Tarpon Springs March 2025 Ballot Measure Results are in!

All opinions expressed in this article are the author's, Alympia Peaceful.

The City of Tarpon Springs Ballot Measure results are in! 20 Ballot Measures received a simple majority. All 24 Ballot Measures were legislative referrals, meaning all the ideas came from our City Officials. A simple majority is what was needed for the approval. There are exceptions for conflicting ballot measures. The most votes of YES between conflicting ballot measures wins.

The unofficial results were the exact same as the official results.

For the first time in Tarpon Springs, FL history, there is going to be a Citizens' Initiative on the ballot in the future. You can read more about Beautiful Reena Ninan's Island on Facebook.

====================

BELOW IS THE LIST OF 24 BALLOT MEASURES

----

City of Tarpon Springs No. 1 Charter Amendment

Adding Dredge and Spoil Sites to Acquisition by City Eminent Domain

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently allows for the acquisition by the City of real property under the power of eminent domain exclusively for water and sewer utility easements, public rights-of-way, public parking, and storm drainage improvements. Shall the Charter be amended to include eminent domain for dredge and spoil sites?

834 Yes Votes = 55%

672 No Votes = 45%

====================

City of Tarpon Springs No. 2 Charter Amendment

Increasing Exemption Threshold for Real Property

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires a voter referendum and approval by the affirmative vote of four members of the Board of Commissioners if the City wishes to purchase, sell, exchange, convey, or lease real property in any amount greater than $350,000.00. Shall the Charter be amended to increase the amount to $500,000.00?

730 Yes Votes = 48%
788 No Votes = 52%

====================

City of Tarpon Springs No. 3 Charter Amendment

Identifying Funding Source

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently provides for the Board of Commissioners to adopt sale, purchase, conveyance and leasing procedures by ordinance. Shall the Charter be amended to require the Board of Commissioners to identify funding sources as part of the sale, purchase, conveyance and leasing procedures?

1,337 Yes Votes = 89%

167 No Votes = 11%

====================

City of Tarpon Springs No. 4 Charter Amendment

Real Property Acquired by Referendum or Maximum Purchase Price Requires Disposal by Referendum

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. Proposed restrictions on disposal of real property owned by the City. Shall the Charter be amended to require real property purchased by the City by public referendum or real property which has a value equal to or greater than the maximum value the City may purchase without requiring a referendum, be sold, swapped, or traded only upon approval by referendum?

953 Yes Votes = 64%
526 No Votes = 36%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 5 Charter Amendment

Enumerating the Powers, Responsibilities, and Duties of the Board of Commissioners

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently provides the Board of Commissioners with numerous duties, responsibilities and powers including the adoption of a budget. Shall the Charter be amended to require the Board of Commissioners to review the Charter for funding requirements when adopting the City budget?

1,311 Yes Votes = 88%

186 No Votes = 12%

====================

City of Tarpon Springs No. 6 Charter Amendment

Duties of the Board of Commissioners Plan Review

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently provides for the Board of Commissioners to review and update all elements of the Comprehensive and Master plans every three (3) fiscal years. Shall the Charter be amended to require the Board of Commissioners to review, update, retire, abandon or deem completed all City Master, Action, Sustainability, Comprehensive and Strategic Plans?

1,146 Yes Votes = 78%
317 No Votes = 22%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 7 Charter Amendment

Duties of the Board of Commissioners to Increase Review Process from Three to Five Years

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. City Charter Section 8, Board of Commissioners, Composition, Duties, Responsibilities and Powers, requires the Board of Commissioners to review and update plans every three fiscal years. Shall the Charter be amended to increase the review and update to every five fiscal years?

505 Yes Votes = 34%
988 No Votes = 66%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 8 Charter Amendment

Qualifications and Dates for Annual Election

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently does not contain language specifying the qualifying time for City Commission elections. Shall the Charter be amended to provide for a qualifying time of thirty (30) days for the office of City commission?

1,224 Yes Votes = 83%
250 No Votes = 17%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 9 Charter Amendment

Notification of Open Seats for Annual Election

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter does not specifically notify registered voters prior to qualification as to which Commission seats are open for election. Shall the Charter be amended to provide registered voters notification by first class mail thirty (30) days before qualifying the specific Commission seats open for election?

1,207 Yes Votes = 82%
274 No Votes = 19%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 10 Charter Amendment

Removal of Redundant Language

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter contains redundant language regarding individual Commissioners’ contact with the City Manager. Shall the Charter be amended to remove the redundant language?

1,211 Yes Votes = 82%
268 No Votes = 18%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 11 Charter Amendment

Legal Review of Non-compliance Issues Found by an Internal Audit

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently does not require legal review of non-compliance issues raised in the City’s internal audit. Shall the Charter be amended to require legal review of any non-compliant issues raised by the Internal Audit?

1,293 Yes Votes = 87%
186 No Votes = 13%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 12 Charter Amendment

Prioritizing Future Capital Improvement Programs

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter authorizes the City Manager to keep the Board of Commissioners fully advised as to the financial condition and future needs of the City. Shall the Charter be amended to require the City Manager to prioritize future capital improvement programs?

