October 27, 2008

ISSUE 1242

The Florida Citrus Commission, the governing body of the Department of Citrus voted Oct. 22 to lower taxes on some fresh citrus fruit by about 40 percent. The commission also approved the department’s 2008-09 budget of $64.2 million.

The approved tax rates for the 2008-09 season are 24 cents per box for juice oranges, 35 cents per box for all grapefruit, 11 cents for fresh oranges and 10 cents for specialty citrus, mostly tangerines and tangelos.

Ken Keck, the Citrus Department’s executive director, had originally asked for 18 cents per box on fresh oranges and 17 cents on specialty citrus, but a member of the commission requested the lower rates, which subsequently passed.