HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla — Tampa traffic is bad now, but one local group says in 30 years, 700,000 people will move to Hillsborough County, and the time to fix transportation issues is now.
All For Transportation gathered enough signatures to get an amendment on the ballot this November asking for a 1 cent sales tax increase. The money would help repair roads, fill in potholes, improve intersections and fund bus services. They’d also use it to invest in more transportation options.
"It’s a major problem now,” said Gwen Myers, who lives in Tampa.
According to the group, 76,000 other people think traffic congestion is bad too.
"You have to pick and choose what time you want to leave home in order to run errands and get right back,” said Myers.
Instead of going through the county commission, Tyler Hudson, the chair of the group, says they will take it straight to the voters.
“They gave us no choice. We’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting for action, and it never happened,” he said.
Waddie Wilson rides the bus all the time and says it desperately needs the extra funding.
"People need to get around,” he said. "If the bus was coming every hour and the bus broke down it might be two and a half, three hours before you catch a bus!"
Nearly half (45%) of the money would help better fund HART.
If passed, it will be audited yearly by an independent group of people living in Hillsborough County.
The amendment breaks down exactly where that money would go. Click here to take a closer look at the group and its plan.
