The Leon County Sales Tax Committee met today to begin the tough task of deciding which projects will be considered for the approximately $500 million in funding if the sales tax referendum is passed by voters.
The whittling down process began by identifying the projects that had unanimous support by the committee. The members unanimously approved 12 projects totaling just over $304 million. These projects included the widening of Capital Circle Southwest ($85 mill), the widening of Tharpe Street ($53 mil), completing the “Sidewalk Network” ($50 mill), the widening of Bannerman Road ($36 mill) and funding Midtown Placemaking ($22 million).
The big loser of the day was the Performing Arts Center. The Committee had already made it a Tier 2 project, but the 12-2 vote today put it as a Tier 3, which all but ensures it will not receive funding based on the recommendation of the Committee. However, this does not mean that elected officials could not vote to add the project at later date.
Check back for a complete list.
Centers such as this are proven money losers and are completely unnecessary here. What would we bring in that couldn't be staged at the Civic Center, Ruby Diamond or the new amphitheater at Cascades Park? Meanwhile I've seen numbers as high as a 6:1 return on roadway improvements. I wish this pipe dream would hurry up and die.
If they put it on any "Priority List" # 3 # 4 or # 1155, It can be moved UP to the Priority #1 list by a majority vote of the City/County ,Blue print Committee,,,Just do anything to get the Tax Extension done at all cost,,This look like a bate then switch... JP