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CRA public hearing, the response was heated. "[W]e were having specific discus sions about the Newtown CRA," said Vice Chairwoman Christine Robinson, referring to the joint meeting of the boards on April 1. "And administration for the city remained quiet about the upcoming public hearing and then sent certified mail the day we were meet ing — the very day! — to us that they were having this public hearing. That's disturbing to me that that piece of information did not enter the conversation." The CRA report was the result of nine months of effort by a committee appointed jointly by the City and County commissions. Apparently, nobody in county government bothered to read it. On pages 33 and 34 are two lengthy tables showing the Newtown CRA receipts. One shows income to the Newtown CRA with "no change in base year" until 2033. The sec ond shows the impact of a reset in the base year, allowing receipt of tax increments. County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh said on April 8 that he had reviewed the document creating the Newtown CRA. Because of longstanding disagreements regarding the creation of the Downtown Sarasota CRA, he said a very specific "delegation of powers res olution" was created for the Newtown CRA. Because Sarasota County is a home rule char ter county, it is given power over CRAs, he added. The state statute says that if a CRA is created in a city in a home rule county, the city has to abide by the powers delegated to it in the resolution. Any powers not delegated to it do not reside with the city. DeMarsh said that according to his review of the resolution for the Newtown CRA, two facets regard delegating powers. "Neither of those two specific provisions addresses any delegation of power to reset the base year." Instead, DeMarsh told his board, the city should petition the county for permission to do a reset. Further, he said any action to reset the base year would require "two readings" to make it legal, meaning two votes would be needed in two separate meetings. County Commissioner Joe Barbetta sug gested DeMarsh explain his interpretation to the city attorney. Commission Chairman Charles Hines went further and urged a for mal letter to the city. Robinson turned that idea into a motion. The following day, April 9, Hines fired a let ter to Sarasota Mayor Shannon Snyder and the City Commission. He said the city "does not possess the power to adopt an ordinance resetting the base tax year" without the express approval of the County Commission. Tom Barwin is the Sarasota city manager. Photo by Norman Schimmel Sarasota News Leader April 11, 2014 Page 17