FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, December 7, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Infrastructure investment comes in many forms and can come from many sources. The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners has agreed to use a portion of the half-penny community investment tax, often referred to as CIT, to help pay for the expenses related to a list of transportation maintenance projects.
In an interview before the meeting, County Commissioner Ken Hagan said, “The reality is we’ve got thousands of roads in potential disrepair that need to be resurfaced, and we need to identify as many funding sources as possible to meet our needs.” Commissioner Hagan, who has chaired the County’s transportation task force and also serves as a board member for the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority, is especially attuned to the needs of the county regarding infrastructure and transportation. One of his consistent points of focus has been building and maintaining a world class transportation system throughout Hillsborough County, including sidewalks, bridges, roads, and various forms of transit.
The half-penny tax, which financed the construction of Raymond James Stadium, is set to expire in 2026. The County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution that added resurfaced roads to the list of acceptable uses for the community investment tax voters had approved in 1996. Prior to the decision, a public hearing was held that drew no comments on the proposed usage of the tax for infrastructure investment, underscoring public support for the important project.
Earlier in the year, a study showed that approximately $700 million would need to be invested over the next ten years to address the maintenance requirements of the more than 7,000 miles of roads, as well as bridges and sidewalks, within the county’s boundaries. Using funds received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, the county has set aside $35 million toward the current needs. The list of resurfacing projects is scheduled for release later in November.
The community investment tax has helped build schools, roads, fire stations, libraries, parks, and other public facilities in the county and the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City. Through the first two decades of the tax, the county spent $472 million on transportation projects including roads, bridges, intersections, and sidewalks and to expand Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority park-and-ride facilities. The County will add road resurfacing to the list of necessary transportation spending on which the tax revenues will be spent. Because sales tax receipts have exceeded earlier projections, road resurfacing projects can join the list over the next five years, according to Commissioner Hagan.
About County Commissioner Ken Hagan
County Commissioner Ken Hagan is a native and lifelong resident of Hillsborough County. He was first elected to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners in November 2002, and was re-elected in 2004 and 2008 to District 2. He was elected to represent countywide District 5 in 2010 and 2014. During that time, he has held the leadership positions of Chaplain in Fiscal Years 2003, 2004 and 2010; Vice Chairman in Fiscal Years 2005, 2006 and 2007; and he was chosen by his peers to serve as Chairman in Fiscal Years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013. In addition, Commissioner Hagan has chaired the County's transportation Task Force. As part of his duties as a County Commissioner, Hagan serves on the following Boards and Councils: Expressway Authority, Hospital Authority, and the Tampa Bay Sports Authority.
Since 2010, Commissioner Ken Hagan has provided a steady hand in helping Hillsborough County through the Great Recession and he is now fostering economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-related pandemic. His focus has been on recruiting and diversifying to higher paying jobs in energy, technology, e-commerce, manufacturing and arts and culture, as well as the targeted use of federal and state workforce dollars on retaining and expanding small and mid-size businesses across the board, ensuring that extra attention and help goes to local retailers and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/government/board-of-county-commissioners/ken-hagan
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