ORLANDO, Fla. — Paying for transportation and mass transit in Central Florida is a multi-billion dollar challenge for Orange County leaders amid continuing population growth.
On Tuesday, that conversation will continue as county commissioners once again consider a proposal to put a tax increase on the ballot next November.
What You Need To Know
Orange County faces a $22 billion deficit in transportation and transit needs
Commissioners are discussing options for a tax increase to fund improvements
Tax increase proposals include one-penny sales tax, gas tax, or infrastructure tax
The idea of using a new tax to pay for these improvements isn’t new, but it’s struggled to gain support in the past. In November 2022, Orange County voters rejected a one-cent sales tax increase proposal, and county leaders considered a similar effort in 2024 before ultimately opting not to pursue it.
Mayor Jerry Demings said in late September that the region has a long-term deficit of at least $22 billion in transportation and mass transit needs for the future. He said now is the time to address these issues.
Spectrum News spoke with Orange County Commissioners Mayra Uribe and Kelly Semrad on Monday, and they both have questions about the mayor’s plan to pay for our long-term transportation needs. They want more information on who would pay for improvements and how.
“We’ve grown in a way that a lot of people refer to as unsustainable, because the infrastructure couldn’t keep up with the demand that the growth put on the community and the infrastructure,” Semrad said.
There are several options commissioners will discuss on Tuesday, with proposals of putting a one-penny sales tax, gasoline tax or infrastructure tax on the ballot. Semrad says raising gas taxes is not the solution as more people switch from gas-powered cars to electric cars and other forms of transportation.
“What we learned about the gas tax is that it’s relatively stagnant in terms of impact,” she said.
Uribe also agrees that a gasoline tax increase won’t raise enough money. Uribe believes the county should leverage its strengths by having tourists help fund a potential infrastructure tax increase.
“With an infrastructure tax, not one person should pay into that. I don’t believe it’s just the voters,” she said. “There’s a lot of growth and development happening, and if everyone’s going to pay, it needs to be an equal share where everybody puts into this.”
Uribe wonders whether there is enough time to engage residents and explain the plan to voters between now and November.
“You’re talking about putting together a plan or a proposal and selling it and expecting the voters to show up and vote on it in months,” she said.
Over the last month, Orange County conducted focus groups with residents to see if they support a tax proposal being put on the ballot. County staffers will review those results with commissioners at Tuesday afternoon’s meeting.
This conversation comes as state leaders are pursuing property tax reforms, which could impact county revenues.