Board renews 2014 interlocal formula for county gas‑tax distribution, invites city workshop

The Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners on May 19 approved a one‑year renewal of the interlocal agreement that governs distribution of gas‑tax proceeds among the county and its municipalities, citing the 2014 arrangement and a desire to give parties time to review current data.

County Attorney Morrison explained that Florida statute provides a default formula to distribute gas tax proceeds pro rata based on jurisdictions’ road spending within the county, but that the statute allows local governments to adopt an interlocal agreement instead. He said the county has been renewing a short‑term agreement since 2014 to allow time for municipal partners to reconcile data and percentages. "So that's what this is and now that the city is really kind of paying attention to it is, basically another one‑year extension," Morrison said.

Commissioner Land said he welcomed a data‑driven workshop with city officials and encouraged transparency. Commissioner Land moved to approve the renewal; Commissioner Mobley seconded. The motion carried 5‑0.

Why it matters: The interlocal formula determines how county‑collected gas‑tax revenues are split among jurisdictions for road maintenance and capital projects. Renewing the agreement for one year preserves current distributions while providing a short window for a workshop to reconsider percentages and data.

What’s next: Staff and commissioners signaled willingness to hold a workshop with city representatives to review expense data and the statutory formula before any long‑term change.