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SRQ DAILY May 28, 2016

"Everywhere that thoughtful citizens exist, we work more assertively to end the risk of war, pandemic disease and climate change."

- Tom Barwin, Sarasota City Manager
 

[Under The Hood]  Failed Incentive a First
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

When plans to lure North American Roofing to the Gulf Coast got shot down, it marked a historic moment for economic development on the Gulf Coast. An incentives package negotiated by state and county officials was, for the first time ever, shot down by Sarasota County Commissioners.

To consultants representing the firm in question, this showed that pols here were not “serious about economic development.” If so, that’s a new and unfortunate development. Dozens of companies large and small have accepted incentives to expand in or relocate to Sarasota County, and while that occasionally blows up in the county’s face (Sanborn Studios, anyone?), the incentives program has directly led to thousands of jobs being created in the region, diversifying the economy to make us more recession-proof. Some companies receiving incentives, like Tervis and PGT Industries, were already here and needed an economic jolt of tax relief to ignite major facility and workforce expansions. Others, like Ohio-based Total Quality Logistics, wanted to bring local offices into this region and negotiated incentives to do so. Economic development officials never want incentives to be the only reason a company moves here, but without them many firms won’t consider this region at all.

Jeff Maultsby, Sarasota County’s economic development director, says his staff always knows the vote might not go in favor of incentives, but up until now it always has. So what happened Tuesday? While incentives have always been controversial in certain parts, they generally irritate only ideologues. Libertarian-leaning folks in this area oppose on principle whenever government gives one firm a boost. Occasionally, a direct competitor expresses irritation the county would let a new swimwear company get a break on taxes when an existing beachy business never needed a break to profit on a bikini. Most constituents, though, have supported incentives. Sarasota County voters in 2010 voted by a 67-33 margin in favor of an ad valorem tax to fund incentives, knowing the return in new jobs would make up for a slight hike.

But this deal irritated too many local employers. Development still dominates here, and roofers report a workforce shortage already. Never mind that North American planned only corporate jobs, and even offered a covenant not to recruit out of local firms or bid for local jobs—two things the national firm is still free to do now the deal is dead. It’s more than that, though. Incentives always served to diversify the economy. Enterprise Florida officials won’t typically go after industries like retail and construction. But they make an exception for corporate headquarters. To translate, there’s no reason to offer incentives to a new Motel 6 near a Turnpike exit, but if the Hyatt corporation wants its international headquarters here, the state will woo—and the county’s policies largely mirror those of the state.

If county officials made clear in advance that a company doing contractor work like roofing would never be considered for incentives, corporate headquarters or no, then maybe lengthy negotiations and the combative situation last week could have been averted. The result was the same though: 180 jobs paying above-average wages likely won't come here (unless commissioners reverse this vote; still a small possibility). Economic development officials now plan to reexamine policies and avoid repeating the calamity of last week. Maybe parameters on what companies qualify for incentives today are too subjective.

But does this community still want more high-paying jobs? Does it still want an economy less dependent on migration patterns and retirement trends? If voters still feel this way, county commissioners must not limit incentives to the point where they serve no purpose at all.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ Media Group. 

[City Government]  The Planet Principle
Tom Barwin, Thomas.Barwin@sarasotagov.com

Clicking on PBS television last week I discovered physicist Stephen Hawking’s new show called Genius. Hawking shares what scientists have learned as he challenges the audience to “be the geniuses” of the future.     

In the episode titled “Are we alone?,” Hawking guides three regular citizens through what space exploration has documented about our galaxy and beyond. After explaining how scientists know there are many billions of stars, and many billions of planets, Hawking reviews the prospects for intelligent life on other planets.  

Planets spaced from their suns similar to ours, in the so called “Goldilocks zones” who share the universe's abundance of hydrogen and oxygen (which make water possible) are the most likely candidates for advanced, technological, intelligent life. The simple odds are, and Hawking believes, that there is considerable life out there. We are likely not alone. So why haven't we found each other? 

Hawking speculates that we have not found each other, and may not for a while, due to risk from natural and self-made dangers. Hawking believes that life-sustaining planets like ours are vulnerable and may perish before we evolve to connect. Meteor strikes, disease, war and other self-destructive modalities are big threats that are likely to limit our intergalactic potential. Bad luck, or a few too many mistakes, and boom - intelligent life becomes extinct.   

As an optimistic City Manager, I have wondered what will be the psychological and behavioral impacts when we earthlings do discover life from other planets.   

Will the people and nations on Earth suddenly begin to unite to defend the globe?

