NEWBERRY - A group of Alachua County and City of Newberry Commissioners gathered at Oakview Middle School Thursday to present the, “Fix Our Roads Sales Surtax,” plan before it appears on the general election ballot for County residents.
 

 

Citizens like Louis King came out to listen to City and County leaders and how they plan on improving roads.

 

It’s a proposal called Fix our Roads, a sales surtax valued at three-quarters of a cent over the next 15 years.

 

With safety in mind, King and others present say the tax is a fraction of a penny well spent.
 

 

Kings says it, “makes a big difference in riding on a smoother surface, than to ride on the surface that’s been patched and with potholes and things of that nature and dips in the road so a smoother surface makes it a whole lot better and safe.”

 

Meeting leaders informed the crowd that revenue from  the gas tax already in place within the county has dropped and isn’t enough to cover the extensive road project.
 

 

Commissioners on hand reminded the crowd that surtax dollars serving the community isn’t something new, but something that isn’t possible without voter support.
 

 

Newberry City Commisioner Lois Forte says, “Like when we started with the CHOICES, you know everybody I thought for sure that would not pass, I thought literally it would not pass, but thank God it did pass and you see how much revenue it generated... millions and millions of dollars”
 

If passed the tax will bring in 22-million dollars a year to be shared among the county and its  municipalities to improve roads.

 

 

The next “community wide,” town hall meeting is scheduled is scheduled for September 13th at Kanapaha Middle School, located on Tower Road, which happens to be one of the roadways flagged for improvement projects.