Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL – Alachua County announces the release of a new Moving Alachua County Forward informational video and the selection of the Moving Alachua County Forward Citizen Oversight Committee members. The Moving Alachua County Forward sales tax is a ballot initiative to improve the transportation system in Alachua County. The County and the nine municipalities have signed inter-local agreements that include project lists which, if the initiative passes, will be funded through a 1%, 8 year transportation sales tax. County voters will decide on the referendum on November 4, 2014.

The informational video gives voters an in-depth look at the ballot initiative. The video features Alachua County Commission Chair Lee Pinkoson, County Commissioner Charles Chestnut, City of Gainesville Mayor Ed Braddy, City Commissioner Lauren Poe, Hawthorne Mayor and Alachua County League of Cities Chair Matt Surrency, and Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Public Policy Kamal Latham.

If the ballot initiative passes, the Citizen Oversight Committee duties will include:

1. Assuring citizens and elected officials that funds approved through the referendum are expended only for projects as approved in the Moving Alachua County Forward Ballot Language and the County and Municipal Transportation System Project Lists

2. Track overall expenditure of Moving Alachua County Forward one percent sales surtax revenues

The members and their appointing entities are:

City of Gainesville
Jason L. Haeseler – 4 year term
Kinnon Thomas – 2 year term
Gia M. Arvin – 4 year alternate

Alachua County
Chandler Otis – 4 year term
Ronald Thornton – 2 year term
Wallace Mazon – 4 year alternate

Alachua County League of Cities
Debbie Boyd – 4 year term
Mike Giampietro – 2 year term
Jeri Langman – 4 year alternate

Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
John F. Roscow, IV – 4 year term
4 year Alternate TBD

For more information, contact Mark Sexton at 352-283-2317 or mesxton@alachuacounty.us.