How will they look? How will we communicate? Who will speak for Earth? 

If both communicating planets get this far can we assume, or at least hope, that we have both advanced to a fundamental peace and sustainability philosophy of life versus dominance and exploitation impulses inherited from earlier times?   

It will surely be interesting if and when we do discover life on other planets. It will be all the talk at the coffee shops, restaurants, hair salons, newspapers, radio, TV and online. But to have a shot at getting to that point we should be doing everything we can to protect our planet each and every day. We still seem to collectively take this place, Earth, for granted. This could prove to be the biggest mistake we could possibly make.          

Living to explore new frontiers suggests we need a basic public policy that prioritizes extending our planet’s life-sustaining potential to the maximum. Perhaps a secular first commandment is warranted, something like:   

“We shall not risk further damaging our home and provider, planet Earth.”

I would call this rather common sense public policy idea, The Planet Principle.  

The tenets of the Planet Principle are simple. Everywhere that thoughtful citizens exist, we work more assertively to end the risk of war, pandemic disease and climate change. Our priorities and jobs should emphasize the restoration of clean air and the cleanup and protection of our water and agricultural areas.  

Around the globe, we should step up diplomacy toward building Planet Principle alliances and collaborations. The economy will have to evolve toward better resourcing the longevity of people, enhancement of their places and the stewardship of this magnificent blue planet.   

At the grassroots level, no doubt in my mind most citizens would choose life- and planet-extension policies rather than flirt with the risk of premature extinction. If a meteor hits us, oh well, it's been a great ride. But doing ourselves in is not wise or acceptable. 

One doesn't need to be a genius to figure that out, do they?

Tom Barwin is Sarasota City Manager. 

[The Detail]  Here We Go Again
Cathy Antunes, cathycantunes@gmail.com

The Sarasota County Commission denied a $1.7-million relocation incentive package for a national roofing company this week. The proposal included over $1 million in state tax refunds to the roofing firm, along with $720,000 from Sarasota County in both tax breaks and grant dollars. Here was an economic development project squarely aimed at undermining local businesses, and those business people noticed. In the wake of the proposal’s rejection, some warned of a “black mark” against Sarasota’s reputation, saying our community doesn’t want to be in the “economic development game.” This is where we are—unless local government is willing to give thousands, or even millions, of dollars away to private enterprise, a group of “experts” will say you aren’t serious about economic development. It’s a sad indicator of how out of touch with reality discussions have become about our economy and the free market. Proposals to fund private enterprise with public dollars ought to receive a consistent level of scrutiny here in Sarasota, but they don’t.

Enter stage left the Atlanta Braves, who are looking to leave their Disney digs for a new home. Which begs the question: if Braves spring training games are such a big economic driver, why is Disney letting them go? Reports claim Sarasota County taxpayers won’t be “on the hook” for a new Braves stadium in North Port, yet a potential deal includes $22 million in county tourist development tax dollars and $20 million in state dollars.  How is $42 million not “on the hook?” We are told $25-30 million will come from the West Villages taxing district (a fledgling development) and the team’s lease payments.  

Will these additional funding promises go the way of the Cal Ripken Youth Academy? Publicly presented as part of the 2009 spring training agreement, there was no legally binding commitment from either the Orioles or Ripken.  

Sarasota County continues to ignore the reality of Sarasota-specific data gathered by USF sports economist Phil Porter. Taxable sales are an accepted, objective measure of economic activity. In 1990 and 1995, during the MLB spring training lockout and strike, Sarasota’s taxable sales actually increased in the absence of spring training games. Porter concluded that hosting spring training games does nothing to improve taxable sales in Sarasota.

Another Porter study looked at the forecasted $100 million impact of the Yankees spring training when they moved from Broward County to Hillsborough. Did Broward’s economy realize a $100-million loss and Hillsborough a $100-million gain? Porter found neither economy was impacted—positively or negatively—by the presence of the Yankees. An outcome hardly worth pouring public millions into.

The building industry has the County Commission’s ear, but in other economic sectors sound information is ignored and good projects languish. How long before Legacy Trail is extended?  What kind of benefits would our community realize by having a protected north-south biking corridor? Such projects may be less glamorous, but their rewards are real.  

Cathy Antunes serves on the board of Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. 

