The 2008-09 budget of the Pensacola’s Community Redevelopment Agency was rolled back to 2006-07 levels because of the economic downturn. The PNJ made a big deal out of CRA not having funds for streetscapes and neighborhoods because of its financial commitments to the Community Maritime Park and the demolition of the Main Street Sewage Treatment plant.
What the reporter overlooked is that CRA was being charged in the current budget with the $429,800 in overhead allocation – $115,800 increase or 37 percent increase over the prior year. Its budget also has $385,300 for “Enlivening Public Spaces” a line item that did not exist four years ago. In 2006-07 budget, $277,195 was spent on Neighborhood Redevelopment, Streetscape Improvements and Urban Infill Housing instead.
The proposed 2009-10 budget shows CRA revenue: $4,717,400. The expenses are as follows:
Enlivening Public Spaces $255,000
2006: 0
2007: 0
2008: $493,565
2009: $385,300
Redevelopment Plan Implementation: $1,177,200
2006: $772,382
2007: $1,337,651
2008: $2,667,742
2009: $1,553,300
CRA Debt Services: $2,946,800
2006: 0
2007: 0
2008: 0
2009: 0
Capital Projects: 0
2006: $3,595,103
2007: $3,150,651
2008: $3,508,048
2009: $2,620,000
Neighborhood Redevelopment: 0
2006: $18,800
2007: 151,856
2008: 0
2009: 0
Streetscape improvements: 0
2006: $123,699
2007: $554,193
2008: 0
2009: 0
Urban Infill Housing: 0
2006: $134,696
2007: 0
2008: 0
2009: 0
Overhead Allocation: $338,400
2006: $327,200
2007: $309,700
2008: $314,000
2009: $429,800
Total budget: $4,717,400
2006: $7,170,059 —Carryfwd $313,597
2007: $5,504,051 —Carryfwd $2,198,825
2008: $7,099,155—Carryfwd $2,473,077
2009: $4,988,400
The reality is the CRA had a boom year in 2006 – with the huge jump in property valuations after Hurricane Ivan. It’s huge budget was fueled by using up $4,985,499 in reserves that had been built up in the CRA fund. The Capital expenditures from 2006-2009 are actually less than the debt expense of the CRA in the proposed budget. The Enlivening Public Spaces program has replaced streetscapes and neighborhood improvements. The Redevelopment Plan Implementation has also eaten much of the CRA budget – an average of $1,852,898 over the past three years—140 percent of the 2006-07 budget.