Plant City roads are notoriously bumpy. A half-cent sales tax could help to smooth them over.
About $1 million has been allotted out of the City’s budget for road resurfacing projects this fiscal year. But if a half-cent sales tax is approved by Hillsborough County voters, Plant City’s streets could get a better makeover.
“One million is not an adequate amount of money,” City Manager Mike Herr says. “We’re doing the best we can with the resources we have. You could easily spend more than $1 million just in Walden Lake. We’d like to have $3 million to $4 million per year.”
If the half-cent sales tax is approved, Mayor Rick Lott said, in August 2015, that the revenue from the half-cent tax would go toward improving Plant City’s infrastructure.
The half-cent sales tax is expected to generate over $100 million each year for Hillsborough County, and the revenue from it would be split between Tampa, Plant City, Temple Terrace and Hillsborough County.
The half-cent approval could bring in $2.5 million each year to Plant City, bringing the total for road resurfacing and similar improvement projects to $3.5 million.
“That would really, really benefit the city if that was approved,” Herr says. “That would go a long way to repairing and resurfacing roadways here in the city.”
The Hillsborough County Commission will most likely make a decision in mid-February about putting the half-cent sales tax on the ballot.
According to County Commissioner Stacy White, three commissioners are for a referendum, and three are against the referendum, leaving a swing vote when a decision is made in February.
The idea for the tax was created when Policy Leadership Group, a gathering of elected county and city officials, polled residents throughout the county about their needs and wants for transportation. After collecting data for two years, the results were brought to the Hillsborough County Commission.
In November, Policy Leadership Group endorsed the half-cent sales tax referendum that would go on the 2016 ballot.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
THE INNER WORKINGS OF A ROAD
Plant City’s roads, the oldest of which date back to the late 1890s, vary in when they were first constructed. A weak base causes them to crack and form potholes.
- Older streets were built on sand; others on limestone, soil cement or crushed concrete.
- High amounts of water can often damage a road’s base.
- If a street’s base fails, it must be be given a new surface course.
- Done right: Streets that have a good base typically only receive one resurfacing.
WALDEN LAKE ROAD RECAP
• Thackery Way had its base material replaced, and the road was resurfaced.
• The intersection of Barrett Avenue had its base replaced, and the intersection was resurfaced.
• Forest Club Drive received a new black base and was resurfaced. The road’s valley curbs also were removed and replaced.
• The costs for the resurfacing and repairs of all roads totaled at about $600,000. Because of the size of Walden Lake, it would be easy for the city to spend the full $1 million budgeted for all city road improvements within the community. Many Walden Lake residents have spoken at City Commission meetings about the need for major road improvements. City Manager Mike Herr says that it is possible for Walden Lake residents to take improvements into their own hands. If they desired, Walden Lake residents could agree on an annual special assessment for the resurfacing of their roads.
“The plus side of that is … they would be paying more, but receiving a higher level of service,” Herr says.
