January 28, 2008

ISSUE 1203

SUNSET COMMITTEE LOOKS AT FUTURE OF CITRUS DEPARTMENT

The Florida Legislature’s Joint Legislative Sunset Committee will discuss the future of the Florida Department of Citrus at two upcoming public hearings.

The first will be at 3 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Hillsborough County Center, 601 Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. The second is at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31 in the Florida Room on the second floor of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services building at 500 Third St. N.W. in Winter Haven.

The committee staff has proposed that as part of its legislative authorization to continue as an agency the Citrus Department conduct a referendum among the state's growers seeking feedback on its taxing authority. The citrus “box tax” finances about 90 percent of the department's annual budget, which primarily funds marketing activities.

For more information about the hearings, contact Martha Wasp of the Joint Legislative Sunset Committee at (850) 413-7478. Although not necessary, the committee would encourage speakers to contact her prior to the hearing to arrange a time to address the committee. Each speaker will be allotted 3-5 minutes to comment.