TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Email
Print
Voters To Decide On Land Preservation Tax Extension
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: July 16, 2008
TAMPA - Hillsborough County voters will decide in November whether to continue paying a property tax assessment to protect environmentally sensitive lands from development.
Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program on the Nov. 4 ballot for renewal. The ballot question would authorize the county to borrow up to $200 million through bond sales to buy conservation land.
The bonds are paid back by a maximum property tax assessment of 25 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value. That would equate to $50 annually for a home with a taxable value of $200,000.
Supporters of the amendment announced today that former Florida Gov. and former Tampa Mayor Bob Martinez will co-chair the campaign to pass the initiative, along with former County Commissioner Jan Platt, who founded the program in the late 1980s.
Martinez became interested in land conservation when he served on the board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District prior to becoming mayor in 1979. As governor, he started Preservation 2000, a state conservation land-buying program that later became Florida Forever.
Martinez said the program stands a good chance of being renewed by voters because it provides benefits to the public and private land owners.
"It's been managed so well, it's going to be a good campaign to keep it going," he said.
Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.
Email
Print
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
