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Tampa, county conflict cools

City officials reject county demands for more say on a Central Park taxing district but accept compromises on other issues.

By JANET ZINK
Published June 16, 2006

TAMPA - City and county officials on opposite sides of the Central Park Village debate struck a conciliatory tone Thursday.

The City Council unanimously accepted most conditions the Hillsborough County Commission attached to its approval last week of a Central Park taxing district.

It did reject the most controversial condition - to allow two county commissioners more say over all taxing districts in the city.

But some city officials said they would be open to exploring the idea further after July 1, when a new state law that might allow commissioners such oversight would go into effect.

"I look forward to working with the county on this particular issue," council member Kevin White said.

City attorney David Smith said he, too, would be willing to listen to the county's position on the matter.

"We don't have a problem with county participation. But we do have a problem with being asked to do something we're not able to do legally," he said. "We can look at this issue post-July 1."

Approval of the taxing district is the key to a larger redevelopment that aims to turn the crumbling Central Park Village public housing complex on the edge of downtown into a mixed-used, mixed-income development.

Commissioner Tom Scott last week brought up the idea of having two commissioners sit on the Community Redevelopment Agency that oversees the taxing districts, along with other conditions for approval of the district. Currently, only City Council members serve on the agency. Scott did not address the City Council on Thursday.

But after the meeting he said he would present the city's actions to his fellow commissioners in the best possible light when the board reconsiders the Central Park taxing district for a vote Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, the City Council voted on the issue based on their legal counsel, who has thrust this into a legal quagmire," he said. "But I will do my best to see how we can extract a positive from it and see what our options are and move on. That does not mean that I have given up on this issue."

Bank of America has plans to redevelop Central Park Village, but the company says the 143-acre special taxing district is critical to its plan. City officials want the district approved by June 30 to capture the most property tax revenue.

Such districts, which are intended to revitalize blighted areas, require city and county approval because they funnel property tax dollars away from county coffers and into city neighborhoods for improvements.

The County Commission approved the Central Park district June 7 but attached to it Scott's conditions.

Smith urged council members not to accept the condition of the commissioners serving on the redevelopment agency, saying the proposed law Scott based the suggestion on is not yet in effect and may violate the Florida Constitution. Acting now, he said, could cause future problems for the agency.

County attorney Renee Lee tried to persuade the council otherwise.

"We're not asking you to do anything unconstitutional. This has been authorized by the Florida Legislature," she said. "This is the same legislation that allows you to serve on the City Council and the CRA."

County Administrator Pat Bean told council members that the county gives up millions of dollars to the city's eight community redevelopment areas every year. Next year's projected contribution is $11-million, she said. That's money that otherwise would fund countywide services, such as jails, courts and children's advocacy programs, she said.

Ultimately, the City Council heeded the advice of its attorney. The agreement approved includes the county's request to appoint two members of the Central Park community redevelopment area advisory board, to create affordable housing and more job opportunities for the neighborhood's existing residents, protect current businesses and include minority participation in all phases of the project.

Contacted after the meeting, acting County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan said the city attorney's position on Community Redevelopment Agency membership smacked of gamesmanship.

But he is open to compromise.

"Perhaps something can be worked out after July 1. If they're amenable to that, that is certainly encouraging," he said.

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.

[Last modified June 16, 2006, 06:01:59]