(The Center Square) – A report by Florida Taxwatch says voters approved $1.9 billion in local tax increases and $1 billion worth of bond issues during the recent election.
According to the report by the independent nonprofit fiscal watchdog organization, 89% of these measures were approved by voters. They cast ballots to approve 31 county-wide sales and property tax increases and 18 bond issues during the 2023-2024 election cycle. Most of the bond issues will be repaid with property tax revenue.
Sixteen of 19 sales tax increases were approved, as were all 13 of the property tax increase initiatives. Three counties voted to increase their tourist development taxes ($9.4 million) and voters in four special districts increased their taxes or special assessments.
These ballot measures were focused on school funding, infrastructure, public safety and local government services.
“Florida taxpayers have shown they are willing to pay more taxes if they are used for a specific purpose and are limited in time,” said Florida TaxWatch Executive Vice President and General Counsel Jeff Kottkamp in a news release. “Many of the tax referenda in recent years created a citizen oversight committee to monitor the spending of these new dollars.
“Florida TaxWatch supports such oversite committees to safeguard taxpayer dollars and has served in this important role in previous referenda. We welcome the opportunity to assist any community that want to ensure their tax dollars are being spent appropriately.”
Among the initiatives that failed, Washington County voters rejected an increase in the county’s tourism development tax from 3% to 5% while Miami-Dade voters declined a 1% sales tax on some food and beverage sales.
Among the failed tax levies, Gadsden County voters rejected a 0.5% for school capital improvements, Hernando County voters refused a 1% increase for public safety and transportation and Santa Rosa County voters put the kibosh on a 1% tax increase for transportation and other infrastructure.
Tequesta, located in Palm Beach County, lost a bond issue vote worth $10 million for land acquisition. Voters in Ovidedo in Seminole County rejected two initiatives worth a combined $55.9 million to build a new police station.
According to the report, since 2010, 122 property tax referendums, worth $4.2 billion in annual tax revenue, have been approved.
Since 2010, 98 bond issues have been approved by voters for local governments and school districts worth $8.4 billion.