[Higher Education]  Creativity Crossing Borders
Dr. Larry Thompson

The world’s most creative minds can’t be found in one place. They span the globe, speaking various languages, following myriad customs, and facing different challenges. Today’s artists and designers address worldwide issues and share their perspectives across borders and time zones. Challenges that once took place on the other side of the world are now finding their way into our Facebook feeds, inboxes, and dinner table conversations and vice versa. This is why educational institutions should be looking beyond their backyards in search of talented students who can bring their experiences and perspectives into the classroom and the community. But how do we do this respectfully? And what does this mean for our growing campuses and changing student bodies?

As President of Ringling College of Art and Design, I delight in the diverse nature of the art and design community, here on campus and beyond. Creatives are already a bit different—they see the world in a unique way and are drawn to those who dare to join them. This month, I will travel to Seoul, South Korea, with Seongwoo Nam, an Interior Design faculty member who also serves as a senior advisor to me on global initiatives. Not only are we are going to meet our students from South Korea who have been accepted into Ringling College, but also to learn more about the region from which a fifth of our international student population hails. I am excited to introduce our institution to the creatives and academics in the country and meet the faces of our new students and their families. These are the faces of the future—the emerging class of artists that will decide where the industry goes—and I want to know what they are looking for in their creative college experience. Over the course of 10 days, we will attend a Ringling College Accepted Students Day in Seoul and visit Incheon Global Campus, Korean Advanced Institute of Technology, SUNY Korea, and 'magnet' high schools for Animation and Visual media, to name a few. 

This is my first trip to South Korea, but Seongwoo has been speaking to prospective students, accepted students, and curious families and friends in the country for years. A true ambassador, he has connected with the parents of our students and forged relationships that pave the way for a cross-cultural dialogue about education, creativity, Ringling College, and, of course, Sarasota, Florida. This dialogue is critical; with every conversation we better understand our students and families in the region, and, as a result, can provide them with the tools, information, and support they need to make informed choices about their education.

Ringling College has seen a tremendous growth in our overall international student enrollment. About 16% of our student population is international – 21% of this 16% from Korea. But, our students do not just come from Korea or even Asia. They come to the College and to Sarasota from all over the globe—65 countries overall. And this is important because having a critical mass of international students adds so much to the education of our American students and to the Sarasota community at large. Having this kind of diversity prepares all of our students to live in today’s global environment, working side-by-side with people who carry different perspectives.

International recruitment is certainly not a new phenomenon. But we aren’t talking strictly about recruitment. Our global initiatives are an exercise in understanding the needs and questions of our qualified students living in other countries and learning how to respond. This is a two-way street—we want the most talented filmmakers, photographers, designers, writers, and artists, no matter where they come from, and our prospective students want a top-quality education preparing them for their future. The mission of Ringling College is to create highly employable and globally aware artists and designers. To realize this goal we need to listen first, and respond second. Personally, I look forward to hearing from the other side of the world.

Dr. Larry R. Thompson is President of Ringling College of Art and Design. 

[From Pete Tannen]  Police Aren't The Problem
Pete Tannen

The Sarasota Police Department works hard—and spends a huge amount of time dealing with homeless problems in Sarasota. But you have to remember that our police are not social workers. They are not trained to take care of all the physical and mental illness problems they encounter every night. They do the best they can under really stressful conditions.

Yet some people blame them for “not controlling” the growing homeless population, which is not fair to them. Nor does it make sense to blame the ACLU for our homeless problems, which people have also done.

The ACLU does one job and one job only: we protect the constitutional rights of every American. You, your family and the homeless person leaning against that tree all have the same constitutional rights. So if you or that homeless woman over there are told to stop loitering in Five Points park and move along, we’ll defend both of you. Standing in a public park is not a crime and it’s not trespassing.

Of course, if a homeless person breaks the law, he or she should be warned, ticketed or arrested if that’s required to protect the public. And the same goes for you. That’s what the law is all about. That’s the job we hire our police to do.

OK, so how do we solve this decades-old homeless problem in Sarasota? Who should we all get mad at?

Get mad at the only people who have the power to fix it: our City Commissioners. Our City Manager. Our County Commissioners.

They have argued for years about the best way to help our homeless.

Problem is, they can’t even agree on where to start. One side wants to put homeless people into their own houses or apartments immediately. The other side wants to build a big shelter. The common sense position is simple: try something. Do something. Take a chance.  If it doesn’t work, then try something else.

So don’t get mad at the Sarasota Police Department for trying their best in often impossible situations. They have become the city’s primary tool for “solving” the homeless problem, simply because nobody can agree to try any other proven solutions.

And don’t get mad at the ACLU for protecting everyone’s rights. We keep an eye on our local government to make sure they don’t pass laws that are clearly unconstitutional. Those laws don’t do a thing to help the homeless, place a huge burden on the police and are usually thrown out by the courts.

