Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/293799
"Please accept this correspondence as Sarasota County's formal objection to the attempted adoption of the ordinance," the letter concludes. "The County Commission believes that the city does not have the legal authority to change the base tax year." In a subsequent statement released to The Sarasota News Leader on April 10, City Manager Tom Barwin said, "The foreclosure crisis left the Newtown CRA in a negative position. Resetting the base tax year to the current year would generate a modest rede velopment tax increment funding source sooner. This was brought up in the joint City County meeting last week." When the city created the Newtown CRA, the county refused to participate in the tax incre ment plan, which cut any possible income by more than half. More recently, the county cancelled an interlocal agreement with the city over parks maintenance, and it began to taper off support for the Robert Taylor Community Complex in Newtown. While the county is responsible for storm water infrastructure in the community, neighborhoods from Newtown to Harbor Acres on Orange Avenue have suffered sig nificant flooding this spring. Barwin wrote, "As a major shopping mall, sporting venue and new subdivisions are being supported in the unincorporated areas of the county, we must not forget our diverse anchor city. I believe there is the will and desire by both the city and county to work together to take advantage of the essential CRA economic development tool the city has used so well to create jobs, tax base and regional cultural attractions." % Manuel R. Chepote, LUTCF Chepote Insurance Inc. 1300 Main Street • Sarasota, Florida (941) 366-0100 Serving Sarasota & Manatee Counties agents.allstate.com/manuel-r-chepote-sarasota-fl.html Click for driving directions Auto • Home • Life Renters • Motorcycles Flood • Business • Annuities Financial Services Sarasota News Leader April 11, 2014 Page 18