More info needed before Higgs vote

Today Last Stand submitted the position letter below to the Key West City Clerk in advance of tonight's Citty Commission meeting (to be read into the record):

August 5, 2008 The Key West City Commission Old City Hall Key West, Florida Re: Second Reading of an Ordinance Permitting Acquisition of Higgs Beach Mayor and Commissioners, In May, Last Stand requested that the Commission delay from August to November the proposed referendum on the annexation of the Higgs Beach properties.   This delay was requested to give the City time to provide the public enough detail about plans for maintaining the properties and facilities, about planned changes, and most importantly, about the costs to the City and how it would finance the expenses involved. The Commission granted this request, and a City workshop provided an excellent presentation on the projected costs for maintaining the properties and providing urgent ADA compliance updates.  However the workshop fell far short in two areas: There was no discussion about what planned changes were being considered. More importantly, few details were provided to the public about how the City would finance the expected expenses.  And there were unresolved assumptions about TDC money and only a seat-of-the-pants ad valorum tax increment estimate. Last Stand is not against the annexation of the Higgs Beach properties and can see the value of it to the City.  However there are too many unanswered questions to determine if this is the right time to bring this matter before the citizens for an educated vote.  Indeed, to all appearances, the annexation may very well be voted down under the circumstances. Unless more detail is provided about plans for the properties and how they will be paid for, Last Stand feels that a referendum on the matter would be premature. Sincerely, David Lybrand Last Stand Board of Directors

The above is to be read into the record the City Clerk.  See comments below for any follow-up.

Additionally, Last Stand director Margaret Dietz Domanski will be submitting her own testimony at the Commission meeting. Following is a transcript of her planned testimony:

Good evening Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Margaret Domanski and I reside at 760 Washington Street, just a few blocks from Higgs Beach. From the Higgs Beach Workshop financial analysis, it is clear that there’s no such thing as a free park, and that the City needs to develop plans for how the large yearly Higgs Beach operating and capital deficits can be accommodated for.  So far no such plans have been provided. So, while we know more about how much Higgs Beach will cost to manage, we still don’t know how the City plans to cover the park’s revenue versus expenditure deficits. Some may argue that as Monroe County taxpayers we are already paying for this park. That is true. However, the advalorem tax portion of county park revenues are redistributed across property owners throughout Monroe County. Once City tax revenues are used to pay these same park costs these same tax revenue requirements will be redistributed across a much smaller City only tax base - the same tax base that may well encumber costs associated with the development of the Truman Waterfront, a master plan far from completion. I also doubt the County will give us all a tax refund once Higgs Beach dollars are no longer part of the County parks’ budget. There was general workshop consensus that this park is a valuable Key West asset.  I agree. A proposal by City Staff suggesting that the City work with the County on ways to “enhance existing conditions without conveyance” was well received by workshop attendees, including me. Simply stated there appears to be an alternative that the City can work with the County and user groups such as the KW Garden Club, the Homeless Assistance League and the Dog Park to enhance security – a most urgent concern – without acquisition. Therefore, it looks to me like this acquisition, though appealing, is not something the City is quite ready for. No evidence has been provided to voters making it clear that acquisition of Higgs Beach will dramatically enhance our park experience. It appears that all the City will accomplish if the referendum is approved is relieving the county of over $2 million of current financial obligations and redistributing them, along with hefty annual operating costs, to the City’s smaller taxpayer base. I request, therefore, that the City Commission vote against approving the ordinance to place acquisition of Higgs Beach on an election ballot this year. Instead, I recommend its placement on a 2009 City Election ballot. This will allow adequate time for the Commission and City Staff to work with park user groups to develop plans for Higgs Beach that mesh with specifics on how to improve quality while covering operating and capital expenses now born by the larger county tax base.  This also allows adequate time to educate the public on such plans.  Thank you.

Comments

[Last Stand]

When the Commission voted on the second reading of the ordinance last night, the vote was 6 to 1 (with the Mayor dissenting) to deny the ordinance. This officially kills the annexation issue for this year.