The Apopka City Council voted 4-1 against sunsetting the city’s Business Tax Receipt (BTR) program, emphasizing its importance for economic development and data collection. The Wednesday vote, which included Mayor Bryan Nelson as the only dissenting vote, came on the ordinance’s first reading before the council.  

The decision not to sunset the BTR program was based on the need for accurate business data to support economic growth and the potential for future adjustments. Had the ordinance been adopted on the second reading scheduled for Sept. 3, the sunsetting would have taken effect at the beginning of the next fiscal year, which is Oct. 1.   

Before voting, Nelson explained his reason for wanting to sunset the program, saying the city could obtain the necessary business data from other sources without the administrative burden and cost, and that eliminating the BTR would help position Apopka as a more business-friendly city. 

“If all we’re doing this for is to raise money, if we got the resources at the county or whatever level to get the same data, which is what you know Miss Forbes needs to make her program work, then why? Why are we spending all this money?” Nelson asked. “We’re taking their —  whatever, $50, $100, and we’re spending $50 to $75 on overhead to get the money. It makes no sense.” 

Ordinance No. 3115 was tabled at the July 2 City Council meeting so city staff could do further research the ordinance. Antranette Forbes was hired this month as the new economic development director.  

Forbes told the council she had initial concerns about getting rid of the city’s BTR because of data collection needs, but she then discovered that alternative methods could work. Data could be retrieved through Orange County’s business tax receipts and partnerships with organizations like the Orlando Economic Partnership, she said.  

“Alternative data collection is possible, and multiple sources can satisfy economic, social, and demographic data needs for economic development purposes,” Forbes said.  

The ordinance talked about how no BTRs will be required for any businesses, professionals or occupations, with the intended sunset date being Sept. 30.  

During public comment, residents such as Rogers Beckett said that eliminating the BTR might mean the city would move the cost burden to other areas, such as higher taxes or hidden fees.  

“We still know in one instance, you say you guys need to raise the rates on this end, then you’re going to cut on this end,” he said. “We also know you’re going to go hide it somewhere else. So at least at this point, we kind of know what we’re up against.” 

For years, the Apopka has mandated that businesses operating within city limits secure a yearly BTR. This process was implemented to oversee commercial activities, generate city revenue, and ensure companies followed local zoning and safety regulations, according to the staff report in the meeting agenda packet.   

However, the city is now rethinking this long-standing program for several reasons, including the BTR revenue being unable to keep up with rising costs of managing and enforcing the program and that small business owners have become frustrated with having to renew their BTR ever year, according to the staff report.  

The city learned that many other agencies statewide, including those in Lake and Volusia counties and the city of Clermont, have either cut back or terminated their own BTR programs in favor of streamlined permitting and other initiatives that support economic growth with less regulatory burden.