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July 20, 2008
subverting the will of the people
Last November Sarasota had a ballot initiative for a 1 percent infrastructure tax. Taxes like these are easy to pass. It was even cleverly marketed as Common Cents. Ballot initiatives like this only prey on the ignorance of the population. The money generate from the tax can be used for basically anything the city deems important. Here's how the one-cent sales tax was worded on the ballot.
Shall ordinance 2007-087 be approved continuing the one-cent sales tax through December 31, 2024 to fund community projects, including transportation, parks, beaches, dredging, libraries, criminal justice facilities, general government, museum, transit, sidewalks, environment, water and sewer, stormwater, solid waste, affordable housing, neighborhoods, health systems, public safety, public schools; establishing county economic development trust fund; providing continuance of sales tax by referendum; requiring 4/5's vote to modify county projects/allocations; continuing citizen tax oversight committees?This is the frustrating part of trying to fund infrastructure. The city government use a tax like this to justify funding any project. In Sarasota the citizens have refused to use public funds to subsidize building a stadium for the Red Sox; however, the City of Sarasota can dip into the Common Cents fund to help pay for the rich person playground.
Some of the funding for the facility could come from capital funds -- such as the fund fed by the 1 percent infrastructure tax that voters approved last November. City and county officials expect to raise more than $800 million from that tax over the next 15 years.The organizers that are trying to bring the team here cannot be swayed by facts. Subsidizing stadiums does not benefit our economy, despite assurances from the government. Everyone who wants to see spring training in Sarasota should pool their money together and fund the project themselves. Quit making citizens pay for expensive projects that only offers benefits to select few.
The majority of that money is earmarked for particular projects, but some of it could be available for a spring training facility. For instance, the county promised voters that it would spend $5 million of the surtax on the fairgrounds, so if a ballpark were built there, that money could be used.
Posted by nemov at July 20, 2008 7:47 PM
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