Greg Laskoski presented the update for the Sales Tax Accountability Committee. Voters approved the sales tax, Laskoski said, because of the promise of accountability and the system of checks and balances. The committee is made up of volunteers from various backgrounds, and some of those were opposed to the sales tax, which Laskoski believes offers another layer of balance to the process. At their quarterly meetings, the committee scrutinizes all the figures and expenditures “like bulldogs,” he said.
From January to June 2016, the sales tax totals $3,147,854.05. According to Laskoski, the process is a staggered one, with taxes collected in the county one month, then sent to the State the second month, and disbursed to the district on the last week of the third month. At their meeting on 07/21/16, the committee discussed money that was collected through April 30. The numbers presented at the 08/16/16 school board meeting represented the funds and expenditures.
Lasoski is clear that the function of the committee is only to ensure that the money is spent exactly the way advocates told the taxpayers that it would be spent. The money is being allocated for school infrastructure, for repairs and upgrades to schools that the district identified. Examples include fencing, drainage, plumbing and window replacements, HVAC system upgrades, flooring, and fire alarm replacement.
According to the minutes of the committee’s last meeting, Director of Facilities Operations Erik Van de Boogaard has a very long list of projects that need to be completed. Prioritizing the projects is challenging. He has tried to schedule the smaller projects that could be addressed quickly, and has others in the design stage. Others are already out for bid.
The next meeting is scheduled for 10/27/16 at 10:00 am. It will be held at 8008 Mobley Road in Brooksville. Laskoski invited the public to see the committee at work. The documents are available for the public to view at any time.
Below is the sales tax expenditures until 7/1/16.
List of sales surtax expenditures ending 7/1/16