Hillsborough County officials are urging residents to watch their mailboxes closely as transportation tax refund checks begin to arrive — and to avoid mistaking them for junk mail.

The checks are part of a class-action settlement stemming from a one-cent sales tax for transportation projects that collected nearly $569 million before being struck down by the Florida Supreme Court in 2018. The court ruled the tax was unconstitutional, and now, millions of dollars are being refunded to taxpayers.

County Commissioner Josh Wostal expressed concern that the envelopes containing the refund checks may look like spam, leading some recipients to unintentionally throw them away.

“There have been a lot of complaints about the refund envelopes resembling general junk mail,” said Wostal.

According to the claims administrator, about 400,000 people submitted claims for refunds. Those eligible included anyone who lived in or visited Hillsborough County between January 2019 and March 2021. The deadline to file a claim was December 2024.

The first round of payments went out in April, with more being sent on a rolling basis. Standard refunds are around $100, though the exact amount varies based on how long someone lived in the county during the affected period.

Of the total $569 million collected, a portion will fund refunds, while $208 million is being allocated to road improvement projects.

“I’m one of the first elected officials responsible for spending this legally collected tax money — and that’s not an ideal situation,” Wostal added. “But the good news is that our roads are in desperate need of repair. While this wasn’t the right way to get the funding, it will bring much-needed improvements over the next few years.”

The payments are being processed by the firm BrownGreer, which confirmed that the remaining checks are being mailed on an ongoing basis.

To check your refund status or see how your payment was calculated, visit www.fltaxrefund.com.

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