Over 20 years, the half-cent sales tax could be worth $74 million to Daytona Beach.
DAYTONA BEACH — A week before the Volusia County Council decides whether to ask voters if they want an extra half-cent sales tax for the next 20 years, Daytona Beach city commissioners are zeroing in on how they'd spend the tens of millions of dollars their city would get.
At a workshop meeting Wednesday evening at City Hall, commissioners dove into a lengthy list of ailing roads in Daytona Beach that city staff says could use close to $16 million in repairs and improvements. They also talked about the sidewalk, bridge and flood mitigation projects that could be tackled with the estimated $3.7 million Daytona Beach would receive each year if the temporary levy earmarked for infrastructure needs is assessed.
Over 20 years, the half-cent sales tax could be worth $74 million to Daytona Beach. With distribution of the special tax collections based on population, the tally could push $1 billion as the number of Daytona Beach residents grows.
Recognizing that $3.7 million per year would only put a small dent in the city's immediate infrastructure needs, City Commissioner Kelly White asked City Manager Jim Chisholm if his intent was to seek a large bond and use the half-cent sales tax proceeds to pay off the loan.
"I don't see us bonding $40 million right out of the gate," Chisholm said. "I think we've got to have a program of what are the improvements that we need right now in these first five years, and bond that. And then that should leave us some flexibility in picking up other projects that may come about that we're not aware of right now. The most visible is what you want to do initially."
Chisholm said the city's projected $3.7 million per year is very conservative since it doesn't take into account prices and population that will likely steadily rise.
"Within 20 years you have double essentially" of the $3.7 million, said City Commissioner Aaron Delgado.
At their meeting Tuesday, County Council members will decide whether to put a measure on the Nov. 6 ballot asking voters if they want the additional half-cent sales tax assessed. If voters want the tax levied, proceeds will be limited to infrastructure projects for roads, sidewalks, bridges, water quality, storm water and flood control tied to public use.
The money would be divvied among the 16 municipalities and county using a statutory formula.
The measure Council members will vote on also establishes that a citizens advisory review committee would examine whether proposed uses for the tax proceeds were authorized and expenditures matched projects. The committee would consist of 17 members, 16 of whom would be nominated by cities and appointed by the County Council. The Council would appoint the 17th member who could reside either in a city or the unincorporated area. Members would have four-year terms.
Chisholm suggested Daytona city commissioners each come up with a list of their top 10 priorities for the tax in the next five years. Then commissioners can decide at their meeting next week or on May 16 what they as a group want the money to go for if it becomes available.
"I think it makes sense if we have this list and tell residents what we'd want to do when," said City Commissioner Rob Gilliland.
At their meeting Wednesday, Chisholm gave commissioners a list of 10 suggested projects. The list includes corridor improvements for Peninsula Drive from Seabreeze Boulevard to Silver Beach Avenue; Halifax Avenue from Seabreeze Boulevard to International Speedway Boulevard; Beach Street from Fairview Avenue to Orange Avenue; Dunn Avenue from Tomoka Farms Road to Ridgewood Avenue; LPGA Boulevard from West International Speedway Boulevard; Jimmy Ann Drive from Clyde Morris Boulevard to Dunn Avenue and the Tournament Drive extension.
Also on Chisholm's list are neighborhood streets and sidewalk improvements, the Midtown storm water remediation project and recommendations from the Beachside Redevelopment Committee. That temporary committee finalized its recommendations last week, and suggestions from the committee for the half-cent sales tax include beautification and infrastructure improvements to East International Speedway Boulevard, State Road A1A, Main Street, Seabreeze Bouelvard, Oakridge Boulevard and Silver Beach Avenue.
"This identifies what we see as needs in the community," Chisholm told commissioners.
Mayor Derrick Henry has an idea for two mainland projects: roundabouts on Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard at Lincoln Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Henry asked staff to come up with cost estimates for the pair of roundabouts.
With so many Daytona Beach roads in need of upgrades and makeovers, Delgado asked city staff to come up with a list of the city's roads that are both most troubled and most traveled.
"That seems like your best bang for your buck," Delgado said.
The county government has also come up with a proposed list of road projects that could be funded with the tax. On the county's list for Daytona Beach are Dunn Avenue being widened from two to four lanes from Williamson Boulevard to Clyde Morris Boulevard; LPGA Boulevard being widened from two to four lanes from U.S. 92 to the I-95 interchange; Williamson Boulevard being expanded to four lanes from Strickland Range Road to Hand Avenue and a Tymber Creek Road extension.