Hillsborough OKs $700,000 education campaign for transportation tax

TAMPA — A general public training campaign in advance of Hillsborough County’s November transportation profits tax referendum is sparking some jousting in a different campaign.

Hillsborough County Fee applicant Josh Wostal, a Republican, recently turned to Twitter to criticize commission chairperson Kimberly Overman in excess of the almost $700,000 expenditure licensed by commissioners Wednesday.

“It is surreal that my opponent is seeking to use $700,000 of YOUR taxes to fork out for propaganda to acquire a playbook to ‘educate’ YOU to tax Oneself a lot more dollars since ‘she requirements a lot more,’“ Wostal tweeted very last week. “The degree of ridicule they have for your loved ones unit in Hillsborough is maniacal at ideal.”

Wostal is just one of two Republicans working for the countywide District 7 seat held by Overman, a Democrat, who is trying to get reelection. Wostal and Chase Harrison are slated to deal with off in the Aug. 23 GOP principal.

Overman brushed off the critique from Wostal.

“We’re hunting for a way to make guaranteed individuals fully grasp what we shell out the revenue on. It’s critically significant that we spend in our infrastructure,” she advised the Tampa Bay Moments. “His remark is a distinct indicator that he has no knowing how governments perform.”

The $699,958 work order calls for engineering agency HNTB Corp. to present “support for transportation community engagement efforts” prior to the Nov. 8 referendum on a proposed 1% gross sales tax for transportation.

The work will contain keeping local community meetings, creating and distributing printed product, answering inquiries from information media and the general public and making ready general public displays and content for social media and the internet. The business also will coordinate with the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant Metropolis, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority and the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Corporation on the public details campaign.

The commission authorized the operate buy by a 5-1 margin. Commissioner Stacy White dissented, and Commissioner Ken Hagan was out of the space for the vote.

Overman noted beforehand the HNTB agreement is just about fifty percent of the $1.35 million the county invested to gauge public curiosity in a transportation revenue tax proposal 6 a long time back. The effort, dubbed Go Hillsborough, never manufactured it to voters immediately after a then-fee the vast majority declined to place the tax dilemma on the November 2016 ballot.

The new public education campaign is not with out its critics.

“Wouldn’t it be superior to commit that $700,000 to deal with our streets?” questioned Catherine Starnes of Plant Metropolis during public remark.

If voters approve it, the tax is projected to increase $342 million in its first comprehensive year. It calls for 45% of the proceeds to be earmarked for the transit authority. The county and the cities of Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City would divide 54.5% based mostly on their populations, and .5% would be set apart for the Hillsborough Transportation Arranging Business.