Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Option Sales Tax topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Santa Rosa commissioners debate renewing local-option sales tax to fund farmland protection
Summary
Commissioners discussed renewing a local-option sales tax to fund a 'Save Our Farms' legacy-lands program, asked for more written data and polling from the Trust for Public Land, and agreed to delay final action until additional information is available.
Santa Rosa County commissioners on Feb. 12 debated whether to renew a local-option sales tax that supporters say would fund farmland and agricultural-land protection.
One commissioner urged the board to focus on facts rather than hypotheticals and cited a presentation from the Blackwater Soil and Water Conservation District and a ‘‘Save Our Farms’’ legacy-lands plan. The commissioner said agricultural activity contributes "nearly a $100,000,000" to the county economy and asked for written data the board could show residents to justify any tax decision.
The chair noted that the Trust for Public Land, a private nonprofit, will conduct polling and report results to commissioners; commissioners said they did not expect the organization’s materials to be county-produced and stressed that policy decisions are the elected board’s responsibility. "It's our job ... we are elected to represent our constituents," one commissioner said.
Several commissioners and members of the public urged protection of farmland and rural character. Public commenter Cindy Smith Pace told the board many constituents want to "keep country country" and said voters would accept a modest percentage increase if it protects farmland. Another resident, Pauline Grimes, raised related development concerns and asked the board to review local drainage and permitting near proposed subdivisions.
The chair said a motion previously made would table the matter until late March so commissioners could review additional data and polling. No final percentage or funding allocation was decided at the meeting; commissioners described the delay as time to gather written justification for any proposed tax level.
The meeting did not include a final vote on the sales-tax renewal; commissioners instead signaled they would reconvene discussion once the Trust for Public Land returns survey results and county commissioners have staff-provided materials to share with residents.
