Moving Forward After the Sales Tax Vote

Throughout the development of the long range plan for Holiday Island, one message came through clearly at every public workshop, forum, and Q&A session: any plan we adopted needed the backing of the community. We took that seriously. In the plan document mailed to residents in October, we said that moving any HISID services other than roads to the City would depend on passing the sales tax. That made the sales tax vote a direct measure of community support for the plan.

The sales tax did not pass, and we respect that decision. Voters have spoken, and we will not move forward with the plan as proposed.

Thank you to everyone who attended meetings, asked questions, and voted. Whether you supported the plan or opposed it, your involvement is what makes this process work. I know many residents had real concerns about the cost, the approach, or the timing, and those concerns deserve to be heard.

The challenges that led us to begin long range planning are still with us, so the conversation about Holiday Island’s future isn’t over. I want to hear from residents on all sides about what a better path forward might look like, and I’m glad to meet with anyone who wants to talk. In the meantime, the City and HISID will keep working together to provide the services residents rely on.