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a 5-percent annual growth in property value appraisals. More than half of that is money from the county. If the CRA ceases to exist, the city will still collect its share of the property tax reve- nue, but it will not receive the county's share. Subtracting the $57 million already collected means $366 million — more than one-third of a billion dollars — is at stake in the decision about the future of the CRA. This will certainly be the largest financial decision the city and county commission- ers will make in their lifetimes. If the CRA is extended, it means a shift of $183 million in county tax revenue over 30 years to city coffers. This will be an easy matter for the city com- missioners to support; it will be a harder pill to swallow for their county counterparts. As with all financial projections, a small change in assumptions can make major changes in the downstream results. In fact, this projection is among the most conser- vative the ad hoc committee studied. Other forecasts showed the total take in excess of $500 million. SOFTENING THE BLOW So how could the county commissioners be convinced to give up an average of $6 mil- lion or more every year to the city for the next three decades? If the initial argument to establish the CRA in 1986 was to fight "slum and blight" downtown, where would the extra $366 million be spent? The ad hoc committee members do not have answers for that. They recommend, however, dumping the City Commission as the govern- ing board. Instead, they call for two county commissioners and two city commissioners to be the governors, along with three citizens appointed by the city. Since the city is now "skimming" part of the CRA monies to pay for general fund obli- gations, the ad hoc committee suggests the county be allowed the same privilege. The new governing board would decide how much, perhaps with an increasing or decreas- ing share as time elapses. With "slum and blight" on the run downtown, another recommendation for an extended CRA would expand its official boundaries, opening up new territory for both income and expenditures. The North Tamiami Trail, the Rosemary District and other areas were suggested. And the ad hoc committee recommended a realistic plan be developed for spending the money. Right now, the "plan" is about five years old and full of platitudes. Each year the advisory board and city commissioners tweak the actual projects. None of them can be called a long-range, visionary effort. The new parking garage should be finished by mid-February 2015. The ad hoc committee is recommending establishment of "one long-term plan for the CRA" and the creation and implementation of a strategic action plan for each area, updated annually. HALF-BILLION-DOLLAR POLITICS In 2006, at the peak of the real estate market boom, the City Commission unilaterally added property to the CRA. That land is located in Sarasota News Leader March 21, 2014 Page 69