Paul Sjoberg will represent Eastern Niceville, Bluewater Bay, and Destin on the Okaloosa Half Cent Surtax Committee.
Okaloosa County Commissioner for District 5, Drew Palmer, announced his appointment to replace outgoing representative Jim Foreman at the Oct 21, 2025 Commission Meeting during his commissioner’s minute.
“We met at the housing summit last year, and he was our only local developer who was represented on a panel that spoke there,” Palmer remembers, “And I was impressed with the things he shared about the community. I thought he was a perfect representative for District 5.”
Sjoberg, a cohost of Mid Bay News’ weekly show, Paul N’ Saul, said in response to his appointment, “I’d like to thank Commissioner Drew Palmer for the appointment and the opportunity to serve the community. Okaloosa County is an incredible place to live, and I look forward to helping steer its continued growth while preserving what makes it so special.”
Paul Sjoberg is a Niceville High School and University of Florida graduate who built and then sold his Government Contracting IT Company. His entrepreneurial streak led him to develop affordable housing in Niceville and throughout the Emerald Coast area, ensuring that nurses, teachers, firefighters, police officers, airmen, and other community members can have a home on the Emerald Coast.
Paul loves Jesus and is actively involved in his church community at Holy Name of Jesus in Niceville.
He has five children and has been happily married to his wife, Stacy, for more than two decades.
The Okaloosa County Half Cent Sales Tax Committee is one of several committees appointed by County Commissioners in Okaloosa to advise them on matters related to their area of expertise.
In the case of the surtax committee, voters approved an additional half cent of sales tax on every dollar of local sales to be used to repair, improve or create infrastructure for Okaloosa County in 2018.
The Surtax will sunset in 2028 and will either go away or face another vote from the public for another 10-year mandate.
According to Okaloosa County’s Half Cent Surtax Page on its website, visitors to Okaloosa County pay more than half of the revenue generated by the tax. Two-thirds of every dollar raised goes to Okaloosa County’s surtax revenue budget. The other third is split between the nine cities inside Okaloosa County based on their population.
According to Okaloosa County, the surtax has collected more than $127 million between its approval in 2018 and June of 2025. A total of 56 projects have been completed, and another 15 are in progress.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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