Sarasota County Penny Sales Tax Public Input Meetings Scheduled

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — The Sarasota County Surtax Advisory Task Force will host a series of public input meetings to receive community feedback on the future of the penny sales tax, which currently funds public safety, transportation, school priorities and other local improvements.

Revenues from the Penny tax are shared locally between the school district, Sarasota County and municipalities, and are used to fund major projects identified by the assistance of several public input meetings, according to a news release from the county.

Feedback received during these meetings is used when selecting future projects funded by the penny tax.

Public input meetings are schedule from 6 to 7 p.m. for the following dates and locations:

• Sept. 13 — Shannon Staub Public Library, 4675 Career Lane, North Port
• Sept. 29 — Gulf Gate Public Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave., Sarasota
• Oct. 5 — Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd., Sarasota
• Oct. 13 — Fruitville Public Library, 100 Apex Road, Sarasota
• Oct. 28 — William H. Jervey Jr., Venice Public Library, 300 Nokomis Ave. S, Venice

The penny sales tax, which is in addition to the state's 6 percent sales tax, was first approved by county voters in 1989 for a 10-year period. Voters extended it twice — in 1997 and in 2007.

Sarasota County residents will be asked to vote on the on the tax’s future again on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot. More than 20 percent of the penny tax revenue is tied directly to visitor and tourist spending in the community.

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Projects funded by the tax include roadway resurfacing, school renovations and new school construction, water quality improvements, sidewalk construction, park and athletic field improvements, library renovations and new library construction, neighborhood improvements, sewer and utility system improvements, and public safety enhancements, which includes fire station construction, the county said.