Schools

Pasco County Commissioners Vote 3-2 to Keep Impact Fees Intact

Commissioner Jack Mariano dropped his support of reducing the fees.

Pasco County School Superintendent Heather Fiorentino said she was “very pleased” that Pasco County Commissioners voted Tuesday afternoon to keep impact fees for schools intact.

The vote on the controversial idea to reduce impact fees for schools by as much as 50 percent until the end of the next calendar year came after hours of public comment from a standing room-only crowd in the West Pasco Government Center.

The commission voted against the proposal 3-2, with Commissioner Jack Mariano dropping his support for reducing fees and tipping.  Commisioners Henry Wilson, who brought the proposal forward for a vote, and Pat Mulieri voted for reducing the fees. Commissioners Ted Schrader and Ann Hildebrand joined Mariano in voting against reducing the fees.

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After giving a presentation arguing for the fee reduction to the public, gathered at the West Pasco Government Center for comment and the vote, Mariano was the first to speak against reducing the fees. He said the small amount of money that could be generated was not worth the stress on the school system.

More details to come.

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