Hillsborough judge says he will consider sales tax refund options C.T. Bowen, Tampa Bay Times TAMPA — A Hillsborough Circuit Court judge said he retains the authority to help devise a public refund of the nearly $503 million collected through the voided Hillsborough transportation surtax. Circuit Judge Rex Barbas’ April 7 order in the case of Commissioner Stacy White versus Hillsborough County over the penny on the sales tax included the provision that “this court also retains jurisdiction to consider the pending motions for supplemental relief” and, if appropriate, to grant that relief “regarding the possible return of the surtax receipts to the clerk and the disposition of the surtax receipts.”