Sarasota County officially repeals business tax as an EDC funding source

Sarasota County commissioners on July 9 unanimously approved a revised funding plan in its new contract with the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County. But division among the board over the issue of ending the organization-supporting business tax lingers.

Minutes after passing an ordinance that provides a 50% match on the dollar of private donations to the EDC, commissioners voted 3-2 on a separate ordinance that repeals the tax, which had been in place since 1992.

As they did at their June 4 meeting when the commission instructed staff to return with a new funding structure for the EDC, commissioners Ron Cutsinger and Mark Smith cast the dissenting votes to dump the business tax, which EDC officials told commissioners in June averaged just more than $14 per business per year.