What happens when a growing community wants more infrastructure, more mobility, more quality of life, more workforce access, and more economic opportunity, but avoids the hard conversation about how those things are funded? In this episode of ElevatePolk, Dan Thumberg and Chrissanne Long are joined by Tom Phillips, CEO of Citrus Connection, for a candid conversation about public transportation, local infrastructure, and the real costs behind the services communities depend on. Tom explains how Citrus Connection serves Polk County, why transit matters for workers and businesses, and how funding decisions directly impact service levels. The conversation also explores the possible elimination of homesteaded property taxes in Florida and what that could mean for local governments, public safety, parks, transportation, and quality-of-life services. Chrissanne and Dan explore how outdated perceptions of Polk County continue to shape outside opinions, why business resources can feel fragmented or hard to find, and how resource mapping, ecosystem building, and intentional collaboration could help close the gap. They also discuss the importance of moving “beyond collisions” — beyond chance meetings and lucky introductions — toward a more organized, visible, and accessible system of support for entrepreneurs across the county. This conversation is both honest and hopeful: Polk County should not be no man’s land. It is full of people, businesses, ideas, and opportunities worth investing in. The question is whether we are willing to build the bridges that help more entrepreneurs find their way.
What does public transit have to do with economic development, workforce access, infrastructure, local government budgets, and the future of Polk County?
More than most people realize.
In this episode of Elevate Polk, Dan Thumberg and Chrissanne Long sit down with Tom Phillips, CEO of Citrus Connection, for a candid conversation about the role public transportation plays in helping people get to work, supporting local businesses, and connecting communities across Polk County.
Tom breaks down how Citrus Connection is funded, why transit is more than “just buses,” and what happens when public services are expected to grow while funding stays flat or disappears altogether.
The conversation also tackles a much bigger issue: the potential elimination of homesteaded property taxes in Florida. While the idea may sound appealing on the surface, Tom helps explain what property taxes actually fund and what communities may have to give up if replacement revenue is not clearly defined.
From Skittles to chicken nuggets, this episode uses real-world analogies to make complicated funding and infrastructure conversations easier to understand.
This episode is about more than transit. It is about the bill that eventually comes due when communities want growth, quality of life, mobility, public safety, parks, infrastructure, and economic opportunity, but are not always willing to talk honestly about how those things are paid for.
In this episode:
✔️ What Citrus Connection does across Polk County
✔️ Why public transportation matters to the workforce
✔️ How transit funding actually works
✔️ The connection between transportation and economic development
✔️ Why service cuts have real consequences
✔️ What property taxes currently fund in local government
✔️ The potential impact of eliminating homesteaded property taxes
✔️ Why the business community needs to pay attention and show up
Learn more about Citrus Connection | https://ridecitrus.com
Listen to "Another One Rides the Bus" Episode 17 | https://elevatepolk.com/episodes/another-one-rides-the-bus
Follow Elevate Polk on Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ElevatePolk
Learn more about our sponsors:
Central Florida Business Expo | https://cflbe.com
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