ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County commissioners decided Tuesday that taxpayers will foot the bill for unpaid taxes left behind by the onePulse Foundation.
During a meeting Tuesday, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings asked for approval to pay for nearly $52,000 in property taxes.
The bill is tied to a property near Kaley Street and Division Avenue that was planned for a museum to honor the victims of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting.
“We’re going to pay the taxes because we don’t want to end up in a situation where there’s a tax deed sale or any of that,” Demings said.
In October 2023, onePulse canceled the project after years of little to no progress and announced it would return the land to Orange County. A few weeks later, the foundation voted to dissolve.
“It is in our financial interest and that of the taxpayers to at least pay it so we don’t have further calamity from this set of circumstances,” Demings said.
According to a memo from Demings’ chief of staff, there are payment deadlines the county needs to meet for the unpaid property taxes.
On April 1, the bill becomes delinquent and penalties begin. On June 1, the tax collector can sell a tax deed for the property.
The memo stated that “staff recommends approval from commissioners to pay the taxes before Monday.”
Last year, the city of Orlando purchased the Pulse Nightclub property for $2 million, with plans to build a permanent memorial at the site. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the city was not interested in plans for a museum.