Brian McLellan
The Corsair
The Escambia County Commission is expected to vote on Nov. 19 on a measure that would add a four-cent gas tax county wide in order to fund the Escambia County Area Transit.
According to the Pensacola News Journal, the vote, scheduled one day before Commissioner-elects Lumon May of District 3 and Steven Barry of District 5 take office, will follow a public discussion on the proposition.
The tax increase would create an estimated $3.2 million for the county-wide mass transit system while opening the door for an additional $3.7 million in matching state grants.
The vote coming one day before the new commissioners take office is no mistake in timing, as re-elected Commissioner for District 1 Wilson Robertson believes that the issue of tax increases should not be passed onto an incoming commissioner so soon in their term.
Escambia County presently collects 10 cents per gallon of gasoline county-wide, three of which are state taxes.
Estimates show that for each cent of tax raised per gallon generates around $1 million in revenue.