A sales tax won renewal in Sarasota County with a massive level of support.
Ultimately, 77.88% of voters supported renewing a penny sales tax in the county for an additional 15 years.
"Tonight's resounding vote is a testament to the people of Sarasota County who understand the importance of public safety, clean water, pristine beaches and our overall quality of life," said Max Goodman, the consultant who managed the initiative. "A special thanks to all the stakeholders and community leaders who worked so hard on behalf our region to make sure we continue to live in the greatest County in the state."
Goodman ran the Common Cents for Sarasota County campaign.
Common Cents for Sarasota County launched last year with a bipartisan panel of community leaders at its helm. That includes Republican Sheriff Kurt Hoffman, former Democratic Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell, Sarasota County Citizen Tax Oversight Committee Chairman Justin Taylor, Education Foundation of Sarasota County President Jennifer Vigne, Republican former Sarasota County Commissioner Carolyn Mason and former Sarasota County School Board member Gina Taylor.
The campaign notably started selling picturesque Sarasota, but after Hurricane Ian impacted the community, the focus of the political effort turned toward public safety.
Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman discussed how the tax could pay for the county's first stand-alone public safety complex.
"We have a dire need for capital improvements at the Sheriff's Office," Hoffman said. "Hopefully the penny sales tax will help with that."
Critics complained the tax in the past has been used to pay for roads in previously undeveloped areas like Lakewood Ranch, but Hoffman said the county needed the tax to deal with the effects of growth regardless. He stressed the county has an oversight committee to stop irresponsible spending and that the tax cannot be used to pay for staff.
The vote renews the tax until 2039.
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