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Initiative to build on residents' energy

Volunteers are expected to organize support for a tax increase to fund a new town center.

By TIM GRANT
Published April 29, 2005

TEMPLE TERRACE - A rally is about to go down in Temple Terrace.

But instead of storming the castle, this crowd will volunteer to go out and spread the word about the city's ambitious plan to redevelop the southeast corner of N 56th Street and Bullard Parkway.

The Redevelopment Campaign Committee is asking residents of Temple Terrace to meet on May 9 at the Masque Theater at 7 p.m. to join the army of people encouraging neighbors to support a tax hike for the project.

"You can't have a citizen's initiative without citizens doing the work," said Cheri Donohue, chairman of the referendum committee. "We'll take this campaign door-to-door if we have to."

Council members voted recently to hold a referendum on Aug. 2 that will require homeowners to pay 1 mill more in taxes to create a self-sustaining mix of homes, stores, businesses, parks and public buildings in the new town center.

A 1 mill increase would mean an additional $1 in taxes for every $1,000 a home is worth. For a $150,000 home, with homestead exemption, that would mean a tax increase of $125 a year.

"Any time you ask people to raise taxes, there's going to be lots of questions," Donohue said. "Hopefully, the volunteers will be able to answer those questions and make people understand why the city is asking us to pass this referendum."

Local historian Grant Rimbey said the committee had at least 30 volunteers signed up already. Those people have offered to walk, drive and operate phone banks to help pass the referendum.

"The redevelopment means a lot to this city as far as resetting it from a downward trend to an upward trend," Rimbey said. "Temple Terrace is setting the bar in Central Florida now for redevelopment and how you do it. It's a very exciting environment to be in."

-Tim Grant can be reached at 813 269-5311 or at grant@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 28, 2005, 08:32:07]