Hillsborough commission supports property tax renewal

TAMPA -- Despite recent property tax revolts, Hillsborough County commissioners Wednesday unanimously supported renewing a county property tax that buys and conserves environmentally sensitive land.

Commissioners authorized county attorneys to draft a ballot item for the November general election. The tax, set to expire in 2011, would be renewed at a lower tax rate.

Because the county's collective property value has grown, it would still finance $200-million in bonds for land purchases.

Some county officials had expressed reluctance to promote such a tax in Florida's current anti-tax climate. But a poll commissioned by program supporters last week suggested that 68 percent of the county's voters would support it if they understood it.

"We need to save the program," said former commissioner Jan Platt, who helped launch it years ago. "We can save the program by putting it on the ballot."

-- Bill Coats, Times staff writer