ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County residents will have the chance to decide whether they will pay a penny more in sales tax to get improvements to county roads and public transportation. On Tuesday night, Orange County Commissioners voted 4-3 to approve putting the measure on a November ballot after years of discussion, planning and surveying county residents.

What You Need To Know

  • Orange County Commissioners approved allowing voters to decide whether to pass a one cent increase in the county sales tax

  • If voters approve the measure in November, it will increase Orange County's sales tax to 7.5%

  • The extra $600 million dollars a year will be used for several transportation infrastructure improvement projects to roads and public transportation like Lynx bus service and SunRail

Commissioners heard from dozens of people who signed up to speak publicly at a hearing that began Tuesday afternoon. Some of those public speakers said it takes too much time to get to work using public transportation like Lynx buses while others said it’s downright dangerous to get around walking or on bikes.

Unlocking her bike is something Chayeh McMullen has to do pretty much anytime she needs to head anywhere, including work, but the ride is not something she always looks forward to.

“Getting around Orlando is a nightmare,” said McMullen.

McMullen says thanks to a lack of bike lanes and safe crosswalks, she’s constantly worrying about getting hit by a car. She’s one of several dozen people who spoke up at the Orange County Commission public hearing.

“It’s just so dangerous – I risk my life,” said McMullen. "And like I said about trying to go on a crosswalk, even that - the light, it doesn’t matter at all – you’re just as likely to die.”

Road safety improvements for bikers and pedestrians is one of several goals of a county transportation improvement plan the county is proposing, but it needs money for all of that.

Orange County leaders have proposed raising the county’s sales tax one penny to 7.5% for every dollar spent. The county would then spend the additional $600 million a year on improvements to the Lynx bus system, new rideshare programs and an expansion to SunRail that could eventually connect the rail to Orlando International Airport, as well as several other transportation improvement projects.

McMullen says she’d ride the bus, but says for her it’s not reliable and takes too long.

So she prefers to either walk or ride her bike to get around.  

“I can’t rely on that, I need to be there every day consistently on time so I have to rely on my own body to get there, but doing that every day puts me in danger,” said McMullen.

While most of the people who spoke up in the public hearing urged commissioners to vote yes to get the sales tax increase on the ballot, several commissioners brought up concerns during a contentious debate that lasted for several hours. Commissioners eventually agreed to put it on the ballot after ensuring there will be public oversight of the projects that will improve transportation, including public meetings as those projects move forward.

If voters pass the sales tax increase on November’s ballot, not all purchases would have the extra one cent tax. Essential food items, prescription drugs and utilities would be exempt, and all other purchases would only by taxed on the first $5,000 of the purchase.