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Tax Incentives for New Business on Orange County Ballot


January 27, 2012 | WMFE - Many independent voters and registered Democrats in Orange County have made other plans for next Tuesday because they believe the Republican Presidential primary is the only race on the ballot. Florida is a closed primary state and only Republicans can vote in that contest. But it turns out there is something for all Orange County voters to decide next Tuesday. A ballot question regarding tax exemptions for businesses to create high wage jobs in the county.

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90.7’s Tom Parkinson spoke with Rollins College Political Science Professor Rick Foglesong and asked him to explain what the ballot referendum is about. His comments are followed by Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs discussing the proposal on WMFE's Intersection last month.

Mayor Jacobs explained her support for the ballot referendum in a conversation in December with 90.7’s Mark Simpson. Since that conversation, the unemployment rate for the central Florida region has dropped by a few fractions of a percent.

A spokeman for Mayor Jacobs also responded, in an email, to Professor Foglesong’s assertion that the referendum is unnecessary.
Spokesman Steve Triggs says that is inaccurate and that the vote is required by the State Constitution. (Section 3, Article VII).

Follow this link for to the county’s web page on the upcoming referendum:
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/Employment/TaxAbatementReferendum.aspx

   

 

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