Hillsborough Residents Eligible for Up to $100 Refund from Unconstitutional Tax
Settlement Allocates $170 Million for Refunds, Legal Fees, and Administration Costs
According to 10TAMPA BAY, Hillsborough County residents can now get refunds of up to $100 from an old transportation sales tax that was ruled unconstitutional by the Florida Supreme Court in 2021. This year a settlement was approved as part of the state budget signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Over $500 million is set aside in the budget for road projects, tax breaks, and refunds. Soon, people in the area will get information about how to get their refunds.
The process for getting refunds is part of a deal that Hillsborough County and the Florida Legislature made in a class action case. The deal sets aside $170 million to pay back lawyers’ fees and the cost of running the case. If a resident can show proof that they paid the surtax, they may get back the same amount they paid.
If you don’t have any records but can show that you lived in Hillsborough County from January 1, 2019, to March 15, 2021, you can still get up to $100. By the end of August, residents will get mail with instructions on how to make a claim. They have until December 31, 2024, to do so, either online or by mail.
Residents Warned to Verify Refund Notices and Avoid Potential Scams
To avoid scams residents should verify the legitimacy of refund notices. Look for emails from the Settlement Administrator for the Hillsborough County Surtax Settlement Program. The official website for the settlement is FLTaxRefund.com. If you have already received a refund or have a pending request with the Florida Department of Revenue you are not eligible for this new refund. The court will decide in November on the deal and the amount of money to pay the lawyers, which could be up to $25 million. Watch out for scams that might use this return process to trick you.