[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6252139,"mediaKeyId","3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9","parentId",3190854,"title","County considers gantry tolling on Navarre Bridge to fund repairs and future replacement","audioSeconds",286,"startMs",2847000,"endMs",3133000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9&start=2847&end=3133","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9/thumbnail_2847000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6252139/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/County-considers-gantry-tolling-on-Navarre-Bridge-to-fund-repairs-and-future-replacement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252139-aef208b0e421916accec1fb83fa9b96e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010541&Signature=Hq6-2ENM2HrVIwjoBVVwsgeRG3YKH~aru0Ngx0jGLFwHNH-3Ur7xkyq7TgVM3-8s~DPGFRgeBVmbTQA6Kv2kDPynDOz0o9z4b7dOwNWuTpt8QdMLBnIDezptpylQnlnjrf5g239ulIVDzCaOEUXUEhECM1M3XBqFgYpms9mjHtgZ3nHfTA01weuNLAm5D9QkEben-1uFrCZdbN0JgcPFtzSTuJO3MO5b9LT0XEmEEuWPiujdCkEuUGiw3O0Yr8TnzUG-ZrthNM377VHJko0n6EbvkxXCe79jER2YrHJkdUY-e5lg-6xb~By9e5YXymV3b-g4fRa6-l9ivtw~YrKnaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Santa Rosa County, FL","date","2025-04-29T00:00:00Z","article","Sabrina, Santa Rosa County budget director, told the Sales Tax Committee that the board directed staff to reallocate previously allocated design funds toward designing and installing a tolling gantry for the Navarre Bridge as an alternative revenue source after the recent sales tax increase failed.

\"The board... asked us to reallocate that fund to designing and installing a toll plaza,\" Sabrina said, describing a gantry or toll‑by‑plate approach similar to systems used elsewhere in the region. She said the prior analysis (February 2023, based on Escambia County experience) estimated toll revenue at about $2 million per year under a tiered structure that would minimize impacts on local residents.

A committee member asked whether the $2 million estimate assumed a one‑dollar per‑trip charge: \"What was that, you said 2,000,000 a year, in potential, was that what a buck a buck a trip?\" The budget director responded that the original analysis (Feb. 2023) informed the estimate and that a tiered fee structure with annual passes for locals is likely.

Sabrina described the bridge as a major capital need: staff identified more than $5 million in immediate repairs and cited planning estimates multiple times higher for a full bridge replacement. She said the reallocated funds were originally planned for a PD&E study and that repurposing them creates a clear funding mechanism to invest back into the bridge.

Nut graf: with the half‑cent sales tax increase rejected by voters, commissioners are exploring user‑based and targeted assessment options—toll gantries are one such mechanism under study to create a dedicated revenue stream for a high‑cost bridge project.

Ending: staff said further analysis and design work will define the fee structure, local exemptions or passes, and projected revenue; any final toll proposal would require additional board approvals and public process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Santa Rosa County Sales Tax Committee Meeting - April 29, 2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","Staff told the Sales Tax Committee the board reallocated design funding toward a toll gantry study for the Navarre Bridge; county staff cited a February 2023 analysis estimating roughly $2 million per year in revenue under a tiered system.","taxTitle","Santa Rosa County, Florida","taxId",12792,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6252144,"County staff outline MSBU phase‑1 to pay for stormwater maintenance for 6,300 lots",581,3396000,3977000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9&start=3396&end=3977","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9/thumbnail_3396000.jpg","/articles/6252144/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/County-staff-outline-MSBU-phase1-to-pay-for-stormwater-maintenance-for-6300-lots","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252144-d0bba5e1dfe548ba17f9e9be1b0edc1d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010541&Signature=JHQZSKk3xMK2Mq1hkPmkM2AzpN1WC~hydGhI7O1xi7hySz67k2EOYcQb2r0JR2sg1mlyUlVBVtpft7xeJRV8u6xrPBMKeFb~91aOOdstdtr6zGytJJa9JS29U1Eg9VGrmoiqDFqkvprYmsdeKPNVVdIiFHjbRNjRAIeSs3EiDaTw4Lc1sgDdMhi9aJ5f8KJdQ7bu5ftalMff~ESH1BZUKpHFBftxCRRBEgzM1nu3a933H6CgWBMBwcLFfwCEqovL5pFC9fMLkQt47H-liALIyGgzVfap~r6yMg~BgrtYSrD8fAX8xL6TwWmao3bohsMv5aqwL9TwnGJqNZPtSY2zSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sabrina, Santa Rosa County budget director, told the Sales Tax Committee that staff will pursue a stormwater municipal service benefit unit (MSBU) program for phase 1 that would be imposed on certain subdivisions rather than petitioned to property owners.

\"This will not go through the petition process... there are over a hundred and 1 subdivisions that this will be applied to over 6,300 lots in total that will be paying the fee,\" Sabrina said. She said the board asked staff to pursue the MSBU earlier in the year and that staff will go out to bid to determine contractor costs; the board would set the rate when staff return with bids, likely in June or July.

The nut graf: staff described MSBU phase‑1 as a targeted, contract‑based approach to maintain ponds and routine drainage infrastructure in more recently platted subdivisions so county public works can focus limited in‑house resources on older, more complex retrofits that require design and heavy construction.

Committee members asked how the MSBU would interact with homeowners associations and older subdivisions that lack stormwater infrastructure. Sabrina said the phase‑1 list focuses on subdivisions approved in roughly the last 10–15 years; older, code‑deficient neighborhoods will generally be handled through mitigation grants and larger retrofit projects. \"That will allow our public works staff to focus on those tougher ponds that require more than just annual maintenance,\" she said.