1,146 Yes Votes = 78%
332 No Votes = 22%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 13 Charter Amendment

Residency Requirement for the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Fire Chief and Police Chief

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires the City Manager and limited positions to establish legal residency in the City and allows the Board of Commissioners to temporarily excuse the residency requirements for up to one year. Shall the Charter be amended to require the City Manager, the Assistant City Manager, the Fire Chief and Police Chief to reside within the City’s planning boundaries?

1,099 Yes Votes = 73%
398 No Votes = 27%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 14 Charter Amendment

Residency Requirements for Department Heads and Directors

Sponsored by the Board of Commissioners. The City Charter requires numerous City employees to reside within the City. The Charter Commission is proposing all City Department Heads and Directors reside within ten miles of City Hall. The Board of Commissioners, for competitive purposes, desire to limit the residency requirement to essential employees. Shall the Charter be amended to require only the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Fire Chief and Police Chief to have residency requirements?

894 Yes Votes = 60%
596 No Votes = 40%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 15 Charter Amendment

Residency Requirements for Department Heads and Directors

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires certain directors to reside within the City and allows the Board of Commissioners to temporarily excuse the residency requirements for up to one (1) year. Shall the Charter be amended to require all Department Heads and Directors to reside within ten (10) miles of the Tarpon Springs City Hall?

891 Yes Votes = 60%
596 No Votes = 40%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 16 Charter Amendment

Increase the Authority to Expend Budgeted Funds Without Competitive Bidding

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The City Manager is currently authorized to spend up to $25,000.00 on budgeted goods or services without competitive bidding. Shall the Charter be amended, due to increased costs of goods and services, to increase the City Manager’s authority to $50,000.00?

599 Yes Votes = 40%
892 No Votes = 60%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 17 Charter Amendment

Increase the Monetary Requirement for Competitive Bids

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The Charter currently limits all purchases of $25,000.00 or more, for which bids are required, to be competitively bid. Shall the Charter be amended, due to increased costs of goods and services, to increase the amount to $50,000.00 for statutory competitive bids?

667 Yes Votes = 45%
820 No Votes = 55%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 18 Charter Amendment

Financial Statements

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The City posts all financial statements on its web site and has hard copies available at City Hall. The Charter currently requires financial statements to be made available at the office of the City Clerk and quarterly financial statements at the library. Shall the Charter be amended to remove the outdated requirements for printing financial statements?

863 Yes Votes = 58%
628 No Votes = 42%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 19 Charter Amendment

Providing for a City Sidewalk Improvement Plan

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The Charter has a sidewalk improvement fund but is silent as to a sidewalk improvement plan. Shall the Charter be amended to require a Sidewalk Improvement Plan by 2029?

1,335 Yes Votes = 91%
129 No Votes = 9%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 20 Charter Amendment

Providing for an Increase in Sidewalk Improvement Funding

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter created a street and sidewalk fund to support street, drainage, and sidewalk improvements annually in the amount of $100,000.00. The Charter Revision Commission has determined that the annual funds are insufficient. Shall the requirements of the sidewalk fund be amended to allow the Board of Commissioners to appropriate up to $300,000.00 annually for sidewalk improvements from the fund?

1,126 Yes Votes = 77%
335 No Votes = 23%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 21 Charter Amendment

Initiative and Referendum

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently requires initiative petitions to contain verified signatures of at least 15% of the qualified electors registered to vote at the last regular municipal election. Shall the Charter be amended to reduce the percentage of qualified electors to initiate a petition to 10%?

695 Yes Votes = 48%
741 No Votes = 52%

According to Arenza Thigpen, Founder of International League of Signature Gatherers, this is extremely rare when a ballot measure is used to excel the interest of direct democracy. This ballot measure tried to lower the threshold of signatures needed to place a citizens' initiative on the ballot. Arenza travels the world lecturing on the importance of having direct democracy.

Congratulations to The Tarpon Springs Charter Revision Commission for sponsoring this initiative! Thank you for protecting democracy!

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 22 Charter Amendment

Initiative and Referendum

Sponsored by the Charter Revision Commission. The Charter requires a referendum election be held 90 days from the date of filing thereof, or as soon thereafter as the supervisor of elections shall permit. Shall the Charter be amended to simply require a referendum election be held at the next city or county election?

1,000 Yes Votes = 70%
429 No Votes = 30%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 23 Charter Amendment

Amend City Hospital Name

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. The City Charter presently references the city owned hospital as Advent Health North Pinellas. The name of the hospital Lessee is Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation, Inc. Shall the Charter be amended to reflect the current and accurate name of the Lessee of the city owned property, Tarpon Springs Hospital Foundation, Inc.?

1,003 Yes Votes = 70%
440 No Votes = 30%

====================
City of Tarpon Springs No. 24 Charter Amendment

Clarification of Grammar and Scrivener’s Errors

Sponsored by Charter Revision Commission. Currently, the City Charter contains multiple grammar and scrivener’s errors. Shall the City Charter be comprehensively amended to correct any and all grammar and scrivener’s errors?

1,311 Yes Votes = 90%
138 No Votes = 10%

====================

====================

====================