HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs City Commission meeting room was filled to capacity on July 13 with citizens recounting how meaningful the historic Priest Theatre has been to their lives. The many testaments consumed much of the meeting as citizens and Commissioners alike shared recollections of the theatre and what it had meant to them.

The Priest Theatre, a 1910-era landmark in the heart of downtown High Springs located along Northwest 237^th Street, is currently in a severely blighted condition and has been so for some time. The Florida Legislature approved a $1,040,450 legislative appropriation to the City of High Springs to purchase, renovate and restore the building for public use. The first steps in this process for Commission consideration include an appraisal of the building and that an earlier assessment report by architect Paul Stressing be updated. The Commission unanimously authorized City staff to move forward with these two matters.

The appropriation from the state requires $250,000 in matching funds, and both CRA and Wild Spaces funds have been identified as appropriate to meet the matching requirement.

In other business, the Commission gave final approval for a zoning change from Planned Development (PD) to Residential (R-1) on one acre +/- located next to Bridlewood along Northwest 222^nd Street. The zoning change was requested by Joe Tillman and was approved on first reading on June 22. This property was originally zoned R-1, then became a part of the Tillman Planned Development (PD). Tillman requested that the parcel revert back to R-1. Staff recommended approval of the zoning change.

Tillman plans to place a mobile home on the property while his home is being built, a process which he expects to take three to four years to complete. Although the zoning change is not related to the mobile home, Tillman can request that a mobile home now be allowed on the site.

When this item was heard by the City’s Plan Board on June 19, several citizens expressed concern that a mobile home should not be allowed to be placed on the property as it would be inconsistent with surrounding residential properties. Although only one citizen, Sue Weller, addressed the issue at this Commission meeting, she asked that her objection be put on the record. Ultimately, the High Springs City Manager will resolve the matter whether to allow the mobile home on this property if Tillman makes that request.

In other City business, the Commission unanimously approved an ordinance on second reading that regulates the use of larger vehicles on Northwest 186^th Avenue, formerly known as U.S. Highway 27 Alternate. The change is intended to help maintain normal and safe movement of traffic. Staff met with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and requested that all motor vehicles having three or more axles use the preferred truck route of State Road 20/State Road 25 U.S. Highway 441 to State Road 45/High Springs Main Street. FDOT had requested that the City provide an ordinance restricting vehicles having three or more axles. This item was heard and approved on first reading on June 8. Signage will be prepared to advise trucks of the change.

Fire Services Assessment rates for Fiscal Year 2023-24 will remain at the current rate with no increases. Commissioners voted unanimously to maintain the initial preliminary rate resolution. Those rates are $223 for residential dwellings, $0.09 per square foot for commercial properties, $0.02 per square foot for industrial/warehouse properties and $0.16 per square foot for institutional properties. The resolution establishing the final assessment will be considered at the Aug. 10 meeting.

The Commission unanimously approved a minor site plan for a pole barn to be located at Sweet Meats Butcher Shop, 18172 U.S. Highway 441. The property, which is currently under construction, consists of 1.8 +/- acres and is owned by Robert Gay, President, BCE Supply Chain Enterprises, Inc.

Gay was at the Planning and Zoning Board meeting on June 19 and explained that the pole barn would be located behind the building and would be used for barbecue classes, competition, special events and a wild game dinner later this year.

Commissioners also approved a preliminary plat for Hidden Springs Villas, a 44-unit townhome project located off of Railroad Avenue. It meets the standards outlined in the Planned Development/Developer’s Agreement previously approved by Commission. Concern was expressed about dumpster locations on the site, but the Commissioners were assured that trash containers would be kept inside garages until trash pickup days as part of the homeowners’ association requirements.

Commissioners approved a project from low bidder FLA Homes, Inc. for $375,745 to perform several construction-related projects for the Catherine Taylor Park Community Center Project. The project consists of furnishing plans, securing permits, providing labor and materials to renovate the former school/day care and turn it into a community center. The scope of work includes, but is not limited to asbestos, lead abatement, framing, new roof, windows and doors, cabinets and flooring, kitchen and bathroom finish out and painting.

Due to a recent resignation from a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board member and two alternates, the Commission appointed Jeffrey Dobbertien to fill out the remainder of the Board member’s term, which will expire in November. Valerie Bronstone will serve as an alternate member, with her term expiring in 2024 and James Amato will serve as an alternate member, with his term expiring in 2023. All three may request consideration to serve another term when their current term expires.

A Plan Board and Historic Preservation Board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., July 17 and a Strategic Planning Workshop is planned to take place at the Civic Center, 19107 N.W. 240^th Street at 5:30 p.m. on July 20. The next City Commission meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 27.

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TALLAHASSEE ‒ Beginning Monday, July 24, and running through Sunday, Aug. 6, Florida families can save taxes on clothing, footwear, backpacks, school supplies, personal computers, and more. The traditional tax holiday has expanded this school year to include a second tax-exempt period from January 1 through January 14, 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions for Consumers

1. What items will be exempt from sales tax during the 2023 and 2024 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays?
During the 2023 and 2024 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays, certain clothing, footwear, and accessories with a sales price $100 or less per item, certain school supplies with a sales price of $50 or less per item, learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of $30 or less, and personal computers and related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use with a sales price of $1,500 or less, are exempt from sales tax. The 2023 tax holiday begins on Monday, July 24, 2023, and ends on Sunday, August 6, 2023; the 2024 tax holiday begins on Monday, January 1, 2024, and ends on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

A list of items that are exempt from tax during the 2023 and 2024 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays is provided in TIP No. 23A01-06. These include:

• Personal computers or personal computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use having a sales price of $1,500 or less:
o Personal computers* include:
 Electronic book readers
 Laptops
 Desktops
 Handhelds
 Tablets
 Tower computers
* The term does not include cellular telephones, video game consoles, digital media receivers, or devices that are not primarily designed to process data.
o Personal computer-related accessories* include:
 Keyboards
 Mice
 Personal digital assistants
 Monitors
 Other peripheral devices
 Modems
 Routers
 Nonrecreational software, regardless of whether the accessories are used in association with a personal computer base unit
* The term does not include furniture or systems, devices, software, monitors with a television tuner, or peripherals that are designed or intended primarily for recreational use.

• Items having a sales price of $100 or less per item:
o Wallets or bags*, including
 Handbags
 Backpacks
 Fanny packs
 Diaper bags
* Briefcases, suitcases, and other garment bags are excluded.
o Clothing
 Any article of wearing apparel intended to be worn on or about the human body, excluding watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, and handkerchiefs
 All footwear, excluding skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates
• School supplies having a sales price of $50 or less per item:
o Pens
o Pencils
o Erasers
o Crayons
o Notebooks
o Notebook filler paper
o Legal pads
o Binders
o Lunch boxes
o Construction paper
o Markers
o Folders
o Poster board
o Composition books
o Poster paper
o Scissors
o Cellophane tape
o Glue or paste
o Rulers
o Computer disks
o Staplers
o Staples used to secure paper products
o Protractors
o Compasses
o Calculators
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles having a sales price of $30 or less:
o Flashcards or other learning cards
o Matching or other memory games
o Puzzle books and search-and-find books
o Interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills
o Stacking or nesting blocks or sets

Please note: The 2023 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday overlaps with the 2023 Florida Freedom Summer Sales Tax Exemption Period (taking place Monday, May 29, 2023, through Monday, September 4, 2023), which includes tax exemptions on several similar products. During the Florida Freedom Summer Sales Tax Holiday, the retail sale of various children’s toys and children’s athletic equipment is tax-exempt, as is the first $35 of the sales price of pool toys. See TIP No. 23A01-03 for specific information.

2. If I purchase an item that costs more than the limits stated above, do I only owe sales tax on the portion of the price that exceeds the limit for that item?
If you purchase an item that would otherwise qualify for the sales tax exemption but costs more than the limits listed above, the item is not exempt, and you must pay sales tax on the entire price of the item.

3. Is there a limit on the number of items that can be purchased exempt during the sales tax holiday?
No. The exemption is based on the sales price of each item, not on the number of items purchased.

4. How exactly are learning aids defined?
“Learning aids” are flashcards or other learning cards, matching or other memory games, puzzle books and search-and-find books, interactive or electronic books and toys intended to teach reading or math skills, and stacking or nesting blocks or sets. Examples of tax-exempt learning aids are the following items with a sales price of $30 or less per item:

• Electronic books
• Flashcards
• Interactive books
• Jigsaw puzzles
• Learning cards
• Matching games
• Memory games
• Puzzle books
• Search-and-find books
• Stacking or nesting blocks or sets
• Toys that teach reading or math skills

5. What types of items are not exempt?
The 2023 and 2024 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays do not apply to:
• Any item of clothing with a sales price of more than $100;
• Any school supply item with a sales price of more than $50;
• Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles with a sales price of more than $30;
• Books that are not otherwise exempt;
• Computers and computer-related accessories with a sales price of more than $1,500;
• Computers and computer-related accessories purchased for commercial purposes;
• Rentals of any eligible items;
• Repairs or alterations of any eligible items; or
• Sales of any eligible items within a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport.

6. If I buy a package or set of items that contains both taxable and tax-exempt items during the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays, how is sales tax calculated?
If a tax-exempt item is sold in a package with a taxable item, sales tax must be calculated on the sales price of the entire package or set.

7. If the store is offering a “buy one, get one free” or “buy one, get one for a reduced price” special on coats and I purchase one for $200 and get another for free, will the transaction be tax-free because I am effectively paying $100 for each pair?
No. The total price of items advertised as “buy one, get one free” or “buy one, get one for a
reduced price” cannot be averaged for both items to qualify for the exemption. In this case, the purchase of the coats is taxable.

8. If I purchase a gift card during the sales tax holiday, can I then purchase a qualifying item tax- exempt using the gift card after the tax holidays end?
No. The purchase of the qualifying item must be made during the sales tax holidays to be tax- exempt. However, when qualifying items are purchased during the tax holidays using a gift card, the items are tax-exempt; it does not matter when the gift card was purchased.

