Gas Tax Not Likely To Pass Commission, But Public Hearing Scheduled Anyway

June 5, 2009

The Escambia County Commission will hold a public hearing a 3-cent gas tax increase for mass transit, but the chances of the tax passing look very slim.

The commission will hold the public hearing on June 18 on the 3-cent gas tax for Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT). After the public hearing, it will take a super majority — four of the five commissions must vote in favor of the gas tax for it to be approved.

All of the commissioners except for District 5’s Kevin White, had said earlier in the year that they would be in favor of the gas tax. Commissioner Wilson Robertson also spoke out against the gas tax at a Thursday morning agenda review commission meeting.

“I am not going to support it with the economy like it is,” Robertson said. “It’s not just families that I got calls from. It’s people who own businesses, like one with cement trucks that get three miles to the gallon. They buy thousands and thousands of gallons of fuel.”

White suggested that the commission not even hold the public hearing since the tax increase was not likely to pass.

“If you are not going to have the votes to pass it then why waste the money to advertise it and hold a hearing?” White asked Thursday morning.

Commissioners and Gene Valentino and Grover C. Robinson said they would like to have the public hearing, with Robinson saying that ECAT needs the funding. He said the tax burden would fall on those that use the roadways, rather than a tax on property owners. He said that small business needs mass transit in order to survive.

“I support it because I don’t believe it’s an additional tax and because it would shift the burden of paying for transit off of property owners,” Valentino said. “And between 50 to 60 percent of the 3 cents per gallon will be paid by non residents who are passing through.”

Commissioner Marie Young said she has found most people in her district to be in favor of the gas tax for ECAT, and she told White that he should be in favor of it as well.

“Just because your district doesn’t have any bus routes doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be concerned about this,” Young told White. ECAT does offer bus service in North Escambia, with two trips available daily from Century to Pensacola and Pensacola to Century.

The board will debate the gas tax at a June 11 committee workshop. It will then go to a public hearing at a regular commission meeting on June 18, followed by a vote later that night.

The Century Town Council heard complete details on the gas tax Monday night and took no action to support it. Read that story here.

Comments

4 Responses to “Gas Tax Not Likely To Pass Commission, But Public Hearing Scheduled Anyway”

  1. interested reader on June 5th, 2009 5:49 pm

    I must agree that ECAT has to support itself. The city reaps the benefits but does not help with the costs. What is wrong with this picture???? We all pay too much for gas and then have to pay for someone to ride the bus. Here in the north end we are closer to Ala. gas stations and usually buy gas there as it’s cheaper!

  2. Small Business Owner on June 5th, 2009 1:03 pm

    ECAT should have to operate like any other business in this county, operate within their means! As a small business owner that has been struggling to keep my doors open, I have not been offered any incentive from Escambia County to help me stay in business. I have had to modify my business structure and diversy to stay alive and they need to do the same.

    The citizens of this county are taxed enough and why should we pay a tax at the pump for a bus service that we are obviously not using if we are pumping gas. This service is not provided in an area that will get me back and forth to my business or bring any customers to me.

    And I don’t beleive that 50 to 60 percent will be paid by non-residents passing through. That may be seasonally, but I’m sure the residents and businesses in this county would pay the majority of this tax for the most part of a year.

  3. bob hudson on June 5th, 2009 6:52 am

    The three cc ’sthat are in favor of this need to learn that if it can not support it’s self then it must be scaled back and let those who use it pay for it. The free ride is over with. Why should those who do not use it pay for it.

  4. Jack Moran on June 5th, 2009 5:50 am

    How does poor ol’ Escambia County Alabama operate their ECAT over greater distances with fewer riders and what seems like better service to Flomaton, Brewton, Atmore, etc. than FL ECAT gives to Century?

    How do the two ECATs stack up? I was told that Pensacola is no longer paying ANYTHING to support FL ECAT.

    Perhaps this is a prelude to ALL FOR ONE.

    What happened to the promise and discussions two years ago about a North End Rural system to serve B. Park, W. Hill, Davisville, Bratt, Byrneville, etc. McCaw is correct on this one; Alabama gas is too close and too cheap!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News