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Transportation Benefits Most From Sales Tax

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By CARL ORTH

The Suncoast News

Published: August 24, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - With county officials pinching pennies in the post-Amendment No. 1 budget, the revenue from the Penny for Pasco sales tax will be a welcome sight.

The 1-cent optional sales tax levy will generate an estimated $13,283,711 in the 2009 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.

County commissioners recently got a status report on how the county intends to spend its share of Penny for Pasco funds. The county and school district each get 45 percent of Penny proceeds. The county's cities split the remaining 10 percent.

Transportation gets the lion's share of the county's share of Penny revenue, about $6.64 million. Buying land for environmental preserves will get about $3.3 million. Another $2.66 million will go toward the sheriff's office and fire department. A 5 percent contingency fund will come to $664,186.

Since voters approved the Penny for Pasco, in 2004, the county already has completed numerous road projects.

In central and east Pasco, Penny for Pasco paid $3.2 million toward resurfacing State Road 54 between Curley and Morris Bridge roads.

The money also provided just over $1 million to improve the intersection of Collier Parkway and Weeks Boulevard near the Land O' Lakes Recreation Center.

Also on the Penny for Pasco's project list is the replacement of Interstate 75 overpass across County Road 54 in Wesley Chapel. The Department of Transportation will start the $22 million replacement next year.

The fund will also provide $1.1 million toward the $8 million bill for improving Clinton Avenue, just south of Dade City, in 2015.

Future Penny for Pasco projects include improving the intersections of State Road 54 and Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel and State Road 52 and Prospect Road east of St. Leo.

In west Pasco, Penny for Pasco has made improvements to medians and other safety features along Seven Springs Boulevard, costing $7.86 million.

Penny-funded upgrades to seven intersections include three junctions on Grand Boulevard, plus Little Road at Ponderosa Avenue, Regency Park Boulevard at San Miguel Drive and U.S. 19 at Fox Hollow Drive.
West Pasco projects coming up in the near future include Main Street improvements from Congress Street to Rowan Road, a joint project with the city of New Port Richey. Construction could cost about $5.9 million. The upgrades are scheduled for sometime during fiscal year 2009, which starts Oct. 1.

Also on the horizon within a couple of years is channelization of U.S. 19 medians to reduce traffic darting across the state highway. The estimate is $13.36 million.

Bus stop transit shelters along U.S. 19 are scheduled to be installed beginning in October. Along with shelters on U.S. 301, the estimated cost is $821,258. A bus transfer station estimated at $326,901 could begin by fall 2009.

Long-range transportation projects include a major redesign of Congress Street at Orchid Lake Road, in fiscal 2014. The first phase of the Starkey Trail extension along Massachusetts Avenue won't start before October 2012 under current plans.

Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski contributed to this report.

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