The South Tampa News & Tribune
Court Ruling Throws Wrench In Redevelopment Area Plans
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: September 26, 2007
Updated: 09/24/2007 09:22 pm
Talk about changing the rules of the game.
These are frustrating, uncertain times for local officials trying to figure out budgets, priorities and property-tax scenarios - without the state Supreme Court messing with their toolbox. In this case, Strand v. Escambia County, the Florida Supremes have unanimously decided to fundamentally alter the way or tax increment financing, or TIF, money can be spent.
It's a big deal.
TIF is a taxing structure dating to the early 1980s that helps finance projects in areas designated as blighted. In principle, it's a proactive way for government to partner and help areas help themselves by broadening their tax base and strengthening their communities. These Community Redevelopment Areas are permitted to take increases in tax revenues resulting from increased property values to re-invest in the area. A key corollary is debt that is backed by TIF dollars.
The court now says any such debt scenarios have to be approved in a referendum. And referenda votes on anything that includes the words 'tax revenues' are inherently problematic. That's particularly dicey for a city such as Tampa, which has already approved a $40 million line of TIF-backed credit to underwrite a passel of projects - from Drew Park stormwater improvements and Ashley Drive changes to The Heights, Central Park Village and Curtis Hixon Park. And more.
City hall officials feel blindsided and TIFfed off. And the ripple effects include the bond market, which can't be pleased with such a financial flip-flop.
'This issue came from nowhere,' says Tampa City Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena, who is also vice chairwoman of the Community Redevelopment Agency. 'We had been planning our strategies premised upon bonding the money. Now no one knows. The ramifications for engineers, architects, etc., are huge. Especially schools. This isn't what Tampa needs; this isn't what the state needs.'
For the record, Tampa has nine CRAs, including two downtown; Florida more than 175.
As for Mayor Pam Iorio, who was poised to spend $40 million for mostly downtown improvements, it means a holding pattern for everything but Curtis Hixon Park. The city, the mayor says, will 'front the money' for the park, meaning that reserve funds likely will be tapped for the $15 million project. The park, which Iorio calls an 'entertainment environment,' is scheduled for a February groundbreaking. The mayor considers it a linchpin for the downtown waterfront area that will include two museums and the Riverwalk.
'Not to sound like Roseanne Roseannadanna, but 'It's always something,' ' Iorio said. 'And something we'll get through. But this would not be an increase in anyone's taxes. It's a way to help blighted areas. You take revenue streams and borrowing to get rid of blight. Everyone benefits. Remember, this is how former Mayor Bob Martinez did the convention center. Do you think we'd have a convention center today if it had gone to a referendum?'
The city's hopes now lie with Supreme Court clarifications. Will there be any grandfathering of financial plans? Exactly who would vote in a TIF referendum? The whole city? Only the affected areas? How would Harbour Islanders vote?
'I think in most of the CRA areas, if we have to go to a vote, it would pass,' says Tampa City Councilman John Dingfelder. 'If we go citywide, that's asking for failure.'
Reality Woe
It's obvious what 17-year-old Nick Bollea really needed: a normal life in the steadfast lane.
Instead, he has been living in his Hulkster dad's fishbowl, VH1 reality-TV world; being home-schooled away from the masses; and having every opportunity to indulge an adrenaline-rush, fast-car fantasy. 'My son, the aspiring, professional drift driver.' Excellent.
Multiple speeding tickets - and consequently a restricted license - were precursors to that horrific traffic accident in Clearwater. Bollea remains under investigation in the wreck that left a passenger in critical condition.
The Hulkster hired Barry Cohen, whom you don't hire unless you look really, really guilty about something. Ultimately, lawyer and client family parted ways.
Meanwhile, the Bollea-Hogan family was taking a media beating and apparently tried to counter it. Linda Bollea, Nick's mom, gave an interview to a local newspaper. Among the outtakes: 'What 17-year-old doesn't get tickets?' And she apparently took him out of Clearwater Central Catholic High School because she didn't want him exposed to drugs and fights. He has a GED on his resume.
Suggestion: Give Hill & Knowlton a call. If the media scrutiny, which the family had been fervidly courting, becomes unkind and invasive, bring in some public relations pros. The sort of folks who will say it's never a good idea to go public rationalizing 100-mph speeding violations or slandering one of the better schools around.
Sadly, it has reached this point of contrived damage control.
Sports Shorts
• Deja view: I'd like to see a promising future and a productive present when I look at the Bucs' pricey, No. 1 draft choice: defensive end Gaines Adams. Instead, I see Booker Reese.
• Reality check: Finally, Jon Gruden has his kind of savvy, mobile quarterback in Jeff Garcia. He certainly underscored the obvious recently. 'No disrespect to anyone else who we've had here,' Gruden said. 'But he's a much better quarterback than what we've played with. He's just a much better player.'
But no disrespect. Sometimes brutal candor is much worse.
• Dan Wheeler, the bullpen setup man traded to the Rays for popular and productive Ty Wiggington, has not been overly effective. His 0-4 record and high ERA speak for themselves. But his performance also ironically affects the broadcast booth where neither color analyst Joe Magrane nor play-by-play partner Dewayne Staats are known as team apologists.
They are known as professionals, and it's especially notable with Staats. He's Wheeler's father-in-law. But you would never know it.
• Speaking of Magrane, he's as fast with a quip off camera as on:
'Steroids in baseball; that's like putting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.'
'No, I don't begrudge today's players making what they do. Hey, you can't take it with you. That's why there are no luggage racks on hearses.'
'I was having dinner the other night with Bono, and he said, 'Joe, nobody likes a name-dropper.''
Gator Uproar
The University of Florida can't get Tim Tebow back into the headlines soon enough. That First Amendment fiasco about the stun-gunned student at the John Kerry lecture was a national embarrassment.
Campus police need to be trained to handle a YouTube-yahoo provocateur. Arrest and get physical with the student who overstayed his time limit if he were threatening someone or inciting insurrection. Video indicated he didn't incite much more than eye-rolling from a few fellow students and a nonplussed reaction from Kerry.
Open discourse is often far from a seamless exchange on a college campus.
Being an annoying, self-promoting prankster is still shy of the need for a stun gun.
Joe O'Neill is a South Tampa writer who can be contacted at www.OpinionsToGoOnLine.com.
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)
* Keep it clean
* Respect others
* Don't hate
* Don't use language you wouldn't use with your mom
* Use "Report Inappropriate Comments" link when necessary
* See Member Agreement for details