Voters to decide sales tax hike in Osceola County

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Voters in Osceola County are one step closer to deciding whether they want to pay the highest sales tax in the state. 

Commissioners unanimously approved a measure Monday night that will send the question to voters during a special referendum in May. 

If approved by voters, the sales tax in the county would increase from 7.5 percent to 8.5 percent. 

The money would only be used for transportation projects such as fixing potholes, making bike trails and widening roads to ease congestion. 

County officials say they are trying to keep up with the growing population. They say Osceola County could double from roughly 337,000 in 2017 to 649,000 by 2045. 

Hillsborough County currently has the highest sales tax in Florida at 8.5 percent.