Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/146256
Sarasota News Leader July 26, 2013 Page 44 CRA's future. Should it be extended? Modi- their first and biggest question: Should the fied? How should it be governed? Sarasota CRA be extended? Only six CRAs With Westmoreland's appearance, the Down- statewide have lengthened their terms, intown Community Redevelopment Agency cluding those in Bradenton and Palmetto, Area Extension Study Committee was able to said Westmoreland. Most CRAs were created find out how the other 207 CRAs in Florida are later; therefore, they have not yet bumped up against expiration dates. governed and how they spend their money. Committee member Michael Beaumier asked, "Of the six who extended, what was their Westmoreland said that while a state statute plan?" enabled the creation of CRAs, the agencies are not bound by tight regulation or decisions "Basically, you need a new plan when you rein multiple court cases. "Flexibility is a bless- start — a plan for what will happen over the ing of the statute," she said. "Court cases are duration," replied Westmoreland. Then she few and interpretation is based on your past touched on a second issue that lingers over experience." the local CRA. State law says a major CRA However, past experience might not help the function is to fight "slum and blight." But few local committee members find an answer to people today would say, after the injection of THE VERY FLEXIBLE CRA A map shows the boundaries of the downtown Sarasota CRA. Image courtesy City of Sarasota