ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County residents are getting one last chance to weigh in Monday night on Mayor Jerry Demings’ proposed penny sales tax increase.

People will get the final chance to see what the added penny would pay for, in the last special open house information session Monday night.

The county promises staff will be on hand to show neighbors the plan to enhance Lynx and SunRail, as well as pedestrian and bicycle improvements, streetlight upgrades, intersection fixes, and more.

The measure would raise the sales tax to 7.5% to provide nearly $600 million per year for transportation projects, including expanding Lynx and SunRail stops. The tax would apply to the first $5,000 in sales, but essential food items, prescription drugs, and utilities would be exempt.

Right now, the county’s sales tax is 6.5%, which our partners at the Orlando Sentinel say is lower than comparably sized Hillsborough County with an 8.5% sales tax.

Demings has been leading the charge on the penny plan. He addressed City of Orlando Council last week during a special workshop.

“So we’re trying to be, you know, think outside the box but do something that is affordable that we all say is in the best interest of all of us in this community,” Demings said Tuesday.

“There’s no question that, whether you’re in east Orange County, west Orange County, west City of Orlando, you should see an improvement in terms of the connectivity with our bus system,” he added.

Demings says he is looking toward the future with this measure, which could serve as a dedicated funding source to improve public transportation.

“It is a solution that in the next 40 to 50 years, perhaps children who are not yet born will be able to benefit from,” he said.

He said federal funding would not be enough for the additions they hope to make and that the project is not eligible to use tourist development tax dollars.

Under the measure, 45% of funding would go to transit projects. The county and cities would get 45% and 10% respectively to maintain roadways and safety.

Some feel, with prices rising on just about everything lately, now is not the time. Others say the transportation goals it would pay for are worth it.

The final open house to learn more about the measure is Monday night inside Colonial High School's gym at 6:30 p.m. Demings is also encouraging residents to take this survey to share their thoughts. 

He will present his draft proposal before the board of county commissioners on March 22. Then during a public hearing on April 26, commissioners will decide whether to place the referendum on the November ballot.