It comes down to one of these. 

A penny.

One lousy penny.

One penny to, as the St. Petersburg Times quotes Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe as noting, transform how people live and work in Hillsborough County.  One penny to set the trend toward transportation choice, and, spring to life Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the entire Southeast region of Florida as Florida's new powerhouse economy. 

A penny is an amount consumed a hundred times over per Hillsborough County resident any time that gas prices spike.  A thousand times maybe.   Cumulatively, the near total reliance on gassing up cars has stolen vacations, hindered attendance to local events, crippled long-term personal financial goals, and, even killed.

According to the St. Pete Times story "Transit Referendum Question Goes to Hillsborough County Commissioners Wednesday", the Hillsborough BOCC will hear the first recommendation for a permanent one cent sales community investment.  Something that would go towards all levels of transportation improvements in the county, including the development of a starter light rail system that would eventually encompass much of the county, and, possibly even the region.