@amygop @seminolecounty @jasonbrodeur. The actual facts of her August 2025 statement and vote, viewed a year later in September 2026, reveal exactly how those decisions have played out for Seminole County.
1. The Fuel Tax "Burden Shift" Claim vs. The Reality
•What she said then: Lockhart argued the new 5-cent gas tax was the proper tool provided by the legislature to pay for transportation. She claimed that using the general fund to supplement roads meant that property owners were unfairly "supplementing and footing the bill for transportation costs."
•The actual facts now: By voting "yes," Lockhart maxed out every local-option fuel tax legally allowed under Florida law. Local drivers are locked into this maximum tax for the next 50 years. Motorists in Seminole County now pay 6 cents more per gallon in local fuel taxes than drivers in neighboring Orange County.
2. The Utility Tax and the Shortfall Justification
•What she said then: Lockhart joined other commissioners in stating the 10% utility tax hike (up from 4%) was unpleasant but "necessary" to cover a $34 million budget deficit driven by inflation, rising public safety costs, and salaries.
•The actual facts now: Residents living in unincorporated areas of Seminole County have seen a direct 150% rate hike on the tax portion of their power, water, and natural gas bills over the last year.
3. The "We Need to Be More Outraged" Statement
•What she said then: Moments before passing the second tax increase, Lockhart publicly stated, "We need to be more outraged." She directed that outrage at external agencies—specifically pointing to how fast the budget was rising for the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and claiming state political forces left local counties with the bill.
•The actual facts now: Despite telling the public to be "outraged" by the budget's growth, Lockhart still cast the deciding "yes" vote to balance that very budget on the backs of taxpayers. Critics and opponents in the current 2026 election cycle are using her own words against her, pointing out that she demanded outrage from citizens while simultaneously voting to squeeze their wallets.
This isn't fiscal conservatism—it's total BS. See you at the ballot box. 🗳️💥
#SeminoleCounty #Florida #TaxHikeLockhart
CC:
@news6wkmg @WFTVNewsDesk @fox35orlando @orlandosentinel @fineout @Mdixon55 @PeterSchorschFL @GarrettFOX35 @taxpayers @taxfoundation
Let’s talk about what Ms Lockhart pays for her Sunshine Water service……. $52 doesn’t cover the meter charges, especially when you add in the 10% county tax.
I’m willing to forward the email to anyone who is interested….. That’s just a drop in the bucket of what I have…….