Tampa Monitor

At some point yesterday a second copy of the agreement was added, this one with the Exhibit A document. Two copies of the same file, one with, one without. I've added a note to the post. I also note council's rule about when items should be in to the clerk and why.

So, Tampa City Council are holding a special call meeting Thursday to vote on the Community Benefits Agreement with the Rays. Reading through it, they are proposing committing 20% of the $60M in the funding agreement over the first 5 years. $4,200,000 for the city.

Drew Park CRA is being carved out of this project and there was zero discussion about any specific community benefit. Council Member Naya Young has always prefaced her votes on this CBA so it's going to be interesting to watch how she justifies a small blank check and broad parameters. Promises.

So, Tampa City Council are holding a special call meeting Thursday to vote on the Community Benefits Agreement with the Rays. Reading through it, they are proposing committing 20% of the $60M in the funding agreement over the first 5 years. $4,200,000 for the city.

He's not confident the person council appoints to fill his seat would support the agreement or the funding deal. Meanwhile, $4.2M over the next 5 years is less than the interest the city will pay to borrow $80M to help build the stadium.

So, Tampa City Council are holding a special call meeting Thursday to vote on the Community Benefits Agreement with the Rays. Reading through it, they are proposing committing 20% of the $60M in the funding agreement over the first 5 years. $4,200,000 for the city.

No specific projects are listed, just "8 pillars" outlined by the Rays in their marketing materials. So any promises made to council members to "fund" something through the CBA to get their vote are non-existent.

Once again people dismissed something I've analyzed without giving specifics so I want to set the record straight about this for those who apparently only read headlines. The proposed comp plan shows a data table of what they project is needed over next 5 years and subsequent 15, starting in 2025.

If the plan called for 5,000 units a year I would have said the current plan isn't keeping up with projected need. I didn't write the plan, I didn't generate the data table of estimated need. I was clear how I was counting new units. I didn't try to estimate what's been approved and not built.

Once again people dismissed something I've analyzed without giving specifics so I want to set the record straight about this for those who apparently only read headlines. The proposed comp plan shows a data table of what they project is needed over next 5 years and subsequent 15, starting in 2025.

I counted how many new units the property appraiser added to the rolls each year going back to 2018 and compared them. Their data table shows the need to add 2,000 units a year from 2024-2030. 8,905 new units were added between 24 & 25. Even if you account for demo/rebuild, it's at least 7,500.

With the help of a contributor to Tampa Monitor for the original map, the city's existing geojson for historical boundaries and some direction from me, I've checked off another bucket list map. The original 12 wards the city used from 1927-1945. Will eventually be a digital map online.

With the help of a contributor to Tampa Monitor for the original map, the city's existing geojson for historical boundaries and some direction from me, I've checked off another bucket list map. The original 12 wards the city used from 1927-1945. Will eventually be a digital map online.

Motioned tied 3-3, now trying to find a date before Viera resigns November 2, which would leave seat open and maintain 3-3 tie.

Apparently the City of Tampa has a new Acting Chief of Police. At least that's how he signed his name. "I Patrick Messmer, acting Chief of Police, Tampa Police Department. Bercaw retired, Brett Owen was named Acting Chief and approved as such by council. www.tampa.gov/document/spe...

Council recently discussed the "acting" part of the title and there were suggestions he should drop the "Acting" part of the title.

Didn't wrap a traditional wrap up on the budget, but did write a couple of pieces related. First, a look at unassigned fund balances and rounding errors and how that can affect a struggling non-profit.

Best I can tell, Tampa City Council approved the mayor's proposed budget as presented. There was a lot of last minute discussion about funding some capital projects with reserved CIT funds and and a couple of other projects with reserve general funds. However, I did not hear anything formal.

There was no formal budget amendment proposed or voted on that I caught. There was discussion about bringing back a resolution in October, or a special workshop to discuss, but that's ultimately going to be up to the mayor. Her recommendation was to not appropriate the funds until after November.

Best I can tell, Tampa City Council approved the mayor's proposed budget as presented. There was a lot of last minute discussion about funding some capital projects with reserved CIT funds and and a couple of other projects with reserve general funds. However, I did not hear anything formal.

The only thing added was Clendenin's addendum that was basically a request for staff to present quarterly updates on revenue vs budget with a council policy the 1st $10M would go to paving related funding.