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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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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BY JENNIFER CABRERA/Alachua Chronicle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At the June 27 Alachua County Commission meeting, Commissioners Ken Cornell and Chuck Chestnut indicated that they will likely vote to stop the proposed Newberry meat processing plant at the next opportunity.

Although discussion of the plant was not on the agenda, it came up at multiple times during the meeting, including right at the beginning, during the adoption of the agenda.

Cornell said he had intended to bring up the issue during the discussion of a budget amendment for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds that was moved from the consent agenda to the regular agenda as part of the motion to adopt the agenda. 

Plant is on July 10 and July 11 agendas

After the agenda passed, County Manager Michele Lieberman said that the meat processing facility is scheduled to be discussed in a joint meeting with the City of Newberry on July 10; the County Commission also has a discussion planned for their July 11 meeting. 

Chestnut said he didn’t want to wait until July 10 to get an update on the meat processing facility: “We should have an opportunity as a board to discuss what is our next move? What is going on with this? And where do we stand in terms of the funding? I think that’s important… I don’t want people to think we’re trying to hide something or do something behind the scenes. Let’s do it upfront and just get an update… Where do we go from here since the Governor vetoed the funding?”

Chair Anna Prizzia said an update is fine, “but we did already let the public know that we would be talking about this on July 10 and 11, so I think that if we really, actually want to hear from all the public that have wanted to weigh in on this, they’re expecting that we’re going to talk about this on July 10 and 11 and did not know that it was going to be brought up at this meeting. So I feel like it actually feels a little sneakier… to do this today and have an in-depth conversation on it today, when it wasn’t on an agenda.”

Chestnut said he didn’t want to vote on it; he just wanted an update. The agenda was adopted, and the meeting moved on to the General Public Comment period, during which several speakers advocated for canceling the project.

County Manager: State funds can be requested for future phases

During the agenda item on the ARPA funds, Lieberman told the Board that the Governor had vetoed the appropriation of $1.75 million in State funds for the meat processing plant and said, “Staff will pursue USDA sources of funds allocated for small-scale facilities… The Board will be considering the Draft Work Scope for soliciting a Developer/Operation P3 [Public Private Partnership] partnership; that is what is on the agenda for July 11… As I said earlier, the joint meeting with Newberry… will be on July 10 and will include the overall agreement for the Environmental Park.” Lieberman said staff hoped to have proposals back to the board in the fall and that State funding could again be requested for future phases of the project, which could include expanding refrigeration, meat hanging space, additional services to small ranchers, workforce training, and food entrepreneurs.

Cornell said he wanted to have a discussion about the facility: “Let me first say, Chair Prizzia, that you have carried this project, I think, and you have done it in, what I’m gonna say, in a very brave fashion. I appreciated your op-ed that you wrote, I didn’t necessarily agree with it all, but I know this has been a project of yours, and I know that the veto was probably a disappointment, and I know that you would like to continue this project. I heard that loud and clear.”

Cornell said he thought it was an “off-ramp” when the State budget included only $1.75 million instead of the full amount needed. When the $1.75 million allocation was vetoed, he said, “I thought to myself, this is definitely an off-ramp.” He said that the current direction to staff is to move forward with the project, and he wanted to change that direction. He read from a list of “community needs… from east Gainesville to homeless assistance to what’s going on across the street [at the City of Gainesville] to housing to re-entry to Animal Services, the GrowHub.” He said ARPA funds could also be used for the City of Gainesville’s proposed Cultural Arts Center. 

No second for Cornell’s motion to discontinue planning for the facility

Cornell made a two-part motion to approve the budget amendment that was in the original agenda item and direct staff to discontinue working on the meat processing plant, cancel the agenda item for the joint meeting with the City of Newberry on July 10 – “just this item” – and ask staff to bring back recommendations for alternative uses for the previously-allocated $2.5 million in County ARPA funds.

Prizzia agreed that she had worked on the project a long time and that she thought she and the citizens who had spoken earlier in the meeting have “a lot of the same goals in common. Working towards local meat processing is actually really critical to a lot of the issues that we’re talking about: animal cruelty, social justice, and opportunities for good workforce development, and issues around climate change and the environment.”

Prizzia said she has been accused of being underhanded, but she’s passionate about the work she does: “That’s part of what being a commissioner is, is representing the voices and the work that you believe is good and right for the community and that you were elected to do, and I ran on local food.” She described the industrial meat production system and said, “We are complicit in that system, a broken system. Just like we have a broken system of incarceration… So if we want to contribute and change the way that we are contributing to the broken system, the first step in that is having local control.”

Prizzia accused Cornell of “putting words in the mouth” of the other county commissioners, who have voted for the plant every time it has come up for a vote.

“So you keep putting words in their mouth that they want off-ramps, and maybe they do, but I think they cautiously understand that this is an important issue.” She said there is a small number of vocal community members who are against the facility and “there’s been a national vegan organization organizing against it, [but] that does not tell me that the citizens of Alachua County don’t want this.”

Prizzia said she was “frustrated” that Cornell was trying to stop the plant “at a meeting when it’s not on the agenda… just because you don’t think it’s something that we should do.”

Speaking to the public, she added, “While I know that we don’t agree on this individual project, I hope you know that we agree 100 percent on the way that our animals are treated in the animal industry and the fact that we need to eat less meat, and we need to eat better meat, and we need to be working on regenerative agriculture… I have never tried to hide anything… This project is a passion of mine, it is something that I care deeply about because it is a large part of our local food system.”

Commissioner Mary Alford wanted to wait until July 10 and “hear from the public, give the public a chance to comment… But I can’t support the motion, which I don’t believe was seconded, because I do believe that we need to give the public a chance to comment.”

Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler also did not want to make a decision before meeting with the Newberry City Commission.

Chestnut said he was with Cornell “to some degree, but I think it’s important to hear from the City of Newberry, in terms of their reactions to the veto of the funding from the Governor.”

Cornell said he had no problem waiting until July 10 but added, “I preliminarily moved forward in December; I regret that now because I think we could have spent some more time looking at other things. But I did that, so now I’m doing everything I can to change that… Hopefully we can change direction on July 10 or 11.”

Cornell made a motion to approve staff’s recommendation for the ARPA funds budget amendment, which was to move funds that had been allocated to broadband projects into the general fund; the funds will still be “cordoned off” for broadband projects, which will be discussed in July.

The motion passed unanimously.

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