Best of 2012: Temple Terrace Voters Favor Tax Exemptions

As 2012 comes to a close, Temple Terrace Patch is taking a look back at the year that was.

City officials said they were proud of Temple Terrace voters on the last night of January when unofficial voting results revealed that the community voted “yes” on a city referendum to give property tax exemptions to new and expanding businesses.

Then-mayor Joe Affronti said voters should be commended.

“We’re tickled to death,” he said. “I just think it’s great.”

The city urged voters to favor the referendum prior to the election.

After nearly 70 percent of voters favored the measure, it went before the City Council for final approval and was accepted. It will last for a period of 10 years, expiring on Jan. 31, 2022.

The idea behind the referendum is to draw in business, which is expected to stimulate economic development and create new jobs, officials have said.

Read the full story here: City Officials ‘Proud’ of Voters.

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We would also like to mention that the Florida College community lost one of its own in January. Jolee Tarrant, 19, of California, died Jan. 4 in an automobile accident in Zephyrhills. She was a sophomore at Florida College studying photojournalism and had been staying with a friend’s family in Temple Terrace during the school’s winter break. She and the friend were on their way to a tea shop when the accident happened.

Students, faculty and staff gathered at the college Jan. 10 for a memorial service. Read the full story here: .

Stay tuned for more highlights from 2012 in the coming days, and tell us what your favorite stories were this year in the comments.