Penny for Pasco is a voter-approved sales tax program by Pasco County, Florida, that charges a 1% tax on all goods in Pasco County up to $5,000. [1] The total revenue for the program is estimated to be $1.9 billion. [2]
The Penny for Pasco program was first introduced in 1995, though it was rejected by voters. [3] After several years of attempts, the Penny for Pasco Program passed on March 9, 2004, and went in to effect from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2014. [4] The vote was 52 percent in favor, and 48 percent against the tax. [5]
On November 6, 2012, Penny for Pasco was voted again and extended the sales tax for another 10 years, extending the program until December 31, 2024. [6] The vote was 70 percent in favor, and 30 percent against the tax. [7]
On November 8, 2022, Penny for Pasco was voted again, extending the program for 15 additional years, until December 31, 2039. [8] The vote was 65 percent in favor, and 35 percent against the tax. [9] [10]
The Penny for Pasco program funds several types of projects such as trails, parks, industry, office, infrastructure, and programs such as the Ready Sites Program, which funds industrial development. [11] [12]
The proceeds are split between the Pasco County Government and Pasco County Schools, which each receives 45% respectively, though Pasco County Government is split into separate services, and 10% gets split between cities: [13]
| Service / Munincipality | Share [1] [14] |
|---|---|
| Pasco County Schools | 45% |
| Transportation | 18% |
| Economic Incentives | 9% |
| Environmental Lands | 9% |
| Public Safety | 9% |
| Zephyrhills | 3.59% |
| New Port Richey | 3.49% |
| Dade City | 1.52% |
| Port Richey | 0.64% |
| St. Leo | 0.49% |
| San Antonio | 0.27% |
| Total | 100% |