This morning at 9AM, in downtown Fort Myers, the Metropolitan Planning Organization will discuss a county-wide 1% sales surtax that, if approved, would fund construction and repairs to Lee County roads.
Earlier this month the MPO Executive Committee started the discussion that led to the item being moved to the full MPO Board agenda today. Lee County continues to grow in population and is having a hard time funding the roadway infrastructure needed to keep up with that growth.
As of 2025 Lee County has a list of 35 transportation projects (see below) with a total cost of $4.4 billion. $1 billion has either been spent or budgeted toward those projects and over $3.3 billion remains unfunded. On Fort Myers Beach, Estero Boulevard is owned by Lee County and the county just rebuilt the Big Carlos Pass Bridge. The surtax could generate approximately $250 million per year in the first few years. Fort Myers Beach would see about $744,000 of that money. The only way this tax can become a reality is if the voters approve it in a referendum.
In order to make it on the 2026 November ballot, the sales surtax would need to be approved by a majority of the Lee County Board of Commissioners at a meeting in the next few months. There would then be a public education process (both for and against), then it would be placed on the ballot as a referendum where the voters would decide. Another option to get it on the ballot, if the Lee County Board does not approve it, would be to gather 30,000 verified registered voter signatures on a petition.
If approved by the voters, a Project Development & Environmental study would need to be done to determine the order for transportation projects that have not already gone through a PD&E study. Those studies are done if a project includes federal funding. Some road projects have already had PD&E studies completed on them. Projects that would use 100% local funds would not need a study.
MPO Executive Director Don Scott said a PD&E study could take 4 years. He knows of one that’s taken 18 months and another that took 17 years.
The surtax can be levied for up to 30 years.
The funds from the surtax would be deposited into a Lee County trust fund and can be used for planning, development, construction, operation, and maintenance of roads and bridges in the county; for the planning, development, expansion, operation, and maintenance of bus and fixed guideway systems; for the planning, development, construction expansion, operation, and maintenance of on-demand transportation services. Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane is a member of the MPO Executive Committee. He believes any tax like this should be focused 100% on building roads.
During the MPO surtax presentation earlier this month this chart was presented on how the funds might be distributed:
Ruane doubts 3 Lee County Board Commissioners will vote in favor of the surtax. “Good luck. It’s political in nature. We have 3 Commissioners up for election. We have not raised the millage rate in 25 years and you’re going to ask someone running for election in a Republican County to vote for an increase in the sales tax? I don’t see 3 votes.” Ruane plans to bring it up with the full Commission at an upcoming meeting to see if there’s interest to have it put on the ballot.
The next step is for the full MPO Board to discuss it the surtax this morning at 9AM. The meetings are open and they do take public comment. Beach Talk Radio will be live at this morning’s meeting to report on what happens. We will report thge results of the meeting immediately on our Facebook page.
Here is the most recent list of projects from Lee County. It’s expected to be updated in the first quarter of 2026.
Local journalism is hard work. If you appreciate the most in-depth reporting on Fort Myers Beach, please support what we do HERE by Venmo, Zell or PayPal. Thank you.
If approved what happens to the current portion of the municipal budgets that are earmarked for road construction? Does THAT get refunded or is it part of a general tax cut? Not in any world I ever lived in. The slippery slope of sales tax increases will not stop at this 1%. In 10 years when 1% is not enough anymore they will raise it again.