The Democrat editorial that appeared
earlier this month titled "School-tax vote's message: We'll
control our facilities," provides an excellent opportunity
to clear up some misconceptions the public may have about
the transportation sales tax.
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 - 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 - planning and 60 percent of the
design complete with construction scheduled for 1998 at a cost of approximately
$10,500,000.
Buck Lake Road - 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) -
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 - 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. |
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