Pinellas Voters Renew Penny for Pinellas Sales Tax

Pinellas County voters have historically supported the Penny for Pinellas, a 1-percent sales tax funding infrastructure improvements since 1990. The tax, which excludes groceries and medications and applies only to the first $5,000 of a purchase, has financed projects from the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail and Belleair Causeway Bridge to local sidewalks and drainage systems.

The Penny for Pinellas allows communities to fund capital projects without raising property taxes. Tourists and seasonal residents generate about one-third of its revenue. Voters first approved the tax in 1989 and renewed it in 1997 and 2007. The current iteration, set to expire in 2020, was projected to generate $1.5 billion for county and city capital projects.

County and city officials sought resident input for future projects before the tax's expiration. Voters decided on the tax's renewal Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017.

The Penny for Pinellas has funded numerous local initiatives, including the Town of Indian Shores' Gulf Boulevard Beautification Project, which added streetscape, landscaping and new town signs. Indian Shores also used Penny funds for bus shelter upgrades, decorative concrete benches and custom trash cans. The tax also funded the elevation and hardening of the Indian Shores Municipal Building to withstand Category 5 storms, creating a multi-floor municipal center.

The Penny for Pinellas dedicates revenue exclusively to capital improvement projects that enhance quality of life and support the local economy. The county and cities share the tax revenue, impacting areas from Dunedin's waterfront to St. Petersburg neighborhoods.