In particular, the editorial leads the reader to believe that local government is hoarding the revenue generated by the tax. Generally, the public is not aware that it takes approximately seven years to plan, design, and purchase right-of-way and begin construction on a major road-capacity improvement project.

Leon County has accomplished the following sales tax transportation-related tasks:

Miccosukee Road Phase One B planning and design complete with construction scheduled to begin in January 1996 at a total cost of approximately $7,500,000.

Miccosukee Road Phase Two B planning and 60 percent of the design complete with construction scheduled for 1998 at a cost of approximately $10,500,000.

Buck Lake Road B planning is complete and the design phase is pending approval of the consultant fee. Buck Lake Road and Pedrick Road intersection to begin right-of-way acquisition in mid-1996 and construction in mid-1997. Total project costs are $3,030,491.

Orange Avenue (from South Monroe to Blair Stone Road) B planning and 30 percent design to be complete in roughly six months. Right-of-way acquisition phase scheduled to begin in mid-to-late 1996. Total project costs anticipated to be approximately $900,000.

Old Bainbridge Road Phase One B corridor study to begin towards the end of January 1996. Total project funds programmed from fiscal year > 96-> 97 to 2002-03 equals $8,800,000.

The above projects represent a total of $33,840,491 of the revenue earmarked for sales-tax transportation improvements in our community. It is good for the public to view government with a critical eye, but the one-penny local option sales tax did not make the process of providing transportation facilities shorter. It made the ability to provide them possible.