It’s way past time for our elected officials to stop yelling at each other, start talking respectfully to each other and actually take some action.

That’s why we voted for them, isn’t it?

Pete Tannen is president of the Sarasota Chapter of the ACLU. 



[SCOOP]  80 Free Passes to Selby Gardens Hidden Around Town

To encourage year-round residents of Sarasota and Manatee counties to visit its grounds this summer, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is hiding 40 binocular sets filled with free passes to the 40-year-old-attraction throughout the region. The search begins May 31 when 40 binocular sets will be hidden in public places like parks and shopping areas. Anyone who finds the small black case with the Selby Gardens logo on it will find inside a “discovery” pass that includes two free entry passes to the botanical gardens for use between May 31 and July 31, 2016. The 40 sets with 80 total tickets will be spread out from North Port and Venice to Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch and Bradenton. “We want to encourage everyone to come play in their “backyard” and enjoy the Gardens this summer,” said Jennifer O. Rominiecki, President & CEO of Selby Gardens. “Finding one of these sets of binoculars is like finding a golden ticket!” 

[SOON]  Fleet Feet's All 4 Run

Join all 162 Fleet Feet Sports locations in the United States in an effort to showcase the breadth, importance and influence of running communities across the country. The All 4 Run event coincides with National Running Day, which encourages runners to declare their passion for running by participating in a run, encouraging friends to run, signing up for a race or setting a new goal. Fleet Feet Sarasota will host a family-friendly timed 1-mile or 3-mile run. There will be fun activities including giveaways, beer, Boardwalk Craft Beer Pretzels and an ice cream truck with free treats (while supplies last). Registration is free and custom dry fit running tees are available for only $10.


 
[SCOOP]  Art Can Heal

At the Child Protection Center (CPC), therapists believe in speaking to children through many “languages” including art, music, play writing, therapeutic games and cognitive processing. Art is a wonderful tool that helps CPC’s therapists see into the world of an abused child. A child can express feelings through art when they may not have the words. With 5,000+ hours of therapy offered annually, CPC’s art supply depletes quickly. CPC is looking for donations of paper, various paints and brushes, canvas tablecloths, protective rubber floor mats and adult/child smocks to supply 10 therapy rooms in four locations. The donations from the Sarasota community would assist the CPC and its therapy efforts. 

[SCOOP]  Goodwill's Veterans Services Program Celebrates Three Years of Vital Assistance

Through the Veterans Services Program, Goodwill Manasota helps returning servicemen and women reintegrate back into their families, communities and jobs. The program was created three years ago and has served 1,266 veterans, connecting them with the necessary social services, providing emotional and physical support, offering employment services and distributing funds for emergency needs. Goodwill’s Veterans Job Connection, which serves veterans, their spouses and families, provides clients with a life coach, information and referral services, training and tuition reimbursement and employment services. Goodwill also participates in and presents special events to recognize and honor service men and women, and veterans, including Memorial Day parades and Flag Day observances. Coming up on June 16, Goodwill will present “Salute the Runway,” honoring the community’s women veterans. 

[SCOOP]  Easter Seals Gifted Miracle Belts

Easter Seals of Southwest Florida has recently received a generous donation of Miracle Belts from an anonymous donor to help assist its clients during therapy sessions. The belts have been proven to help improve body awareness for children with sensory needs including those with autism, ADHD and many other sensory-based disorders. The organization has been utilizing the belts since 2007 when Laurie Battle, OTR/L, was therapy director. Laurie provided feedback about the belts stating; “The Miracle Belt provides a longer sense of deep pressure at the child’s core, which in turn allows for increased attention to fine motor and/or cognitive tasks.” Easter Seals' mission is to provide exceptional services for persons with disabilities and their families across a lifetime by empowering individuals to live their lives to the fullest. 

[SCOOP]  Help Mote Study Fish in Your Backyard

Property owners along Phillippi Creek can help Mote Marine Laboratory scientists study their underwater “neighbors,” the snook of the Sarasota Bay fishery. Mote scientists are seeking waterfront access and logistical support as they study which habitat types juvenile snook prefer along Phillippi Creek. Mote will release hatchery-raised, common snook to document whether the fish prefer natural shoreline such as mangrove and marsh habitat. Results will help reveal how well the creek supports native fishes and how resource managers might enhance its benefits. These results will be shared to residents and organizations that carry out related and complementary efforts designed to improve conditions in Phillippi Creek and other local water bodies. 

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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