Sarasota News Leader

09/20/2013

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Sarasota News Leader September 20, 2013 Page 66 really roughly centered in the areas immedi- had amended the program, she was uncertain the board could take such a step. ately surrounding [State Road] 681 …" The project was, in a way, a gift to that part of Damschroder indicated Robinson was correct the county, Patterson continued, as it opened in that assumption. up SR 681 as a transportation artery. "Here's something that we've created … hopAdditionally, Patterson noted, the $300,000 the ing to be a carrot for [economic developstate agreed to provide annually for incentives ment]," Hines pointed out, "and nothing's hapfor energy-efficient businesses "really [is not] pened, [and staff] spent a lot of time on this. a lot." Spreading that countywide, she point- If it's not going to work, either we step back a ed out, meant only one or two grants a year little bit," he added, or report to the state that the EEZ model does not work. probably could be awarded. Otherwise, she said, "it's going to be like a micro loan, which Finally, Barbetta clarified with Damschroder could be a good thing, but it's a far cry from and Byron that they were seeking a board vote on advertising a public hearing to consider where the intent really was." making the proposed changes part of the orCommissioner Christine Robinson responded dinance — the new boundaries, revising how that the Legislature's intent had been to pro- companies could prove they meet the enervide more money for the incentives, but the gy-efficiency standards and the rebranding. "I impact of the Great Recession on the state's think all three are fine," Barbetta said. "I think budget had hampered that. The Legislature the energy standard has been a hold-up." then decided to include the Enterprise Zone incentives in the EEZ pilot program to make He added, "This is an economic development tool. I think the better we can make it, the up for the lack of extra funding. better tool it becomes for expansion of our Patterson said she felt it was appropriate for economic base." an Enterprise Zone such as the one in NewPatterson told him she would go along with town to incorporate the waiving of impact fee the motion if there was no way the county payments to the county, because that encourcould go back to the original concept. If these aged businesses to open in Newtown. How- new modifications in the program still did not ever, she had reservations about making that lead to success, she continued, then future option available to any company applying for county commissioners might just have to seek the EEZ. "That would be a serious detriment permission to withdraw as host of a pilot proto the [county] road program," she noted. gram. When Patterson said she wondered "whether we should return to the roots of the idea" when the EEZ was proposed in 2009, Robinson explained that because the Legislature The board members needed to keep in mind, Patterson pointed out, "that a small amount of money sometimes works better when it's precisely targeted." %

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