Leon County Commissioners want to steer more money into the county’s infrastructure and less into economic development projects.
Commissioners met Tuesday to decide the fate of the Sales Tax Committee Final Report; a document that outlines county spending from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2039. Part of that plan centers on a program called “Livable Infrastructure For Everyone” or “LIFE”.
The LIFE program provides a stable revenue source for infrastructure projects in rural areas in Tallahassee; For Example: the construction of a sidewalk on Magnolia drive from Monroe St. to Lafayette which could make the road safer for pedestrians trying to walk or bike on the road. The project would also install streetlights and pave dirt roads in other areas of the county.
Under the proposal commissioners are considering, the program would be funded by taking two-percent from the economic development portion of the county budget.
“If we go over the 10 percent for economic development, anything over should go to the life program. Because it sustains the county, it sustains growth, improvement, infrastructure in the more rural areas,” said District One Commissioner Bill Proctor, who is backing the LIFE program.
Commissioners agreed with Proctor’s proposal to give any overages in the economic development portion to the LIFE program. Now that they have approved the proposed Sales Tax Final Report they will have a joint meeting with city and county to finalize the spending plan.
