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Pasco County Tourism Development Council

Dade City moves ahead on priority projects

June 16, 2020 By Kevin Weiss

Dade City is moving ahead on some city priority projects.

The city’s commissioners have authorized staff to enter into a design-build contract with Borregard Construction Inc., for a design-build of a visitor’s information welcome center, to be located on the south side of Church Avenue near the Hardy Trail multi-use trailhead.

Preliminary plans call for a building of 1,100 square feet to 1,500 square feet, with two family bathrooms that meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

The center will feature an open floor plan — allowing for vendor operations, area attractions, museums and art exhibits to host mobile displays.

Officials said the visitor’s center will not exceed $250,000, which is funded through a grant from the Pasco County Tourist Development Council.

The facility will be part of a larger exterior space concept that will feature a bike-share hub with stations for parking, minor repairs, and public resting areas for cyclists and exercising pedestrians.

The public will be invited to provide input on the design of the building, in the coming months. The general idea is for the visitor’s center to help promote some of the city’s attraction to locals and out-of-town visitors, said Melanie Romagnoli, the city’s community and economic development director.

For example, Pioneer Florida Museum would be able to display items to help promote that attraction.

“We want to make sure that the building will fit into the context of the neighborhood, with a contemporary interior that will allow for modern amenities, such as digital display ads and a place for our nonprofit partners and our community partners to have mobile exhibits,” Romagnoli said.

The project passed by a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Nicole Deese Newlon dissenting.

Also, commissioners approved a motion allowing City Manager Leslie Porter to negotiate a contract with Wesley Chapel-based Magic Bubbles, to pressure wash sidewalks in the downtown area.

The company’s quote came in at $3,050 to pressure wash sidewalks from Church Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Meridian Avenue from Eighth Street to Third Street. However, the commission also agreed to have the company clean other surrounding areas heavily trafficked downtown, including the sidewalks by Nancy’s Natural Foods, Lori Anne’s, Green Door on 8th, Magnolia Title Agency, and The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, among other businesses.

The request for additional cleaning services came from Commissioner Jim Shive. Given the added work will be at relatively minimal cost, commissioners directed the city manager to proceed without having to return for funding approval. The motion passed 4-1, with Newlon dissenting.

Published June 17, 2020

Filed Under: Local News, Zephyrhills/East Pasco News Tagged With: American with Disabilities Act, Borregard Construction, Church Avenue, Eighth Street, Green Door on 8th, Hardy Trail, Jim Shive, Leslie Porter, Lori Anne's, Magic Bubbles, Magnolia Title Agency, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Melanie Romagnoli, Meridian Avenue, Nancy's Natural Foods, Nicole Deese Newlon, Pasco County Tourism Development Council, Pioneer Florida Museum, The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, Third Street

Changes coming to Pasco tourist tax collections

June 26, 2019 By B.C. Manion

The Pasco County Tax Collector will begin collecting Pasco County’s tourist development taxes, under a change approved by the Pasco County Commission.

Pasco County hotels, motels and other short-term rental accommodations have been remitting Tourist Development Tax collections to the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR).

The Department of Revenue received the collections, then returned them each month to Pasco County.

Under the change approved on June 19, Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s office will be taking on those duties. The change will be effective once it is transmitted to the state, expected to occur within 10 days of the board’s meeting.

Fasano’s office also will be responsible for enforcement and audits.

The DOR could have charged administrative costs, but did not do so — meaning that the county received 100 percent of the proceeds, according to Pasco County officials.

Shifting the duty to Fasano’s office will result in some costs, as public education efforts get underway, and enforcement actions begin.

Under the previous system, the DOR collected the tax revenues and the county was entirely dependent on the state’s registration database and reporting methodology, according to background information in the board’s agenda packet.

Florida law has confidentiality requirements that prohibited the release of registrants’ information. Because of that, the county had no way to accurately confirm that all vacation rentals within Pasco were collecting and submitting the tax to state revenue officials.

Fasano has assured the Destination Management Organization, which oversees Pasco’s tourism activities, that his office — being privy to the Department of Revenue’s registrant database — will be able to ascertain if there is non-compliance and will be able to compel compliance.

