MILTON — The primary election provided a win for funding Santa Rosa County public improvements while presenting another obstacle for funding a new courthouse.
Voters approved the infrastructure option with more than 19,000 votes and 12,806 against the option. The courthouse option came close with 15,458 votes for it and more than 16,000 votes against it.
“The city (of Milton) would have liked the outcome to have been different, but we are happy to have an outcome,” said City Manager Brian Watkins in a statement. “We can now return to our master plan for the city’s historic downtown and, to that end, we look forward to the county deciding the future of the courthouse.”
Under the Milton council’s direction, city officials worked to attain several pieces of property in the downtown area toward accommodating a new judicial facility.
Should the courthouse be placed elsewhere in the county, Watkins previously stated the acquired properties could become part of the city’s Riverfront master plan.
Earlier this year, the courthouse location item received support from county commissioners in a 3-2 vote to keep the facility downtown adjacent to the current courthouse location.
Attorney Matthew Hargraves, who previously co-chaired the city’s courthouse committee, said the vote should not call into question the proposed location; only how to fund it.
“It was the preferred funding method but not the only (method) available,” he said. Previously, Hargraves said commissioners could raise property taxes as a funding mechanism.
Hargraves, a supporter of keeping the courthouse downtown, said more public awareness about the courthouse could have provided a different outcome. The polls suggest a difference of 800 votes between the number of votes for and against the courthouse taxation option.
“I saw a number of signs promoting the infrastructure sales tax, and I saw none for the courthouse,” Hargraves said.
While the courthouse issue remains unresolved, voters approved the infrastructure sales tax. County Commissioner Lane Lynchard said he was proud of Santa Rosa County’s response.
“This local option sales tax provides tremendous benefits to our county,” Lynchard said. “This will serve as a major investment for one of the fastest-growing counties in the state.”
After the new board of commissioners settles in, Lynchard expects formation of a citizens advisory committee to vet county projects in need; they include the areas of transportation, safety, recreation and drainage.
As for the courthouse, Lynchard said the board will have to continue to look into the issue at a future meeting.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Santa Rosa officials talk on courthouse, infrastructure tax results