Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/289950
In the three intervening weeks before the April 22 meeting, it is likely county commissioners will pore over the 155-page final report of the committee appointed to consider the future of the CRA, looking for reasons to question any extension of the plan. The 10-member ad hoc committee named last summer to develop recommendations added two provisions to sweeten the deal for the county. It proposed "sharing" the CRA receipts. Just as the city dips into the CRA for $1 million per year for its police budget, the county — so thought the committee — should be able to dip into the fund, too. How much and for how long could be decided later, the committee recommended. Therefore, instead of losing all the increment, the county could recoup some of it. The other sweetener was a change in the gov- erning structure. For the past 28 years, the Sarasota City Commission has sat as the CRA governing board, even though the city kicks in less than half the proceeds. The ad hoc com- mittee suggested replacing the all-city board with a seven-member panel. Two would be city commissioners, two would be county commissioners and the other three would be appointed by the City Commission. "If this goes through, and the county contrib- utes more than the city, why are the three citizens appointed by the city and not the county?" asked County Commissioner Nora Patterson. "We had a great debate on that," said Committee Chairman Andy Dorr. "That was our recommendation. You can take that under advisement." County Vice Chairwoman Christine Robinson read extensively from the state statute creat- ing the idea of a CRA. "The language is very explicit on slum and blight," she pointed out, referring to the intent for establishing CRAs. Patterson followed up on that, asking Dorr, "Would you consider downtown slum and blighted? Would downtown qualify now for the establishment of a new CRA?" Dorr replied some parts of the defined area — the Rosemary District and the eastern end of downtown — are "significantly depressed." (From left) County Commissioner Joe Barbetta, City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo, County Commissioner Nora Patterson, Vice Mayor Willie Shaw, County Commission Chairman Charles Hines and Mayor Shannon Snyder sit at the dais. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader April 4, 2014 Page 37