As we discuss the renewal of the half-cent sales tax, I wanted to share with our residents how this funding has directly benefited the Town of Cinco Bayou and why I believe it has been a tremendous asset, not only to our Town but to all nine municipalities in Okaloosa County.
Since the half-cent infrastructure surtax was implemented, Cinco Bayou has made significant progress in improving our roads and infrastructure. To date, we have paved 10 town streets. When including a partnership project with the 28 property owners of Laguna Landing to pave a private road, the total reaches 11 road improvement projects. Many of those property owners were unaware that the road serving their homes was privately owned when they purchased their properties, and this collaborative effort helped address a long-standing community need.
Before this sales tax was created, the Town simply did not have the financial resources to tackle roadway improvements at this pace. In fact, between 2001 and 2017, Cinco Bayou was only able to pave one street. At that rate, it was taking the Town 10 years or more to save enough money to repave a single road.
Today, thanks in large part to the surtax funding, we have only eight streets remaining before every street in our Town has been resurfaced. If we continue at our current pace, we expect to complete that work by 2033. By then, some of our earliest paving projects will be approaching 15 years of age, allowing us to begin planning for the next cycle of maintenance and improvements.
The half-cent sales tax has provided flexibility for communities throughout Okaloosa County. While Cinco Bayou has primarily used these funds for road and infrastructure improvements, other municipalities have also used the funding to support critical public safety needs. This flexibility allows each community to address its most pressing priorities.
To date, the Town of Cinco Bayou has received approximately $370,000 through the half-cent sales tax program. Combined with other local revenue sources, those funds have helped us complete approximately $500,000 worth of roadway improvements throughout our community.
The results are visible throughout town. Our roads are safer, our infrastructure is stronger, and projects that once seemed decades away have become a reality. For these reasons, I believe the renewal of the half-cent sales tax is an important investment in the future of Cinco Bayou and communities across Okaloosa County.
