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CDD takes another look at tax formula

A pair of leading Westchase business people asked that a proposed 8 percent increase in commercial owner fees be considered carefully from all sides.

By STEPHANIE HAYES
Published June 9, 2006

WESTCHASE - The topic of taxes has brought some big players in Westchase's business community out of the woodwork.

Player one: Alan Charron, developer of the Avenue, an 11-acre shopping center going up across from Westchase Elementary.

Two: Rich Hering, manager of the company that owns the large Publix shopping center in Westchase.

Both men showed up at Tuesday's Westchase Community Development District meeting. They wanted CDD members to rethink a proposed tax formula that would increase commercial owner fees by about 8 percent. If the formula is adopted, annual homeowner assessments would go down by about $7 per home.

"Look at it a little further. Table it. Make sure it's the right thing," said Hering, who added that none of his company's other large properties are taxed as much as the one in Westchase

"The costs are extremely high to do business in this center," he said.

Six months ago, Westchase's management company Severn Trent suggested the board consider switching to the proposed formula, which is based on density and traffic.

"This stuff right here is simply jumping to the conclusion that community business generates more traffic," Charron said.

Charron suggested that traffic is often alleviated by local businesses, because people can walk or bike there instead of drive.

"Maybe we should be looking at this in reverse," he said. "Are these commercial owners being overtaxed?"

In Westchase, both residents and business owners pay annual taxes to the CDDs. The money maintains common areas and things such as landscaping, signs, fountains and fences. Fees vary for each business based on parcel size and other factors.

Board member Susan Edgerley compared a reduction of $7 per homeowner to "a couple lattes." She said the dollar figure wasn't the point, and the tax revamp is due to growing development in the area.

Still, Edgerley questioned the proposal and agreed with the notion that traffic could be lightened by having businesses in walking distance.

"That's one of the reasons we moved out there and what makes Westchase so special," she said.

Other board members, including Steve Grove, expressed doubts about the proposed formula.

"Is saving $7 per homeowner ... worth what's going to happen on the other side?" he wondered.

The two boards decided not to vote on the new formula until next month. In the meantime, they asked the management company to come back with another formula board members could consider.

Board member Mark Ragusa encouraged business owners to offer suggestions for a better tax formula.

"There's a lot of money involved for the commercial folks," he said. "I would certainly recommend you get your people involved in the process."

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at 813 269-5303 or shayes@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 9, 2006, 08:53:53]