Committees:

Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, Economic Affairs Committee, Government Operations Subcommittee, Veteran & Military Affairs Subcommittee

Proudly Serving Hernando County

Florida House of Representatives

Representative Blaise Ingoglia District 35

District Office: 2943 Landover Boulevard Spring Hill, FL 34608 (352) 688-5004

Tallahassee Office: 1101 Capitol Building

402 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300

(850)717-5035

October 12, 2015 Chairman Nicholson, Please consider this letter as formal opposition to the creation of the “Hernando County Law Enforcement and Detention Services Self-Funding Ordinance” and the “Hernando County Municipal Service Taxing Unit” to be voted on during this Tuesday’s BOCC meeting. Although it has been my position to try and stay out of local issues, I have received numerous constituent phone calls expressing concern and opposition to such a move. First, it is of great concern that a taxing authority policy change of this magnitude was placed on the BOCC agenda without prior knowledge of, or prior discussion with, the Hernando County Sheriff’s office. This lack of transparency and communication is beneath the Chamber. More importantly, such a move is bad policy and not in the best interests of the tax payers of Hernando County. While the proposed MSTU is not “technically” a new tax, it allows the amount available for taxation to increase substantially. It will also lead to tax hikes on families and small businesses in large portions of Hernando County because of increased bureaucracy and collection costs, placing additional tax burden on unincorporated areas of the county because of cost shifting, and the need to recoup lost general fund sales tax revenue by increasing property taxes. In short, if the proposed MSTU is approved and implemented it will stifle economic growth and competitiveness, increase government and bureaucratic red tape, lead to inevitable tax increases and hurt Hernando tax payers. I respectfully ask you to vote “no” on the proposed ordinances. Sincerely, Blaise Ingoglia State Representative, District 35