9. If a store issues me a rain check during the sales tax holiday, can I use it after the sales tax holidays to purchase the item tax-exempt?
No. The purchase of the qualifying item must be made during the sales tax holidays to be tax- exempt. When a rain check is issued, a sale has not occurred. The sale occurs when the rain check is redeemed and the item is purchased.

10. If I place an item on layaway, is it eligible for the tax exemption during the sales tax holiday? Yes. A layaway is when an item is set aside for a customer who makes a deposit, agrees to pay the balance of the purchase price over a period of time, and receives the merchandise at the end of the payment period. Qualifying items placed on layaway during the sales tax holidays are tax- exempt, even if final payment of the layaway is made after the tax holidays. If a customer makes a final payment and takes delivery of the items during the tax holiday, the qualifying items are tax- exempt.

11. Do the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays also apply to items I purchase online?
Yes. Items purchased online are exempt when the order is accepted by the company during the sales tax holidays for immediate shipment, even if delivery is made after the tax holidays.

12. I purchased an exempt item during the sales tax holiday period, but the seller charged sales tax. How can I get a refund for the tax I paid?
You should take your receipt to the selling dealer and request a refund of the tax collected in error. If the dealer does not issue the refund, you may report this tax violation to the Department of Revenue.

13. Who is responsible for determining which items are exempt and which aren’t?
The 2023 and 2024 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays are established through the lawmaking authority of the Florida Legislature. Sales tax holidays, and the items exempted by them, must be passed into law by the Legislature.

14. How can I request that a certain type of product be added to the list?
Sales tax holidays, and the items exempted by them, are passed into law by the Florida Legislature. You may wish to contact your local representative regarding your suggestion. You can find your representative at www.myfloridahouse.gov.

15. I didn’t see my question listed here. Where can I find additional information about the 2023 and 2024 Florida Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays?
If you have a question about a specific item that is not listed in TIP No. 23A01-06, contact the Florida Department of Revenue at (850) 488-6800.

16. I heard there were several sales tax holidays this year. Where can I find more information about the other holidays?
House Bill 7063 from the 2023 regular legislative session was signed into law on May 25, 2023. The new law contains six tax relief holidays and specifies the timeframe for each holiday. For a printable calendar of the tax relief holidays, you can visit our website: Florida Dept. of Revenue - Tax Holidays and Exemption Periods (floridarevenue.com)

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs Police Department (HSPD) will join thousands of other law enforcement agencies from across the country on Tuesday, Aug. 1, to celebrate National Night Out, at the High Springs Civic Center.

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.

National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It also provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

National Night Out festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. at the High Springs Civic Center, 19107 N.W. 240^th Street in High Springs. Activities will include free food, a balloon toss, bounce house, water slide, and more. This is a free, family-friendly event.

For more information, go to the website at highsprings.gov/police/page/high-springs-host-national-night-out.

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ALACHUA ‒ From a spectacular fireworks show to food, live music and fun for the entire family, Alachua had it covered. It was a star-spangled extravaganza Tuesday as live music, food trucks, and kids’ activities set the stage for the dazzling fireworks show that wrapped up the day’s events.  For the 23rd year, the largest small town fireworks show in America lit up the skies on July 4th at Legacy Park to a crowd of thousands.

Gates opened at 5 p.m. for families to enjoy an afternoon in the park, including a kid’s corner with numerous free activities for children and a variety of food trucks and beverages. 

Over the course of the evening the crowd filtered in, filling the field by showtime. The 10-piece band, Uncle Morty's Rhythm Cream, provided music featuring a variety of popular songs from R&B and Funk and Rock. 

Despite some concerns for the dark clouds that drifted in near showtime, the rain was kept at bay, just nature adding its own fireworks with occasional lightning and thunder in the distance. 

The band gave way to sCaitlyn Phillips singing the National Anthem as the crowd stood and held up cell phones, creating a cell phone light show filling the dark field with thousands of pinpoints of light. 

Event emcee Ben Boukari, Jr., and Alachua City Manager Mike DaRoza spoke briefly, thanking the many event volunteers and sponsors and introducing the fireworks show.

Boukari also spoke about how the show has become so popular and well known that people come from far-flung locales to see it and asked the crowd where they were coming from. In addition to people from the Alachua County area and surrounding counties, people came from neighboring states to enjoy the patriotic festivities.

City Manager Mike DaRoza also welcomed festivalgoers saying, “I will tell you this, as the City Manager, I am very privileged to get to do things like this, but without our Commission, they are the ones that have the vision, and they are the ones that give us the approval to put on one crazy show, and that’s what we are about to do.

“But before I introduce the man [Mayor Gib Coerper], I just want to say ‘thank you’ to the commission, I want to say ‘thank you’ to the Fourth of July Celebration Committee.  We have about 20-25 people strong that are all here volunteering, being part of our staff, making sure that not only is this a crazy show, but that it’s safe and family friendly.”

Promptly at 9:30 p.m., the sky lit up as the fireworks began, building to a climax at 10 p.m. that did not disappoint.

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