Under state law, up to 3 percent of the tax collected may be retained by the collecting entity, which would be a new expenditure for the tourism office.

But the tax collector and county officials believe that 3 percent will be off-set, as Fasano’s office identifies non-compliant properties.

Adam Thomas, Pasco’s tourism director, said the switch will improve regulation and enforcement, and will result in a quicker remittance of the funds back to the county.

Pasco Commissioner Mike Moore, chairman of the Pasco County Tourism Development Council, advocated for the shift.

“Keeping this local, in my opinion, is what we want to do,” Moore said. “We’ll be able to manage this program better.”

Fasano pointed to a mix-up that became apparent in January when Hillsborough County increased its sales tax. Some Pasco businesses inadvertently paid the Hillsborough tax “because the businesses and the Department of Revenue thought those businesses were in Hillsborough County,” Fasano said.

“Because of the tax collector’s office stepping up, working diligently with the Department of Revenue, they found $624,000 that was collected and given to Hillsborough County,” Fasano said, noting it was discovered that the problem had been happening for years.

Fasano also noted that a hotel in Wesley Chapel had paid its tourist development tax to Hillsborough. In that case, Pasco County received a check from the Department of Revenue for $58,000, the tax collector said.

Fasano said he believes there are short-term rentals — that should be collecting tourist development taxes, but are not doing so.

Fasano said he wanted to be sure that places which offer short-term rentals, such as RV parks, are collecting the tourist development tax.

“If there’s a short-term rental, that’s a business. That means they should have a business tax receipt,” Fasano said. “We want to be sure that people that are renting short-term, or renting a hotel — overnighters — that the tourist development tax of Pasco County is collected and paid, and I believe we can do that. We would be able to enforce, to put liens, garnish.”

To help track records, Fasano said, “we’re going to work with the Property Tax Assessor’s Office.  “We’re going to be able to find out these things,” he said.

The tax collector predicted it will take about three years for his office to break even, because of the costs incurred to perform additional duties the added responsibilities will require.

Published June 26, 2019

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Adam Thomas, Destination Management Organization, Florida Department of Revenue, Mike Fasano, Mike Moore, Pasco County Commission, Pasco County Tourism Development Council, Tourist Development Tax

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February 23, 2021 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

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03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will offer “Foodie Feast: Apple Pie Bombs” on March 5. Participants can learn how to make tasty, apple pie bombs. Watch the prerecorded video between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., online at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 03/05/2021 – Apple Pie Bombs

03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

The Grand Concourse Railroad, 11919 Alric Pottberg Road in Shady Hills, will offer a Pancake Breakfast and Unlimited Train Rides event on March 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids. For information, visit Grand Concourse Railroad on Facebook. … [Read More...] about 03/06/2021 – Pancakes and trains

03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to grow a tomato garden. Those interested can view the video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary, all day, on March 8. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email . … [Read More...] about 03/08/2021 – Tomato garden

03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a video on how to make green grilled cheese on March 9 at 4:30 p.m., for grades four to seven. To view the video, visit the Library Cooperative on Facebook or Instagram. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Grilled cheese

03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

The Pasco County Library Cooperative will host a virtual poetry discussion group on “Female Power!” on March 9 at 6:30 p.m., for ages 16 and older, via Zoom. Participants can share a favorite poem or take part in discussions on poems about women or written by women poets. Themed poems will be sent out to help with the session. Registration is required. For information, contact Amaris Papadopoulos at 727-861-3020 or . … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Poetry discussion

03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

The Land O’ Lakes Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, will offer a Technology Tuesday: Robots & Machines on March 9, through a curbside pickup activity. The kit will help kids learn more about technology, from robots to coding, through online and hands-on activities. The pickup is limited to 35 participants and must be reserved ahead of time. A book bundle can be included. Kits must be picked up between March 9 at 10 a.m., and March 13 at 5 p.m. For information, call 813-929-1214. … [Read More...] about 03/09/2021 – Technology Tuesday

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