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02/14/2006: "Finally: Hearing On Affordable Housing Tax"

After many meetings on the subject Previous Story , and at times some anger and frustration over the process, the proposed new chapter to the County Code that will allow, and spell out how, a collection of a new one-half of one percent tax on real estate sales, will be collected and spent, is ready for the first round of formal public input. If all goes well today at the hearing (2:30 pm, Tuesday, February 14), the next chance for the public to express their views on the subject will be at an election to be held in May of this year.

In that election, the proposal to collect money from the sale of real estate and make it available to a "Housing Bank Commission" that will become an umbrella group for receiving various funds from the private sector, the State, Federal programs, and now from a tax on real estate, will be on the ballot for voter approval. Any monies collected will be used to fund financing aid for the construction of affordable housing. Previous story on how it will work