Local government half-cent sales tax; uses; limitations.

(1) The proportion of the local government half-cent sales tax received by a county government based on two-thirds of the incorporated area population shall be deemed countywide revenues and shall be expended only for countywide tax relief or countywide programs. The remaining county government portion shall be deemed county revenues derived on behalf of the unincorporated area but may be expended on a countywide basis.

(2) Municipalities shall expend their portions of the local government half-cent sales tax only for municipality-wide programs or for municipality-wide property tax or municipal utility tax relief. All utility tax rate reductions afforded by participation in the local government half-cent sales tax shall be applied uniformly across all types of taxed utility services.

(3) Subject to ordinances enacted by the majority of the members of the county governing authority and by the majority of the members of the governing authorities of municipalities representing at least 50 percent of the municipal population of such county, counties may use up to $3 million annually of the local government half-cent sales tax allocated to that county for any of the following purposes:

(a) Funding a certified applicant as a facility for a new or retained professional sports franchise under s. 288.1162 or a certified applicant as defined in s. 288.11621 for a facility for a spring training franchise. It is the Legislature’s intent that the provisions of s. 288.1162, including, but not limited to, the evaluation process by the Department of Commerce except for the limitation on the number of certified applicants or facilities as provided in that section and the restrictions set forth in s. 288.1162(8), shall apply to an applicant’s facility to be funded by local government as provided in this subsection.

(b) Funding an applicant certified before July 1, 2023, as a “motorsport entertainment complex,” as provided for in former s. 288.1171. Funding for each franchise or motorsport complex shall begin 60 days after certification and shall continue for not more than 30 years.

(4) A local government is authorized to pledge proceeds of the local government half-cent sales tax for the payment of principal and interest on any capital project.