Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/127088
Sarasota News Leader May 3, 2013 uncertainty that it creates for the financing of a project, which is especially impactful in light of the lending environment today (post 2007) having more emphasis on predictability." According to staff notes, fiscal neutrality was on the list of issues raised by almost every developer consulted last fall: Hi Hat Ranch, Palmer Ranch, Rod Krebs, Neal and Schroeder-Manatee. Page 26 community organizations such as the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations and the Southwest County Alliance of Homeowners Associations. The county has been deluged by public comments, submitted via letters, at events and on the county's website. One anonymous comment card in support of altering 2050 reads simply: "Please bring the 2050 plan back to update Needs to be more user friendly Plan Patterson says "maybe there's a compromise" makes it very difficult for developers to secure between phase-by-phase approval and giving financing. Fiscal nutrality (sic)." (Emphasis in the OK to a "whole chunk" all at once. "If you the original.) approve the whole thing upfront and then it turns out to be not so," she adds, "the county A website comment, meanwhile, argues that hasn't got any recourse." "Sarasota 2050 looks like so many other 2050 plans which all stem from the UN," part of a TAKING SIDES far-right conspiracy theory involving Agenda The builders' complaints have been amplified 21. by local business interests such as The Argus John Saputo, the president and owner of Gold Foundation, the "business leadership" group Coast Eagle Distributing, even blames 2050 that issued a 2050 "Call to Action." They cited for slowing beer sales: declining property values and argued that the only way to expand the county's tax base is to "When Anheuser-Busch assigned me to the encourage "responsible development." Others Manatee/Sarasota County territory for my pricalling on the county to "reopen" the 2050 de- mary franchise territory in 1996, our Brewery bate include the Greater Sarasota Chamber of economists and computer model estimated Commerce, the Siesta Key Chamber of Com- that Sarasota County had a potential to genmerce and the county Economic Development erate over 5 million cases of AB product sales. Corp., as well as representatives of Gecko's, … Since the inception of the '2050 Plan' the Williams Parker Harrison Dietz & Getzen, economist and model now predicts that my Githler Development and WWSB-TV, among potential for Sarasota County will max out at maybe 3 million cases. ... [T]he '2050 Plan' others. took away over 2 million cases in potential Those opposing the proposed changes include sales." environmental groups such as Sustainable Floridians, Control Growth Now, the Audu- In support of 2050, Tony Stefan, the chairman bon Society, the local Sierra Club, Manaso- of the Myakka River Branch of the United ta-88, Citizens for Responsible Government States Green Building Council, argues that cliand Citizens for Sensible Growth, as well as mate change considerations should come first: