Commissioner Murman quoted in this Tampa Bay Times article on mobility fees:
Hillsborough commissioners face April deadline to decide on transportation referendum, mobility fees
Thursday, February 4, 2016 5:53pm
TAMPA — Hillsborough County commissioners went through their own Groundhog Day on Thursday as they discussed, yet again, how to pay for much-needed transportation improvements.
It’s a conversation they’ve had countless times over the past several years. But now there’s a deadline looming.
County Administrator Mike Merrill told commissioners they have until April 6 to vote on two potential solutions: putting a half-cent sales tax for transportation on the November ballot and requiring developers to pay more for the roads and transit projects needed to support new growth.
“I think it’s really the last date we can practically make a decision about whether there is a sales tax referendum,” Merrill told commissioners. “If there is no sales tax referendum, that has huge implications for the fiscal year ’17 budget and general revenues.”
The decision on the transportation referendum, known as Go Hillsborough, will likely be made in conjunction with the decision on imposing mobility fees. County staffers presented the new mobility fee structure to commissioners Thursday that could ultimately bring in $35 million a year for roads, sidewalks and transit.
Mobility fees are designed to encourage redevelopment and growth in economic corridors where infrastructure is already in place. The fees would replace the current system, which consists of impact fees and proportionate share agreements.
Most notably, mobility fees would be higher — potentially three to 10 times higher — than impact fees.
“Growth management laws make it very clear that new development is only responsible for new capacity growth it creates,” County Commissioner Ken Hagan said. “We can complain all day long about past indiscretions, but there are no mulligans here. New development will pay for itself, but it won’t fix the past.”
Instituting these fees is just one part of the ongoing discussion of how the county will pay for transportation.
For the past year, county commissioners have discussed whether to put a half-cent sales tax for transportation on the November ballot. They’re divided in their support. Many think a decision first needs to be made regarding mobility fees before they vote on whether to ask citizens to approve another tax.
“Whether we do a referendum or not, we’re not going to know until the day after the election what the voter wants to do,” County Commissioner Victor Crist said. “There’s still a huge unknown out there.”
If approved, money earned from mobility fees would have to be spent in the area it was collected in. The county would be divided into five fee districts as opposed to the current 10 impact zones.
Mobility fees would also be greater for those building outside the urban service area.
“We need to structure this so we’re not encouraging sprawl,” County Commissioner Sandy Murman said. “If we can encourage infill development … I think it gets us to more of a smart growth policy as we move forward.”
The new system would also aim to create incentives for certain types of growth and job creation, though the specifics on that are still vague.
Commissioners will have at least three more workshops during February and March to hone the details before reviewing draft ordinances on both mobility fees and the half-cent sales tax during the March 23 commission meeting. If all goes as planned, the board will meet on April 6 and vote on the ordinances.
Contact Caitlin Johnston at cjohnston@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3401. Follow @cljohnst.
