When contentious issues crop up between the City of Sarasota and the County, it is often the dual-taxed City taxpayer who winds up with the short end of the stick.  County threats to leave the City of Sarasota in 2003 wound up costing City residents 14 years worth of Community Redevelopment dollars.  City parks are in financial straits because the County divested itself of funding City park maintenance in 2011.  Will a new “cooperative” relationship with the County mean that dual-taxed City residents get the services we’ve paid for?

City taxpayers lost big in 2003, when the County threatened to move their offices out of the City. At the end of the day, the City signed a binding agreement with the County to end the Community Redevelopment Agency 14 years ahead of schedule—in 2016 instead of 2030.  In exchange, the County was supposed to legally commit to keeping their offices and courthouse in the City of Sarasota. Somehow that part of the agreement never happened.  

Negotiations to reduce County funding of City parks began in late 2010. In March 2011, the County threatened to close Lido pool, never including that possibility in many prior discussions. County Commissioners responsible for representing City of Sarasota residents were quiet about the way the County was strong-arming the City into accepting peanuts for park maintenance. In keeping the closing of Lido pool in their back pocket and putting it on the table to force an agreement, County officials demonstrated disregard for their City of Sarasota constituents’ quality of life and the financial contribution City residents make to County coffers. The City assumed control of 19 parks once maintained by the County. A handful of City parks remain partially funded by the County—repairs exceeding $5,000 annually are the responsibility of the City. The County’s contribution to City parks is a pittance, and the City struggles to fund these parks.  

Across the bay, Longboat Key gets nothing from the County for its park maintenance.  Town manager Dave Bullock has quantified how much in ad valorem taxes Longboat Key pays to the County—about $48 million per year. Bullock plans to ask the County to fund a new bayfront park for Longboat Key. It’s ironic that Bullock is now going to the County Commission on behalf of Longboat Key and asking for park funding for a municipality; Bullock worked to cut off park funding from the City of Sarasota in 2011 as Deputy County Administrator under Jim Ley.

The new City Commission can serve us by showing the County how much City residents pay in ad valorem taxes to the County every year. The City’s contribution to the County’s bottom line surely justifying seeing those dollars returned to fund City parks. City residents, who pay taxes twice, shouldn’t see their parks decline because the County doesn’t want to return tax dollars to fund City parks.

In the quest for an improved relationship with the County, the City Commission can add City park funding to its list of citizens’ concerns. 

SRQ Daily Columnist Cathy Antunes serves on the boards of the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations and Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. She blogs on local politics at www.thedetail.net

Dr. [Robert] Marbut gave the City of Sarasota failing grades for helping the homeless! 

I think it is even worse because the city either can’t afford to or just doesn’t want to help those that are less fortunate. [City Manager] Tom Barwin’s plan would create a large shelter costing the city about $7 million and another one and a half million per year to operate.  If the city did spend that much of our tax dollars, they would only warehouse families for a period of 10 weeks and then throw them back on the street.

Our program is much better! We purchase older motels, convert them into studio apartments and allow the many charities to house these families for $575/month including utilities. While they are residents we teach them how to dress and act for job interviews. People living in our buildings must seek a job unless they are seniors or disabled. The goal is to have these families move on to larger apartments within six months.  The other major difference is we seek no public funds and pay property tax.

We are currently seeking permission to build up to 700 affordable apartments (one to three bedrooms renting for $600-$800/month) at Fruitville Road and School Avenue. Families moving from the studio apartments could move to these larger but still affordable apartments close to downtown and public transportation. These apartments would also pay property tax of around $450,000 per year. 

Harvey Vengroff is a Sarasota developer

As a Blue Star Museum, the Ringling is offering free Museum Admission to active Military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserve and their immediate families from Memorial Day, May 25 through Labor Day, September 7. Presentation of Military ID is required at the Admissions counter. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states.  

The Ringling

Every Wednesday in June, Café L’Europe is offering a premium selection of wines. Flights of wines (four two ounce pours) will be served with complimentary paired appetizers for $18 per person. The featured wine of the day will also be priced at half off for the bottle on the evening on which it is served. Featured wines include: Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs, Ferrari Carano, a selection of Burgundy wines, and Robert Hall Wines.  

Caf

Grab your board and head to the Sarasota SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) Championships on coming to Siesta Key Beach, Saturday, June 20. After a cool morning of races get your surf-rider vibe on and join in the afternoon SUP Rodeo. Chock full of fun competitions for all ages and abilities, live music, a Hawaiian-style luau, over 40 SUP and surf vendors, and free prizes and giveaways, this is a do not miss event. Kids and adults of all ages and skill levels will have the opportunity to learn the basics of SUPing and learn some more about the boards that are out there. This year’s races benefit Suncoast Waterkeeper, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to restoring the Florida Suncoast’s waterways. 

Sarasota SUP Championships

Leonard Nagel has joined Caldwell Trust Company as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. Nagel holds a B.S. in Economics and an MBA in Quantitative Analysis/MIS from Louisiana Tech University. Prior to joining the team at Caldwell, Nagel served as senior vice president of technology and services and for the last six years and Vice President of Support Services at Suncoast Solutions, a leading commercial software manufacturer for Hospice and Home Care. Nagel has hopes to expand the Caldwell’s information technology department as well as collaborate with Assistant Vice President Information Systems, Danny Williams in developing the company’s long-term technology vision. 

Caldwell Trust Company

Started as a four-day conference in 1984 in California for the topics Technology, Entertainment, and Design to converge TED has expanded as a nonprofit with the intention of spreading all different kinds of ideas, from science to business to global issues across the world in the form of short, powerful talks. TEDxSarasota is a local, independently organized TED event that combines a screening of TED Talk videos with live presenters to spark conversation and connections about important issues. TEDxSarasota’s most recent event was TEDWomen2015, where significant women and some men engaged listeners through their lives and work. On Thursday, May 28th Sarasota locals went to the Center for Building Hope to listen to and discuss critical issues as they related to women.  

TEDxSarasota

Local non-profit Sarasota-Manatee Originals is a collaboration between over 50 locally-owned, independent restaurants located in Sarasota and Manatee counties that work together to preserved the culinary heritage of the region. Starting June 4^th at 7 am, Sarasota Manatee Originals is offering a 30 percent off sale for dining certificates. Thousands of dollars worth of certificates will be up for sale, but quantities are limited, so make sure to wake up on time before they sell out. $50 certificates will sell for $35; $25 certificates will sell for $17.50; $20 certificates will sell for $14; and $15 certificates will sell for $11. Certificates and discounts are available online only at the Sarasota-Manatee Original’s website.  

Sarasota Manatee Originals

Realize Bradenton, has added two new members to its now 12-member board as well as elected a new board chair and vice chair. Elected to three-year board positions are Jennifer Zavidil, vice president and retail bank manager of the Cortez branch of BMO Harris Bank, and Rick Fawley, president of Fawley Bryant Architects, Inc. The newly elected board chair is certified mentor and chapter chair of Manasota SCORE, Dennis Zink. Vice Chair Chris Timol is the regional director of sales and former vice president of major market services for Paychex Inc. This board of directors takes action on critical issues and opportunities to build community and economic development in downtown Bradenton. 

Realize Bradenton