A proposal to extend Sumter County’s local option fuel tax will be on the Nov. 3 ballot after commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday night.
The tax amounts to two cents per gallon regardless of fuel prices.
Enacted in 2008, the tax, which expires in 2027, must be extended by referendum.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said the fuel tax raises about $2.8 million a year, which is targeted mainly for road maintenance. The money is shared by the county and cities.
Poor road conditions have been an issue for rural county residents.
“The only place we see new roads being put in is in The Villages,” said resident Ross Justice during a public hearing on the tax.
Arnold said new roads are built with other money such as road impact fees.
Besides residents, he said the fuel tax also is paid by travelers coming through the county on Interstate 75 and the Florida Turnpike.
“We have a lot of outside folks that are contributing to this particular revenue source,” he said.
More electric cars have affected fuel tax proceeds despite the county’s growing population, Arnold said.
To upgrade all roads, County Chairman Don Wiley said the county would need an estimated $200 million.
Commissioner Deb Butterfield said the fuel tax could become a more important revenue source if a state legislative effort to reduce or eliminate property taxes succeeds.