Guest column: FSDB doesn't need eminent domain
Our lawmakers were sent to Tallahassee to bring about fiscal responsibility and smaller government for state residents. We rely on them to advocate sound financial decisions and legislation that will strengthen municipalities and individual rights. They have been asked to pass House Bill 1037 which will give powers of eminent domain to the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, and remove the requirement that the school’s expansion be subject to City approval. The bill is being lobbied by State Rep. William Proctor, who will retire in 2012.
Lawmakers should not pass House Bill 1037. Our state should not support a bill that negatively impacts our community’s economy. FSDB is located within the City of St. Augustine, a community of 13,000 residents. I have been told by Realtors and appraisers that the impact of the proposal has already devalued neighboring properties and made them less desirable to potential buyers. Reducing property values reduces the city’s tax base. The 13,000 residents who finance a city, which supports five million visitors per year, will be faced with a heavier burden.
The school in recent years purchased and removed from our local tax rolls at least two city blocks. The State funded the purchase of property zoned mostly single family residential for the purpose of building non-single family facilities. I wonder how the multi-million dollar purchase was approved and whether the right questions were asked at the time. These properties were removed from the tax base and again shifted the weight to residents.
Every property owner should ask how the value of their property would be impacted if their neighbors were given powers of eminent domain. I suspect all response would be negative. While visitors love our city because of its “livability,” it is clear that neighboring properties will be much less desirable when neighbors have powers of eminent domain and streets formerly lined with homes are lined with massive institutionally-designed structures.
The school, its students and its employees are unarguably assets to our community. I hear no one speak more fondly of the students and their goals than the residents with whom they have the most interaction, the school’s neighbors. There are about 650 students at the 73- acre school, which is down nearly 10 percent from five years ago. So, why the urgent need for unrestricted expansion?
In Proctor’s letter to the editor he quoted the school president‘s declaration that there “are no current plans to acquire additional properties.” If there are no plans to acquire additional property, enrollment is on the decline and the impact of passing the bill is negative on property values and our community, then why seek eminent domain and why would a lawmaker support the passage? As to building on the acquired property, why not do so in a way that would compliment the neighborhood? How about a structure designed to compliment the neighboring homes? Let’s hope the right questions are asked this time around.
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Leanna Freeman was elected to the St. Augustine City Commission in 2008 for a four-year term. In 2010, she was elected by commissioners to a two-year term as vice mayor.
Comments (9)
FSDB
Thanks, Commissioner, for speaking up on this clearly negative legislation to award powers of eminent domain to the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind. The House Bill 1037 is so obviously political, and so glaringly arrogant, that all citizens of St. Augustine should call Representative Proctor to task. If Dr. Proctor is seeking a gift/legacy to leave behind for his community, a weakened tax base is not it. This bill will be a lasting embarrassment for him. Thanks for asking the right questions.
DNBenson
Thanks Commissioner Freeman
for truly representing the citizens of St. Augustine. It's clear that Rep. Proctor does not.
Ditto - thank you!
Well written, Commissioner Freeman!
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair
VICE MAYOR FREEMAN IS RIGHT ON
Well done! Brava! I hope you will continue to push this point at every opportunity. It wouldn't hurt for your four commissioners to jump on board.
Please speak to this at Monday night's meeting.
stupid people
"I have been told by Realtors and appraisers that the impact of the proposal has already devalued neighboring properties and made them less desirable to potential buyers." yeah and I was told the moon was made of cheese. Jeez, FSDB tore down a crack motel, a transmission repair shop (in need of repair itself) and some pretty unsightly houses. Doesn't anyone remember what that blocked looked like before?
"As to building on the acquired property, why not do so in a way that would compliment the neighborhood?" Really? Would you people actually go drive around North City and get a reality check?
And lastly, the whole reason for the "eminent domain" proposal was all the crap the "community" gave them when they tore down the previously mentioned unsightly building and put up some very nice buildings and green space. Please take drive over to my old neighborhood, N. city and look for yourself. There is no devil lurkin around waiting to take neighbors property.
negatively impact
Tell us Ms. Vice Mayor how the community will be negatively impacted. Oh, the city coffers will lose some tax money. Just what percentage would that be? How much less will our "heavy burden" become if we lose these few properties?
I think those who have been offering to sell their property to FSDB are expecting to be positively impacted, particulaly at the prices they want!
As "working today" pointed out, the area is much more positive today than it was 10 to 15 years ago, and we can thank FSDB for that!
Who are we "looking out" for? The Vice Mayor is looking for votes, FSDB is looking out for those who truly need our assistance.
But I guess we can say we do have a liberal wanting a smaller government, but more tax dollars.
neighborhood 'dis'
I take issue with the comments about 'unsightly' comments in regard to the residential neighborhood. I've grown up around that area. North city has been a desirable neighborhood, with affordable housing that offers much more appeal that most options. The ever-sprawling tall, black industrial fences cutting the school off from the community are just one of the more invasive elements of the school's increasing dominance of a residential neighborhood. The fences actually do qualify as unsightly, not to mention ominous, and give the campus a creepy, old school-institutional look, while cleaving up the neighborhood. If the viewpoint of a community fighting for its existence is "crap" what does that mean for someone expressing their opinion in a comments arena? As to "more tax dollars", you might want to research (per the audit that criticized the FSDB) how the school actually acquired those properties, set the 'comps by offering fraudulent excessive prices, and then also, allegedly, double billing the state - which would be we, the tax payers (therefore 'pissing away' our money). All this done without having the required zoning to actually build what they professed to want on that property.
neighborhood 'dis'
I take issue with the comments about 'unsightly' comments in regard to the residential neighborhood. I've grown up around that area. North city has been a desirable neighborhood, with affordable housing that offers much more appeal that most options. The ever-sprawling tall, black industrial fences cutting the school off from the community are just one of the more invasive elements of the school's increasing dominance of a residential neighborhood. The fences actually do qualify as unsightly, not to mention ominous, and give the campus a creepy, old school-institutional look, while cleaving up the neighborhood. If the viewpoint of a community fighting for its existence is "crap" what does that mean for someone expressing their opinion in a comments arena? As to "more tax dollars", you might want to research (per the audit that criticized the FSDB) how the school actually acquired those properties, set the 'comps by offering fraudulent excessive prices, and then also, allegedly, double billing the state - which would be we, the tax payers (therefore 'pissing away' our money). All this done without having the required zoning to actually build what they professed to want on that property.