Parking Diligence

From today’s Sarasota Herald Tribune editorial:

...the [CRA] board's decision to spring for the $4.4 million property was rushed and possibly rash. Such a large expenditure of taxpayer funds deserved more careful analysis and public discussion. Instead, it was approved in a hastily called meeting (which wasn't broadcast on television), at which the city commissioners, who serve as the CRA board, failed to ask enough questions.

But when $4.4 million of taxpayers' money is at stake, government has an obligation to show expenditure is absolutely necessary, that it meets the community's goals, and that due diligence has been done. City officials haven't yet fulfilled those obligations. They should -- long before they sign the check.

We have been asking questions about this decision also. And we think it is obvious that the commissioners stumbled on this one. Any time an offer is made with the stipulation that you have to "act now or lose this great opportunity", extra care must be taken to evaluate need and price. Too many people get snookered in these kind of offers.

Across from the street from the Orange Dolphin site is the Michael Saunders property - which ironically the city did not purchase a couple years ago when it was available from GTE. When the city declined, Saunders snapped it up. The city parking study identifies the Saunders site as a place in the Burns Court area where public parking could be targeted. Is this now off the table as a parking site?

Is this much parking needed in the Burns Court vicinity now? Are we sure there are no other options to consider? Are we sure of the future needs? If the commissioners know the answers to these questions, they have not communicated them to the taxpayers.

What do others think about this? A couple recent letters to the editor give a clue.

We think due diligence has been lacking and needs to be applied.