While voting for tax increases, Seminole County blames state, political forces

“We need to be more outraged,” Commissioner Amy Lockhart said moments before the county voted 4-1 on the second of two tax increases to pass their Seminole County Commission votes on Tuesday afternoon. 

Lockhart was pointing to increases in parts of the overall county budget that stood out for how quickly they were rising and causing the county to raise taxes to balance its budget, particularly from one agency: the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. 

The Seminole County Sheriff, currently Dennis Lemma, falls under a category of government official called a constitutional officer. Those officers include county sheriffs, tax collectors, property appraisers, supervisors of elections and some others, each elected to their position and each with their own departmental budget. 

“It’s no secret the biggest ask in our budget is coming from public safety,” Commissioner Andria Herr said.  

For the upcoming 2025-26 budget cycle, Seminole County Commissioners saw that Lemma was requesting a $15 million increase in his department’s budget, which has raised eyebrows and some commissioners’ ire during budget discussions over the summer. 

“As much as we think of our constitutional officers as our partners, I think we are going to have to start suggesting that citizens who have concerns over this budget and any tax increases start calling them because we are merely the conduit for their budget,” Commissioner Amy Lockhart said during the Aug. 12 County Commission meeting in which the Commission discussed raising two different taxes. “Over time we need to be more outraged. I think we need to be a little more aggressive about those conversations.”

The sheriff’s office budget increase request drew particular contention because it’s backed by a state law that allows the state to override any adjustment a county government makes to a sheriff’s office budget proposal. 

Gas tax jumps, but not diesel

In order to head off the effects of some departmental budget increases, the Commission voted twice Tuesday to pass those taxes. You can watch that meeting here. 

The first, adding a 5-cent fuel tax to consumers at the gas pump, would put Seminole County above other Central Florida counties in average gasoline price by 5-7 cents, or about 1.6%. The increase would help offset lower fuel consumption of modern cars and the increased adoption of electric vehicles, Commission Chairman Jay Zembower said. 

“The fuel efficiency in automobiles has increased by approximately 35% in the last 30 years,” Zembower said. “That means less fuel sold. That means less income. With the advent of EVs, of which one of my fellow commissioners happens to own and enjoys driving them, and that’s great, that’s less income to the gas tax because we’re not buying fuel. Now we can all argue those are great things. Great things for the environment, great things for society, but it does take an impact. A quick review of the statewide collections over the last 10-15 years, the gas tax collections have been reduced steadily across the board, not just this county but the entire state as a whole.”

That tax increase passed by a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Bob Dallari the lone dissenter, making a brief statement that he’d already spoken at length about his objections previously. 

“I’ve expressed my concerns about this and I’ll be voting accordingly and I will not be supporting it,” Dallari said.  

Herr and Commissioner Lee Constantine pointed to how the gas tax would be less exclusively born by Seminole County residents, making it an easier decision to make. Approximately 30% of gas taxes in the county are paid by non-residents traveling through, Constantine said. Herr concurred. 

“I’m not willing to sacrifice public safety for a small tax on gas that is often paid by folks that do not live here,” Herr said. 

Public services tax also jumps

But Herr’s reasoning didn’t apply to the other tax the Commission voted for. 

That tax hike, which would be added to the county’s public services in unincorporated areas — which are county lands not inside incorporated city borders — includes electricity, water, natural gas and propane. It was being proposed to be raised from the current 4%, which is the lowest county rate in Central Florida and also lower than any city in Seminole County. 

The proposed increase to 10% brought the rate to the same level as most Central Florida counties and made it the same as all but one city in Seminole County. Altamonte Springs currently has an 8% public services tax. 

Lockhart said that the county had in the past avoided raising taxes while other cities and counties had progressively raised theirs, causing Seminole County to need to play catch up. 

“Our perceived conservatism over the years has really put us into quite a hole right now,” Lockhart said. 

The tax passed by a similar 4-1 vote to the other, with Dallari again the lone dissenter. 

“Which is more conservative?” Zembower asked. “Waiting until the last minute to raise an increase, or raising it long before it’s due and necessary? I would argue the conservative thing to do is when it’s appropriate.” 

Want to contact your elected leaders and weigh in on this topic? Find the Seminole County Commission contact information here.