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Sarasota News Leader October 11, 2013 It all seems redolent of Thomas Becket and Henry II of England. When the Archbishop of Canterbury refused to cede control of his church to the king, Henry cried, "Will no one will rid me of this turbulent priest?" Four knights took the king at his word and dispatched Becket with their swords during Vespers. Merrill wisely did not resist. He conceded to the County Commission. THE NEW CHAIRMAN Page 32 our charge and keep to that as best we can. I don't want to see more negative conversation that gets in the way of presenting our ideas," he said. Dorr is scheduled to make the committee's first progress report on Oct. 22 during a joint meeting of the City and County commissions. "I'll recap where we are," he said. "We're starting to get pretty far along. The next topic addressed by the committee was the length of any renewal of the CRA. Compound interest works marvels, and that is no different with the CRA. Each year's percentage increase in tax revenue goes atop the previous year's funds. Study Committee Vice Chairman Andy Dorr picked up the gavel on Tuesday, Oct. 8, to replace Merrill. And he set out where Merrill had left off, with one unspoken exception. Only once in the two-hour meeting did the word "model" come up, and it disappeared Dorr said that if the CRA were extended quickly. another decade and it kept the 1986 "base Gone was any consideration of what a CRA year," the income would be about $75 million. could do for other communities. The focus If the CRA were extended another 30 years was strictly on Sarasota. In a discussion of and kept the base year of 1986, it would colboundaries, it was suggested the CRA be lect between $250 million and $300 million. expanded to include the North Tamiami Numbers like that keep city and county comTrail. Dorr suggested maintaining the current missioners awake at night. A quarter of a boundaries. "It would keep this conversation billion dollars in the next 30 years could be simpler. We won't be discussing taking other going into a small area of downtown Sarasota areas out of the tax base, and for how long," — and no place else. he said. Other questions abound. Who would govern Instead of centering on one solution — a this future CRA? Today, the Sarasota City model ordinance, perhaps — the discussion Commission oversees it, sitting as another focused on giving the County Commission body. If half the money comes from the county, a set of options. Extend the CRA? Make a should the county have a seat at the table? choice among 10, 20 or 30 years for the future. Or three? Should the money be split? Right When members began thinking about a CRA now north Sarasota has a CRA, but it receives supported by a split in sales tax revenue no county funding. Additionally, because its instead of property tax revenue, Dorr chided "base year" was 2007, property values have them. "We lost one member because we declined; it produces zero revenue. The city started looking off-topic. I ask us to stay to dips into the Downtown CRA pot to fund it.