Miami-Dade College Sales Tax Proposal Back Again
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) -- A proposal that would allow Miami-Dade County to ask voters to bolster funding for a local state college and university is back, for a fourth time, before a tax-resistant, Republican-dominated Legislature.
Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, has filed the companion measure (HB 113) to a Senate proposal (SB 66) by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, that would allow "home rule" charter counties with state universities and Florida College System institutions to hold referendums to increase sales taxes for higher education.
Under the legal definition, Miami-Dade County would be the only county eligible to levy the surtax, according to a staff analysis of the proposal when it was offered during the 2013 session.
Miami-Dade County houses Miami-Dade College and Florida International University.
Staff noted that a 0.5-cent increase to the sales tax in Miami-Dade would generate about $200 million a year.
The bill would send 90 percent of the tax to the Florida College System institution and 10 percent to the state university. The money could be used for operations, maintenance and administration.
The proposal prohibits state funding from being reduced if voters approve the additional money.
During the 2013 session, the proposal --- pitched by Fresen and Flores --- received a 37-1 vote in the Senate, but failed to reach the House floor.
"The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
