Pensacola City Council shoots self in the foot

Pensacola City Council voted 5-4 to not allow the property owners decide whether they wanted to be included in the Downtown Improvement District.

For the vote: Mayor John Fogg, Jewel Cannada-Wynn, J.D. Smith and Mike Wiggins

Against the vote: Mike DeSorbo, Marty Donovan, John Jerralds, Ronald Townsend and Jack Nobles.

This is a step backwards. We’ve already discussed how a larger downtown helps the area recruit businesses and the benefits of being in the DID (Size Matters). How can the council not let the owners vote on the issue?

The argument is the Council didn’t want to put an unfair tax burden on the residents. I’m not convinced that’s who some of the council are helping by voting “No.”

The assessed values of many of the residents are low. I looked up two parcels owned by Lily Townsend in an area that the council eventually voted not to be included in the DID area. One would have to pay $14.26 in more taxes; the other $59.16.

For some this may be a burden given this areas poverty, but the Downtown Improvement Board had already begun discussing setting a fund to help those truly having problems paying the tax increase.