A committee member raised fairness concerns about imposing an MSBU without petitions and asked whether commissioners would be willing to approve MSBUs for other older neighborhoods. Sabrina replied the board had directed staff to pursue the phase‑1 MSBU and indicated a vote to proceed is likely if contractor pricing is reasonable.

Ending: staff said they will publish the phase‑1 subdivision list to committee members and return with bid results and a proposed rate for board consideration later this year.","Santa Rosa County budget staff told the Sales Tax Committee they will seek a contract to maintain stormwater infrastructure in a phase‑1 MSBU covering 101 subdivisions and about 6,300 lots; the board will set the rate after bids.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6252149,"Santa Rosa County sales tax committee reviews project progress and funding outlook after failed tax increase",2851,1383000,4234000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9&start=1383&end=4234","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3190854-940ec9ef5ef01261cb47a1df198707b9/thumbnail_1383000.jpg","/articles/6252149/Santa-Rosa-County/Florida/Santa-Rosa-County-sales-tax-committee-reviews-project-progress-and-funding-outlook-after-failed-tax-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6252149-4bd0e9fe4a2dc0a0f8ce19a760e5e688/orig.mp4?Expires=1771010541&Signature=E2iTaSSxQfwyZi9ctStnWmMHzfgvLzGCGyyXpLog9TcVu7Uw3we2EDvENKcnPAvYlMvLftJKWd9vIZt~FLT~WFVRFQH145W3k5gFwHBVZYnbXAZtbnQ51cUqQu4t5Oa3Q1SHrHjIPixJ3GqjHe7w4iUOMIQDGnw57dAXYUoirrTwjyA8kbn81PK-VV6VY9s~1TtlimuToywO3Dw4C3jGAIZOdHYvet6uqmTQwgsXrHmgisVI66LFNbGIQlB1V2EX0GYCSq-8vb0q9wFiejwKK9t5zFRiocMRkxSWDFUFMSPhThxjzSga1BaUriG31aGw43PTC9eOSAlIaGvItsUuiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sabrina, Santa Rosa County budget director, told the Sales Tax Committee on April 29 that county projects funded by the local option sales tax continue to move forward but that the failure of a proposed sales tax increase complicates longer‑term planning.

The update covered completed and under‑construction projects funded with sales tax proceeds, including the Pace library ribbon cutting, Navarre Park repairs following Hurricane Sally, new practice fields at Joppa, sidewalks and turn lanes, fitness court installations at Navarre and Tiger Point, and multiple stormwater retrofits in subdivisions such as Ranchoettes, Metron and Ashmore. \"These are just a few pictures of some of our projects that have been accomplished over the last year,\" Sabrina said while presenting photos and status notes.

The nut graf: county leaders say the current sales tax remains the primary source for many capital projects but that revenue limits and permitting delays require alternative financing and careful prioritization. Sabrina gave fiscal context: fiscal‑year 2024 actual local sales tax receipts were about $15.8 million and the county estimates roughly $15.0 million for the current year, and said revenues are “a little over halfway” to the annual estimate.

Project specifics mentioned during the briefing included:

- Navarre Park: repairs to sidewalks and pavers and replacement or removal/repair decisions for a pier damaged in Hurricane Sally; Sabrina said the environmental review and permitting remain unresolved and staff are working with state regulators.

- Pace Library: a rebid produced lower bids after an initial over‑budget result and the library recently held a ribbon cutting; outstanding invoices remain to close the project.

- Sports and recreation: new practice fields at Joppa (lighting in progress), lighting for the South End para‑football fields, and a South End soccer complex under construction to provide competitive fields and ancillary facilities (restroom, press box, parking).

- Transportation and drainage: completed resurfacing and ongoing turn‑lane construction at Pace Road; design and permitting under way for Tom King Bayou and West William Creek channel restorations, where permitting with the Army Corps and state agencies is the primary schedule constraint.

- Boat ramp work: staff applied for a grant for Oriole Beach boat ramp construction and proposed a $100,000 local pledge to match a request that exceeds $1 million.

Sabrina framed the permitting delays as a recurring cost driver: \"When you're waiting 2 and 3 years for a project to be permitted, the cost does nothing but escalate during that time.\" Brad, a county staff member, joined her in noting Army Corps and state permitting as the primary bottleneck for many drainage and waterway projects.

On public safety capital, the committee heard that the consolidated dispatch center—intended to combine police, sheriff and fire/EMS dispatch in a single facility—remains in design and staff expect more than a year before design is ready for construction bidding. Sabrina called the consolidation a key service improvement: \"So when you call 911, you get whoever can help you. It's... one group of people.\"

Sabrina also reminded members that the ballot timing for the county's current half‑cent local option sales tax requires a regular (November) election. She said the county is preparing an outreach program and project story pages in advance of the renewal campaign and that state law prevents asking for an increase before 2028 after the recent failed increase attempt. \"I do want to mention... the sales tax did not pass, the increase of the sales tax,\" she told the committee.

Staff highlighted the county’s recent debt activity: county officials signed documents for a roughly $30 million loan for the wastewater treatment plant. Sabrina said conservative debt management has left the county in a strong position to finance some capital while staff pursue grant and other match funding.

Ending: committee members asked staff to circulate the presentation and map of projects to committee members and to continue regular project updates. Sabrina said she will share the presentation and work with the county communications team on outreach in advance of the 2026 renewal vote.","Budget staff updated the Sales Tax Committee on parks, drainage and transportation projects funded with local sales tax revenues and outlined impacts from the failed sales tax increase, including pursuit of alternative funding and renewal timing for the current half‑cent.","actionData","errors"]

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County considers gantry tolling on Navarre Bridge to fund repairs and future replacement

County staff outline MSBU phase‑1 to pay for stormwater maintenance for 6,300 lots

Santa Rosa County sales tax committee reviews project progress and funding outlook after failed tax increase