Elections Over, County Commission Agrees To Pay for Roadwork Developers Need
With the Manatee County Commission election for all intents and purposes already at an end - only one little-known Democratic challenger remains on the November 7 ballot - commissioners have resumed their obeisance to the demands of developers who back them for office.
The County Commission agreed Tuesday to pay $25 million to widen State Road 64 (the eastward extension of Manatee Ave. East) from Lena Rd. close to I-75 to Lakewood Ranch Blvd. so that three proposed developments - which were put on hold when it appeared there might be serious challengers - can now proceed at taxpayer expense.
Just a month ago, posing for posterity, County Commission Chairman Joe McClash had demanded that developers pay for the widening, which the state said it could not afford until 2009-2010. McClash then dramatically put three developments proposed for the area on indefinite hold until a way could be found for developers or someone other than taxpayers to pay for them, at least while elections were pending.
Several developers came forward and offered to pay a share of the cost, but McClash apparently directed county planners to reject those offers as he learned that there will be no challenger for Commissioner Ron Getman's District 4 seat. Getman was considered the weakest Republican officeholder in the county.
Now, with Getman safe, McClash is content to let taxpayers pay the $25 million cost, as a local developer had recently asked in a Bradenton Herald OpEd titled "Sharing the Road-Building Burden."
The developer said a $300 raise in property taxes or a one-cent sales tax hike could pay the cost, which some developers say is grossly exaggerated and should actually be no more than $7 million.
The Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Corp., which developed Lakewood Ranch, has a $4 billion bonding authority, but using it to pay for the widening was apparently something company officials were not willing to do.
The County Commission agreed Tuesday to pay $25 million to widen State Road 64 (the eastward extension of Manatee Ave. East) from Lena Rd. close to I-75 to Lakewood Ranch Blvd. so that three proposed developments - which were put on hold when it appeared there might be serious challengers - can now proceed at taxpayer expense.
Just a month ago, posing for posterity, County Commission Chairman Joe McClash had demanded that developers pay for the widening, which the state said it could not afford until 2009-2010. McClash then dramatically put three developments proposed for the area on indefinite hold until a way could be found for developers or someone other than taxpayers to pay for them, at least while elections were pending.
Several developers came forward and offered to pay a share of the cost, but McClash apparently directed county planners to reject those offers as he learned that there will be no challenger for Commissioner Ron Getman's District 4 seat. Getman was considered the weakest Republican officeholder in the county.
Now, with Getman safe, McClash is content to let taxpayers pay the $25 million cost, as a local developer had recently asked in a Bradenton Herald OpEd titled "Sharing the Road-Building Burden."
The developer said a $300 raise in property taxes or a one-cent sales tax hike could pay the cost, which some developers say is grossly exaggerated and should actually be no more than $7 million.
The Schroeder-Manatee Ranch Corp., which developed Lakewood Ranch, has a $4 billion bonding authority, but using it to pay for the widening was apparently something company officials were not willing to do.
posted by ...Joe Shea at 2:53 PM
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