Collier County considers one-percent sales tax increase

Collier County told you the millions of dollars from a one-percent sales tax increase would help build your community.

But where exactly would that money go?

Voters in Collier County get to decide in November whether to collect the cash to fix roads like Airport-Pulling Road.

“I would rather see the sales tax increase by one percent than I would see property tax go up,” said Christine Glendack.

Glendack moved from Texas two years ago and she says she’ll be voting in favor of the sales tax increase in November.

“Tourists pay a lot more from where they come from, and they think six percent is really low, so one percent won’t make a whole lot of a difference,” she said.

The president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce says the seven-year tax will put $191 million toward fixing sidewalks and several key roads.

$139 million will go to hurricane relief and Corkscrew Regional Park. The remainder of the $90 million will be put into a career and technical training center and a mental health center.

“Think of a family of three that brings in $65,000 a year, our estimate is that they wouldn’t pay more than $130 a year extra in taxes,” Michael Dalby said.

Anything extra is a concern for people on a fixed income.

Groceries, medical services, medication and fuel won’t see a tax increase and the county says taxes will only be collected for the first $5,000 of big purchases like a car.

If approved, the tax increase will go into effect the first of the year.