Sarasota Herald-Tribune Editorial Board Sarasota Herald Tribune Jan. 8, 2018 Legislating in a state with 21 million residents is, no doubt, difficult. In light of Florida’s limits on generating tax dollars, senators and representatives often find themselves committing the political equivalent of robbing Peter to pay Paul — raiding so-called trust funds to shore up…
Naples Daily News Editorial Board Naples Daily News Jan. 8, 2018 What do Naples and Miami have in common? What about Duval County (population 925,000), Collier County (population 360,000) and Baker County (population 28,000)? Marco Island and Clewiston? Bonita Springs and Orlando? If you’re struggling for answers, you might want to ask members of the…
Judah Longgrear Cape Coral Daily Breeze Jan. 5, 2018 Community redevelopment agencies (CRAs) have been the subject of increased attention and scrutiny in recent months following the introduction of two bills in the Florida Legislature which would enact strict limitations in an attempt to eventually dissolve these agencies entirely. With an influx of competing information…
Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board Tampa Bay Times Jan. 4, 2017 From the Tampa Bay Times editorial board: The Florida Legislature’s message is clear: Tallahassee knows best, and cities and counties should sit down and shut up. Like bullies on the block, lawmakers are more determined than ever to control what happens in the neighborhood rather than…
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board Sun Sentinel Jan. 8, 2017 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/opinion/editorials/fl-op-editorial-community-redevelopment-agencies-cras-20180105-story.html Guilt by association is a bad way for the Florida Legislature to make policy. Across Florida are 224 community redevelopment agencies, almost all associated with cities. As the name implies, they seek to improve blighted areas, mostly — but not always — downtowns. One of…
Christopher Keller Orlando Sentinel Jan. 4, 2018 Applying local funds to solve local issues — isn’t that what it is all about? That is the formula under which community redevelopment agencies operate. It is efficient and extremely effective. Unfortunately, Florida legislators are considering limiting the effectiveness, or in some instances, calling for the elimination of…
Michael O’Rourke Palm Beach Post Dec. 29, 2017 Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) have recently drawn increased attention following proposals in the Florida Legislature seeking to enact crippling limitations on these organizations. With CRAs under heavy scrutiny, it’s difficult to distinguish reality from the misinformation being spread. Here’s the truth about CRAs: CRAs exist to serve…
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board Orlando Sentinel Dec. 27, 2017 For almost half a century, a Florida law has entrusted county and city governments to set aside a share of local property tax revenues for urban redevelopment. Now this authority, like other powers of home rule in Florida, is in Tallahassee’s cross hairs. Some state legislators…
LTE: Michael English Tampa Bay Times Dec. 25, 2017 The 2018 Florida legislative session is almost upon us, bringing with it the introduction of two bills attacking community redevelopment agencies, or CRAs. The proposed legislation would enact crippling limitations in an attempt to impede the creation of new CRAs and phase out existing programs all…
Dr. Woody Brown Tampa Bay Times Dec. 22, 2017 Largo is looking pretty good for being almost 113 years old. We’re a little older and a little wiser, but we’re certainly not your grandmother’s Largo anymore. The city is committed to community revitalization, and we know that means that we have to be focused on…
Michael Simon Sun Sentinel Dec. 20, 2017 With increased buzz surrounding Florida’s community redevelopment agencies (CRAs), there has been a considerable amount of misinformation going around. It’s time to sift through the untruths and share the facts about CRAs. CRAs are created by local governments to revitalize targeted areas that have been neglected or forgotten.…
Chris Hand Florida Times-Union Dec. 19, 2017 The Florida Constitution is clear: It protects the important principle of home rule, which recognizes that cities and counties are often best positioned to address their own needs. As the Palm Beach Post editorial page recently explained, “local officials are better equipped to respond quickly to local residents.…
