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| I was asked to lead off Monday's show at 7:10AM. Great discussion with lots of information and opinion. |
I was asked to join Rick Outzen on his #1 rated morning drive talk show "Real News with Rick Outzen", on the area's top AM Station--- 1370 WCOA---- yesterday morning.
We discussed last Thursday's BCC meeting and some of the more interesting aspects of the meeting, to include;
--Amy Parker's 6th and 7th grade class from Creative Learning Academy bringing ideas for solving the county's issues with respect to ECAT, Criminal Justice Reform, and Homelessness.
--A discussion about large condominium lease renewals at Pensacola Beach--where some condo leases are being recommended for approval by SRIA despite language which is not favorable to the property owners-the taxpayers of Escambia County.
--The approval of the Board's ordinance prohibiting employees of the county running for the office of County Commissioner
--Approval of large apartment complexes, and the consternation this causes many nearby homeowners.
It was a good discussion--you can listen to the Podcast here
Jeff, please cite all of the benefits of fee simple. How do Escambia County citizens benefit from our cumbersome tax structure?
ReplyDeleteEscambia County is forfeiting millions of ad valorem tax dollars every year. The Escambia County School District is likewise forfeiting millions of dollars annually in perpetuity.
We all understand that we were lied to when you and the PNJ claimed that the lease system prevents a condo canyon. All of the development on the Beach has occurred under the lease system. You and your board members have recently approved Portofino to begin development on towers six and seven. Additionally, you approved Innisfree to begin construction on three new enormous private towers.
We were lied to that the lease system safeguards public access. On the contrary, fee simple included federal protection of the unleased Beach properties. Under our current lease system, you recently sold Innisfree a beautiful previously unleased Casino Beach property for three dollars per square foot in order to facilitate the construction of a new twelve story private tower.
The citizens will never be given access to the private leaseholds. Clearly, those leaseholds conveyed 70 years ago.
Now it is simply a matter of who pays the taxes.
We are going to have a ton of lawsuits when the leases come up for renewal. Already the Island Authority attorney is spending many hours attempting to bring clarity to our absurd system.
It is true that you, Mr. Barry, and Mr. May control both the County and the Beach. The three of you foolishly forfeited fee simple in 2018 and 2019. You embraced populism. You should have been a leader.
My question is Why? Please cite one single benefit that the great citizens of Escambia County are gaining by propping up this crumbling lease system.
Fee Simple fell apart for numerous reasons, chief among them was the loss of U.S. Senate support upon the defeat of Bill Nelson by Rick Scott. But that issue is a red herring and I suspect you know this Tom. It's a red herring because right now, without fee-simple, an existing PB property owning leaseholder can negotiate a lease in perpetuity and begin to pay full tax on their land and improvements---a situation exactly the same for all practical purposes, as fee-simple ownership. OR they can have a 99 year lease and pay a lease fee. The rub is this: They try to work a new 99 year lease early for their benefit but want the same old ambiguous, nebulous, opaque language which allows for them to pay tax only on the improvements, not the land, together with an obscenely low price "lease fee"--translating to a huge revenue loss for the property owners, the Escambia County citizens. It has been a comfortable status quo perpetuated for the benefit of a few for far too long. It is coming to an end and the BCC is pulling out the red "Veto" pen. Tom, you love to ask questions, so answer this one: Why should the BCC renew leases for million dollar condo owners at PB where there is a paltry $200 lease fee inserted for full ad valorem tax on the land when the ad valorem on the land for similar valued properties in D1 at Perdido Key is THOUSANDS more? Riddle me that. And, just a suggestion--drop the parrotting of you "Fee-simple" talking points. It's a dead issue. Dead and gone, the horses left the barn and it is at this point a tired refrain, a big fat crimson red herring.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bergosh. Tired of reading Tom's ad nauseum comments. He sure does want land given to him that belongs to the people. Broken record.
ReplyDeleteJeff, you have a faulty memory.
ReplyDeleteFee simple did not fail because of Rick Scott’s victory over Bill Nelson. Nelson was the weak link at the federal level. He compromised his integrity and abandoned Escambia County.
With Nelson gone, you had a golden opportunity to achieve common sense tax policy and federal protection over our public beaches.
You blew it, Jeff. You were the weak link at the county level. You managed to achieve a lose-lose outcome. Impressive in a distorted way.
Since your colossal failure, you have been gifting Pensacola Beach to the big private developers at break-neck speed.
Two new enormous private towers to Portofino.
Three new enormous private towers to Innisfree.
You even gave away a piece of Casino Beach.
And you eliminated our impact fee. Again, impressive failure.
That’s poor stewardship, Mr. Commissioner.
You are right that I like to ask questions.
Can you cite one benefit of our lease system?
The lease system is costing both Escambia County and our School District millions every year in forfeited taxes. It clearly does not restrict development nor safeguard access.
If the lease system is beneficial; why doesn’t the entire country transition to the lease system?
Why don’t YOU pay taxes on the land under your Pensacola Beach condominium? Set an example.
Is it because you are only concerned with your self-preservation?
How come you criticize leaseholders for avoiding ad valorem tax when you are avoiding that same tax?
Stop scapegoating private citizens for an absurd tax policy that you have perpetuated.
Straighten up and fly right.
Tom--you are obsessed. You are wrong in your assessment as well and you are frenzied, and fixated. Fee Simple required congressional approval which did not happen, period. If you say otherwise you are lying. Let it go, just let it go. Fee simple is over at Pensacola Beach, move on. And assigning blame to everyone else is a tired refrain. Don't be a one-trick pony. Your ad hominems are boorish and juvenile. Next.........
ReplyDeleteThought name calling and being a bully were not allowed here?
DeleteJeff, what you label as “obsession, I view as staying on course in order to lead Escambia County towards optimal outcomes. You should try to adhere to the proper path for a change yourself, Mr. Bergosh.
ReplyDeleteYou and I both realize that you, as chairman in 2018, “turned tail” on fee simple in order to enhance your re-election campaign with the PNJ, the yellow shirts, and the majority of our great citizens who were taken in by their absurd propaganda. Populism! Safe, but not commendable.
You were elected in order to lead; not to abdicate your responsibility to Dianne Krumel. No one elected Ms. Krumel (thank heavens).
Again, I challenge you: Cite one single LEGITIMATE benefit of our crumbling lease system.
You label me as “juvenile”. Perhaps so, but look at your cartoons on this website. I sort of fancy them, but even you have to admit that a two-term commissioner should have more important objectives to accomplish than to doodle caricatures of our dishonest newspaper editor.
Get it together, please!
The great citizens of Escambia County have paid you approximately $1 million dollars as a two term commissioner and as a member of our school board. I don’t believe that you have yet justified our investment.
The electorate of EscambIa couunty said no to the fee simple land grab. It was on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteTom ran back to ECW posting pics of dinosaurs. Took him a week to think of this comeback.
Funny.
And now he is on there ECW ftagain. Note no one corrects him and reminds him it was on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Godzilla is back making anonymous comments.
ReplyDelete