Seminole County Mulls 5-Cent Gas Tax Hike to Boost Transportation Funding

Residents of Seminole County may need to prepare their wallets for a slight bump at the pump as officials are actively contemplating a gas tax hike. The proposed 5-cent increase per gallon of regular gas, as reported by WESH, is predicted to raise fuel costs to $3.08, aligning the local gas tax with that of Volusia County and surpassing Orange County by six cents.

The additional taxation is slated to generate approximately $9 million annually, an amount the county aims to utilize for bolstering transportation, including public transit and infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. This increment could potentially go into effect as early as Jan. 1, 2026, if passed in the upcoming meeting scheduled for today at 9:30 a.m. This levy is expected to cost the average driver an extra $24 a year, a detail included in the county’s breakdown of the financial implications for citizens.

In conjunction with road improvements, part of the motivation behind the increase is to provide consistent funding for the SunRail system. MyNews 13’s coverage quotes Chris Patton, the director of communications for Seminole County, expressing the absence of “a dedicated funding source for that,” specifically addressing the annual $11 million bill for SunRail, and highlighting the gas tax as a possible solution…

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