County 5 Chairman Ronald Williams In Favor of 5¢ County Gas Tax Hike: 4 of The 5 silent
Posted April 9, 2014 08:25 am
A 5¢ gas tax will make Lake City/Columbia County gas the highest priced in
the region.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Yesterday morning, in another 9 am budget workshop that froze out the working public from attending, the County 5, The 5, met to discuss funding Columbia County into the future, specifically next year. Massive spending, both current and proposed have The 5 scrambling for sources of revenue. One source that will impact Columbia County's working families is a proposed 5¢ hike in the County Gas Tax.
County Manager Dale Williams explained, "How much additional gas tax is available to the County? We have up to 5¢ which we can levy by law, which we have currently not levied."
The County gas tax is now 7¢. A 5¢ increase will move the County in the direction of charging some of the highest gas prices in Florida, as well as maxing out the local tax in a county which is labeled as a Rural County of Critical Economic Concern, which means among other things that its average salaries and family income are below the state level.
Approximately 65% of Columbia County's school children are, because of family income, on free and reduced lunch.
Studies have shown that a third of the gas purchased in Columbia County is purchased by people passing through. That leaves County residents purchasing 66% of gas purchased in the County.
A 5 cent gas tax hike is estimated to raise $1,950,058. After the required revenue sharing, it is estimated that the County would see $1,392,341.
To hike the gas tax would require a super majority of The 5. A public referendum is not required.
County Chairman Ronald Williams was the only Commissioner that commented on the gas tax hike.
He said, "Poor people pay more for gas than rich folks. That don't make sense, but that's the beast of the industry."
A few minutes later Chairman Williams said, "I will support a gas tax [hike]... A user's tax is the best tax there is."
The Columbia County 5 from left to
right: Chairman Ronald Williams;
Commissioners Rusty DePratter; Bucky Nash; Stephen
Bailey; Scarlet Frisina