Infrastructure Surtax Initiative
Updated December 21, 2016
The voters approved the one-cent sales surtax on November 8, 2016. Thank you to all of the supporters of this initiative.
The Surtax shall commence on January 1, 2017 and automatically sunset on December 31, 2026, unless sunsetted earlier pursuant to the terms of County Ordinance No. 2016-032. Pursuant to the County Ordinance and the ballot language approved by the voters, City expenditures of Surtax proceeds shall be subject to independent oversight by citizen committees. The County Ordinance further provides that each City must participate in a citizen oversight committee. A City has the choice of either creating its own oversight committee or participating in one created by the Palm Beach County League of Cities. The County Ordinance provides the following requirements for citizen oversight committees:
1. The citizen oversight committee must be created as soon as possible after the Surtax becomes effective (January 1, 2017), but not later than the date on which Surtax funds are first expended. We have heard that you may start receiving funds in February or March of 2017;
2. The citizen oversight committee shall serve as advisory and reporting bodies to the creating entity. Each creating entity shall establish specific duties and membership requirements governing committee operations and participation;
3. Each committee shall have the responsibility to review the expenditure of Surtax proceeds by the entity which created it;
4. The committee shall meet monthly, or as otherwise needed to fulfill their duties and responsibilities;
5. Each committee shall provide an annual report to the governing board of the entity which created it;
6. Committee members shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties;
7. The committees, their members, and all proceedings shall be governed by and comply with the provisions of the Florida Sunshine Law, Chapter 286, Florida Statutes, the Florida Public Records Law, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, and the Florida Ethics Code, Chapter 112, Florida Statutes, and all other applicable local or state statutes, ordinances, or rules;
8. If your City entered into the Interlocal Agreement with the County and the School Board, then you may have some additional requirements that must be met (i.e. create a project list that will be funded from the Surtax Proceeds, subject to future revisions by the governing body of each applicable entity). Please check your interlocal agreement for any additional requirements.
The League currently is working on a draft resolution creating its citizen oversight committee.
Original post March 1, 2016
At the League's February 24th Board of Directors meeting the board voted to not oppose the continued efforts of the county to move forward with their surtax proposal.
The current proposal includes partnership with the County, Municipalities and School Board. Below are the links to the different partners infrastructure project list:
Municipalities (Cities) Infrastructure Project List as of 9/9/16
Palm Beach County Infrastructure Project List
Palm Beach County School District Project List as of 8/17/16
**Click Here** to be directed to the School District's Referenum Website
*Note: The municipalities list may be updated periodically.
If your municipality wishes to pass a resoltuion supporting the surtax click here for a template.