Save Our City may have a done the Community Maritime Park a big favor by forcing a referendum on the park proposal last year. A Thursday ruling by the Florida Supreme Court requires a voter referendum before bonds can be repaid with money generated through special tax-increment finance districts. Save Our City forced a referendum last fall, which the Park proponents own.
The attorneys will have to sort it out, but the Sept. 2006 vote was a voter referendum. It was very clear to all those voting that Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funds would be used to fund a bond issue to pay for the public part of the park. In fact, had Save Our City been successful in defeating the park proposal, they made it very clear that they intended to abolish the CRA entirely.
