Fresh from voting to hike property taxes, Seminole commissioners on Tuesday will consider adding a 5-cent tax on every gallon of gas sold in the county next year.

The board also will look at raising its public service tax on water and electric bills in unincorporated areas from the current 4% to 10% to help pay for public safety and other day-to-day operations.

Seminole — like nearly every other local government in Florida — faces stubborn inflation, soaring insurance costs, and increasing salaries for public safety officials. The county says it has a $34-million budget deficit, with increasing costs for its transportation network, on which the gas tax revenues must be spent.

Seminole spokesman Chris Patton said without a significant increase in revenues, the county would have to dig

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