenues.
Representative Valdes believes that the port should be able to live off these revenues as the rest of the ports do and stop taxing individual property owners in Hillsborough County.
The port has regional impact, so it is somewhat unfair that only Hillsborough County property owners bear this burden.
Port Tampa Bay has bragged about its financial success and has used it to justify that its director, Paul Anderson, makes $1 million from salary and bonuses. He is the highest paid port director in Florida. If the port is that successful, maybe they should live off their success and stop collecting property tax. Maybe the property tax has freed up money to, in our opinion, overpay Anderson.
Rep Valdes filed this as a local bill and will need support from the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation.
On La Gaceta’s TRIM notice, we are being taxed $50 for the Port Authority. It isn’t much, but I would prefer if in my pocket money or going to schools, police or fire over the Port Tampa Bay.
This post first appeared in Tampa’s 103-year-old, trilingual, newspaper La Gaceta.
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This article appears in Oct. 23 – 29, 2025.
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