SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.,None — Seminole County’s sales tax dropped from 7 cents to 6 cents per dollar on Sunday.
Commissioners voted to end the 1-cent local sales tax because of the slumping economy, making it one of the lowest in Central Florida.
According to the Seminole County Public Works Department, the county collected $589 million for transportation and education projects in the last 10 years. Sixty percent of the transportation projects are finished, 15 percent are under construction and the other 15 percent won’t be finished until 2017.
Officials say the penny tax brought in more money than expected. They say much of that money will be used to offset project costs or start additional road projects.
Each year the penny tax made the county an additional $59 million on average. Not having the extra penny will save customers some money, but the tax decrease won’t apply to all of the sales tax on purchases. Officials told WFTV it only applies to the first $5,000, meaning you can save $50 without the extra penny.
Some Seminole County businesses have supported taking away the penny tax.
“We're just finished with Christmas. We have the opportunity to get some of that money back,” said Fred Marion of David Maus Toyota. “So if you can keep a little more that we gave all the retailers during the Christmas time, I think it's a benefit for the familes out there.”
Schools were also receiving a portion of the tax for maintenance and to fix up buildings. School officials said it'll be a loss of revenue, but they won't let education slide.
WFTV
