Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/180498
Sarasota News Leader September 27, 2013 Page 38 He continued, "Another agenda discussion RANCOR INTENSIFIES would be the financial implications for the When Robinson brought up the CRA study city and the county. If the CRA is extended, committee's activities to the full County Comand the control of the CRA is wrested from mission, it voted to instruct Chairwoman the city, you would have a hard time replacing Carolyn Mason to write Merrill a letter. That the $2.6 million that you transfer into the gen- Sept. 6 correspondence said, in part: "It has eral fund if the agency come to our attention stopped the transfer. that discussions have On the other hand, the To be honest, I am shocked by the been held during your county has budgeted attempt of the County Commission to limit meetings regarding their $3.5 million back the ideas that can be considered in our study. contacting other muinto their general fund nicipalities to solicit David Merrill in 2017, so they will Chairman input on the estabCRA Extension Study Committee have to fill that hole if lishment of CRAs. We the CRA is extended would like to clarify with the 1986 tax base intact." that the scope of your committee is to review and explore options for the extension of the County Commissioner Christine Robinson City of Sarasota Downtown CRA. Soliciting fired back the next day. "Your board is getinput regarding establishment of future CRAs ting in front of the county commission on this is within the purview of the Board of County issue, which should not be happening," she Commissioners." wrote Merrill. "These discussions have county-wide tax ramification and ramifications for Merrill defended the committee's inquiries by a particular area. While equity is an issue, I am email: "Since other areas of the county have troubled where this conversation is heading previously requested CRAs, it would be highly as far as recommendations outside of your likely that the requests would be repeated if the downtown CRA is extended. Therefore, charge," she added. it would be a glaring omission on the part of He responded to her four days later: "The the committee to ignore this reality and the logic of having the study committee look at possible impact on your budget from requests multiple CRAs is simple. If Sarasota's CRA to establish more CRAs." has had a positive impact, and, if there ex- Mason tried to schedule a call with Merrill, ists the criticism that it's inequitable, then one but he rebuffed it. "With all due respect, the of the solutions to ending the inequity might best way to keep our communication clear so be to extend the positive benefits of a CRA that it can be conveyed to the study committo other cities. Another way to end the ineq- tee would be to communicate by either email uity is to eliminate all CRAs, and the study or writing," he responded in writing on Sept. committee should also debate the merits of 13. "To be honest, I am shocked by the attempt of the county commission to limit the ideas this approach."