Proposed fundraising solution for road repairs in SweetBay area

BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – A Panama City Commissioner proposed a creative solution to fund road repairs in the SweetBay area.

On Tuesday, Commissioner Brian Grainger said roads such as Forest Park Circle, Candlewick Circle, and Venetian Villa are in need of repair.

However, city funding and grants aren’t available for the project, so Grainger came up with a creative funding solution.

He proposed accelerating the construction and sale of nearby SweetBay homes, then using those property taxes to fund road repairs.

“If we can accelerate those houses being built and sold, then we can generate more tax revenue off of those houses. In doing so, to accelerate that, a portion of it would go to the developers so that they could accelerate. Then a portion of that also would come to those neighborhoods that need their roads repaired,” Grainger said.

Grainger said leftover money will go back into the city’s general fund. There will be a workshop in August to further discuss the proposal.

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