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SRQ DAILY Sep 7, 2015

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"With 2,100 housing units coming in, it's going to change that district and downtown dramatically"

- Tony Souza, Sarasota
 

[Resources]  Gross Water Use

The graph, from the SCOPE Community Report Card for 2015, shows water consumption in unincorporated Sarasota County has seen a steady decrease from 1994 to 2013, the most recent year with data available. In 1994, each resident residing in the unincorporated Sarasota County used, on average, about 93 gallons of water per day. This average has decreased to about 77 gallons per day in 2013 a 17 percent decrease. Data does not include municipalities within the county. 

 
[Government]  DID Could See Expansion

The Downtown Improvement District could soon expand its borders. Sarasota City Commissioners this week are expected to appoint an ad hoc committee to explore including the Rosemary District in the special taxing district, and the new committee could also look into the potential of expanding into other areas of the city as well in the future. 

Officials at City Hall have been exploring the subject since June, when the Downtown Improvement District Board asked for City Commissioners to create a committee to check on Greater Rosemary property owners’ interest in being included in the district. The committee will also look at whether residential properties should be included as well. “I have looked at a number of cities and about half of those who have (improvement districts) also tax residents,” said Ken Shelin, a former Sarasota City Commissioner who pushed for the creation of the DID and who is expected to be appointed to the ad hoc committee on Tuesday.

Sarasota’s district was created in 2008 and covers a small part of downtown. In the district, property owners pay a special tax with revenues dedicated to improvements to downtown within the DID boundaries. In Sarasota's DID, only businesses are taxed. Shelin said cities where residents in business districts do get taxed often have a more modest tax rate.

Tony Souza, who is applying to serve on the committee as well, said he will see whether residents living in condos downtown would be interested in paying a tax knowing the revenues would all go toward improvements to the district. He also has always had an interest in bringing further vitality to Rosemary. "Now especially, with 2,100 housing units coming in, it's going to change that district and downtown dramatically," Souza said.

Shelin is optimistic about the inclusion of Rosemary, and wonders if there are opportunities to broaden the district in other directions. He suggested expansion of the district could potentially make up for the possible expiration of the Communtiy Redevelopment Agency.

City Commissioners meet Tuesday. The afternoon session begins at 2:30pm. 

[Agenda]  Bradenton to Hear Village Plan for Glazier Gates
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Sarasota City Commission: The board will meet Tuesday to discuss allowing limited vending and programming opportunities in Five Points Park. Regulations on Uber and other transportation networks will also be discussed at the meeting. The meeting begins at 2:30pm at City Hall.

Bradenton City Council: The board will meet Wednesday to consider a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment to change the designation for Glazier Gates Park from Recreation/Open Space to Urban Village and allowing for a proposed site plan including three-story apartments with 252 units, 39 townhouse units, 240 multi-story residential units and 10,248 square feet of retail/commercial space. The meeting begins at 8:30am at City Hall. 

Bradenton City Council

[Exec Moves]  Scott Appoints Colon to School Board

Gov. Rick Scott announced the appointment of John Colón to the Manatee County School Board. Colón, 64, of University Park, is a senior vice president of Investments with Wells Fargo Advisors and has served on the State Board of Education since 2013. He currently serves as a member of the United Negro College Fund. He fills a vacancy created by the death of School Board Mary Cantrell. Colón’s term runs through November 15, 2016. An election is scheduled for the 2016 election cycle; the winner of that race will fill out the remainder of Cantrell’s term, which expires in 2018. 

Governor of Florida

[Recognition]  Goodwill Wins Market Leadership Awards

Goodwill Manasota was recognized with the Market Leadership by Share of Used Goods and Market Leadership by Donations awards at the Goodwill Industries International Summer Conference in Oregon. The awards honor Goodwill Manasota for having one of the highest market penetration scores among Goodwill agencies of a similar size. Market penetration is determined by the number of people who shop at and donate to a particular Goodwill region, divided by the size of the relevant market population.  

Goodwill Manasota

[Exec Moves]  Leach Named WBTT Executive Director

Julie Leach has been named executive director of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Leach, who has served as the organization’s board chair since 2010, will help guide the company through continued growth, physical plant and artistic enhancements and a planned capital campaign. Leach previously served as audit manager for Deloitte in Texas and also ran her own accounting and investment advising business. She also served as the director of religious education for the Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church in Texas from 1995 to 2000. Her family moved to Sarasota in 2000. The WBTT board of directors will hold a special session this month to select a new chair. 

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe

[On Uber]  Don't Kill Uber With Regulations
Andrea Seager

Every time I called a cab for a guest at my motel in Bradenton on Interstate-75, I was told there would be a minimum of a 40-minute wait time. Eventually, a nasty vehicle with dents and a smoking, unshaven driver would pull up to take my guest a couple miles down the road. UGH.

We need to make sure new concepts such as Uber are welcomed rather than regulated out of business. Uber provides background checks and insurance. Drivers are rated and dumped if they are rude or cars are dirty. The consumer knows exactly how much they are paying in advance. The taxi lobby around the world advocates for rude drivers with filthy vehicles who will gladly overcharge a tourist, all in the name of consumer protection. 

The hotel industry was turned on its ear with the arrival of TripAdvisor's customer reviews and travel agency websites such as Expedia and Booking.com.  Guest satisfaction improved dramatically across the industry, and those who chose not to improve their service and physical plant or use the new booking engines were left behind. 

My husband ran a tiny pedicab (bicycle taxi) company in Downtown Sarasota for several years. A special 15-page ordinance was created for pedicabs by the City of Sarasota. The taxi medallions, insurance, vehicle inspections, miscellaneous business licenses, taxes, fees and an unfortunate federal tax classification totaled thousands of dollars per year and created such a regulatory circus that he gave up.   

Are we screaming that Amazon purchase a business license and pay special vendor fees and taxes in Sarasota to sell us a book? Amazon is licensed and pays insurance and taxes where their corporate offices and warehouses are located. The City of Sarasota has no need to get between me and my book purchase. Similarly, the City of Sarasota does not need to add fees, taxes, additional insurance requirements and regulatory hurdles to a system that works beautifully across the globe for car sharing services. Have the City Attorney check Uber's insurance policies and approve them. Demand that the City of Sarasota be listed as an additional insured and get out of the way. 

We as a community need to wake up and do everything in our power to encourage entrepreneurs, especially young ones working with new technology we may not fully understand. We need to retain the talent and brilliance that is coming out of Ringling, New College and our other institutions of higher learning. We need to create a space where it is safe to create the future, not regulate ideas to death because we are afraid of changing the status quo.

It is time to embrace technology and the sharing economy and move forward! 

Andrea Seager, Sarasota

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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