A growing “to-do” list regarding Mayor Alvin Brown’s proposed economic development reform is causing slowdown and frustration for a joint City Council committee charged with reviewing the two pieces of legislation.
The joint committee, consisting of Council Rules and Finance committee members, met for the second time Wednesday for discussion on Brown’s plan, but as issues arose that couldn’t be immediately answered or when it was determined parts of the legislation need to be clarified or rewritten, it was added to a “to-do” list.
“I think it’s a reflection of not really thinking about what was going into this thing, which is starting to make me think the work is not done. I am contemplating at what point we say ‘we’re done with this’ and withdraw the whole thing,” said Council Vice President Bill Bishop, who serves as chairman of the Rules Committee.
Bishop said he was frustrated, but was “not at that point yet” for withdrawal.
Wednesday’s meeting provided time for committee members to ask their own questions about the first few pages of legislation and corresponding discussion points from the Council Auditor’s Office.
With the proposed Downtown Investment Authority to merge two Community Redevelopment Areas, Council members wanted to know more about such areas’ powers and history.
City General Counsel Cindy Laquidara said she would create a white paper explaining the areas, which operate as a tax-increment district, and their legislative history to clarify Council’s powers – and those they might have delegated away – in each.
Bishop said the white paper would be a good idea.
Discussion also included the location of the Office of Public Parking, which the legislation will place within the new Office of Economic Development.
Council members questioned why that office and not the Downtown authority due to the importance within Downtown. JAXUSA Partnership President Jerry Mallot, an executive-on-loan to Brown’s administration, said in the future, the functions could be divided and reorganized.
One action item that passed was an amendment regarding transparency in economic compliance. Council member John Crescimbeni offered the amendment, which will now require the compliance component of economic incentive deals to issue quarterly reports to the Council and Office of Economic Development in addition to providing the information online for the public.
The joint committee is scheduled to meet again at 5 p.m. May 9.
356-2466