Do Manatee voters support tax to save land from development? What a poll says

A plan to raise more money to buy and protect Manatee County land from development is one step closer to appearing on the ballot this year.

At a recent commission meeting, the Trust for Public Land highlighted results of a poll conducted in May that measured public support for a new conservation referendum. The organization found that a majority of area voters polled were in favor of a new property tax that would allow the county to pump millions more into its land conservation efforts.

The Trust for Public Land helped Manatee County launch a similar effort in 2020 that has resulted in over 300 acres preserved across new and expanded parks, including an expansion of Emerson Point Preserve and the creation of Crooked River Preserve and Triple Oak Preserve.

But to move forward with supporting the groundwork for a new referendum, the organization said it first needs proof that residents are on board and likely to pass the measure.

May’s poll provided that assurance, according to Casey Bauer, Trust for Public Land’s finance director for Florida.

Bauer said the results confirmed that voters “care about conservation” and are “concerned with the pace of development.”

“We believe, based on those results, that a conservation measure on the November ballot stands a good chance of passage,” Bauer told the board.

Voters show support for referendum plan

Based on the poll results, the Trust for Public Land recommended that the county move forward with a referendum, allowing voters to decide whether to approve a new property tax millage of 0.16 paired with $75 million in bonding capacity.

The tax would allow the county to spend up to $75 million on new parks, preserves and easements, with several million dollars of annual income leftover to operate and maintain the properties.

The board voted unanimously in favor of pursuing the property tax and bond combination, with Commissioner Jason Bearden absent.

“I’m in favor of moving forward with this and letting the voters decide the question,” Commissioner Tal Siddique said.

“Citizens have seen growth … and seen what happens when you don’t think ahead with conservation,” Siddique said.

How much will new tax cost voters?

How much the new tax would cost Manatee County residents depends on the outcome of another referendum this year — Florida’s plan to slash homestead property taxes.

Under current property tax rates, the new conservation tax would cost the median Manatee County homestead a maximum of around $34 per year, according to the Trust for Public Land.

If the state property tax cut passes, the cost of the conservation tax would drop to about $2 per year by 2028 for the median homestead, the organization calculated.

Either way, Bauer said the tax would support up to $75 million in land conservation purchases. However, if the state referendum passes, the local conservation tax would generate less annual income to maintain the new lands.

What happens next?

Following the positive poll results and approval from commissioners, the Trust for Public Land will work with Manatee County staff and the County Attorney’s Office to draft ballot language for the referendum.

The ballot language is set to come back to the board for a vote on July 28, according to Kara Koenig, the county’s Environmental Lands Program manager.

If approved, it will appear on the Nov. 3 General Election ballot.