Vote FOR the renewal of the Hillsborough Community Investment Tax

The Westshore Alliance, along with our partners at the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, Tampa Bay Partnership, Tampa Downtown Partnership, and South Tampa Chamber of Commerce endorsed the renewal of the Hillsborough Community Investment Tax (CIT). 

As business leaders and residents in our community, we encourage you to vote for the renewal. Voting for the CIT today ensures that Hillsborough County, and the Cities of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace have the funds for our growth tomorrow.

The original CIT passed in 1996. It funded our growth by providing law enforcement vehicles, renovated parks, expanded stormwater systems, schools, sports facilities, and safer roads. The renewal would be effective in 2026 to fund the same types of projects.

Each local government created project lists for the 15-year span of the renewal. The funds are divided based on population, with Hillsborough County receiving about 70% of the total amount. The estimated project funding is below. You can access the lists by clicking the links here: Hillsborough CountyTampaPlant CityTemple TerraceHillsborough Schools.

Numbers don’t tell the whole story. The CIT is about your safety and quality of life. The largest allocation of funds would go to basic transportation needs like street maintenance and sidewalks. More than 20% of funds will go towards public safety, including law enforcement vehicles and new fire stations. Hillsborough will allocate at least $180 million on stormwater and sewer projects that are surely needed after the impacts of two major hurricanes in three weeks. 

The CIT will fund the maintenance of Raymond James Stadium and Amalie Arena, a new County pet shelter, new schools in eastern Hillsborough, and playgrounds and ballfields from Town 'n' Country to Fishhawk to Lutz. 

If you vote against the CIT, your tax rate will not decrease until 2026. In the meantime, local governments would need to budget for a decrease in sales tax revenue. That could mean higher property taxes and fees, or less services. Tourists historically pay about 20% of sales tax revenues in Hillsborough County. Local governments would lose those contributions in 2026. That is your choice, for or against.

The choice of the Westshore Alliance and our partners is FOR the renewal of the Community Investment Tax. We encourage you to join us. 

Early in-person voting is open 7am-7pm at locations across Hillsborough County until November 3. Election Day is November 5. You can still request a vote-by-mail ballot, but it must be received at the Supervisor of Elections offices by 7pm on Election Day. Visit VoteHillsborough.gov for more information.