- February 6, 2025
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Port Orange City Council members are hoping to give voters the chance to decide whether or not they want a half-cent sales tax for the next 20 years.
During the Tuesday, Feb. 20, City Council meeting, council members voted 5-0 approving a resolution to encourage the County Council to add a referendum to the November ballot to consider the sales tax increase with funds going toward infrastructure improvements in Volusia County cities and unincorporated areas.
"The five of us, in my opinion, have a responsibility to move this forward so everybody else can decide for themselves," Mayor Don Burnette said. "Something this big I am certainly not going to decide on."
Roads are a major concern and county council members want funds from the tax to go toward projects such as lane expansion. According to Volusia County Councilwoman Joyce Cusack, the cost of a new two lane road is around $4.8 million per mile marker, which means expanding to four lanes would bump the number up to around $5 million per mile marker.
The surtax would also go toward projects to assist with water quality and stormwater management.
"My biggest concern is, way before election day, I want our residents to know exactly what they're buying or not buying," Vice Mayor Scott Stiltner said. "What can we do, and what will we do, with Port Orange's share if they move this forward?"
All 16 cities in Volusia County have already been asked to pass a resolution to add the half-cent sales tax proposal in the November ballot.
The tax increase is predicted to generate $45 million throughout the county with 40% of that revenue generated by tourists. Port Orange is estimated to receive $3,415,331 in one fiscal year —a little over 7% of the total.
"If this does pass I will fight to make sure that this supplants the property tax, not in addition to the property tax," Councilman Bob Ford said.
