County, School Board talk up taxes

Manatee County commissioners and School Board members remain unsure on whether to join forces on proposing a infrastructure sales tax to the public, but have not eliminated the idea.

The boards held a joint meeting May 3 and plan to have more.

The school board seeks to re-issue a half-cent sales tax that is set to expire in December 2017. It has used funds from an existing half-cent tax since 2003.

Manatee County commissioners are considering a new half-cent sales tax to pay for infrastructure — repairing roads, replacing playground equipment and other needs.

Together, the taxes would bring Manatee County sales tax to 7% from 6.5%.

“This is a huge community issue and there needs to be a lot more discussion,” Manatee County Commissioner Betsy Benac said. “We’re going to have to pull the trigger at some point, if we want to go for it. The public needs to get engaged.”