Broward County has matured into a dynamic urban environment. It offers its residents and tourists the full complement of natural beauty, art and culture, world-class neighborhoods and an ever-expanding center for business and commerce. While the assets bring benefits, they also come with challenges – especially on how to effectively deal with the strain on our transportation system. Public transportation is often used in mid to large cities to try and combat the issue.
How is transportation funded today?
- 61% – Fuel Tax
- 29% – Motor Vehicle Fees
- 5% – Document Stamps
- 4% – Rental Car
- 1% – Aviation
Why are there not enough funds?
- The gas tax has not increased for two decades
- Costs for operations and maintenance are higher
- Vehicles are driving more miles with less gasoline better fuel efficiency
To fund such transportation needs and improvements would require voters to vote for a sales tax increase. In 2006, Broward voters overwhelmingly rejected increasing the sales tax from 6 to 7 percent to improve mass transit.
Ongoing discussions have continued to see if consensus can be found to bring a new transportation and/or infrastructure plan forward. As part of the initiative, it would potentially ask voters in 2016 to support up to a penny sales tax increase.
Sources:
Broward Metro Planning Organization
Broward Workshop Moving Broward Plan
Sun Sentinel
Speakers:
- Randall Vitale – Co-Chair, Broward Workshop Transportation Funding Taskforce/SVP & Market Executive, Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust
- Commissioner Dick Blattner – Chair, Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization/City of Hollywood
- George Burgess – Former County Manager, Miami-Dade/COO, Becker & Poliakoff