Mayor's office balks at Jacksonville Landing owner's plea for parking subsidy

[JeffreyS]

It has been 23 years let's get this done.  Kudos to Councilman Clark for supporting this. 

[duvaldude08]

It truly amazes me how the city of Jacksonville has such a tough time making small, simple decisions. Why should there be such a debate of a parking lot??? Does the mayor's office not see how the landing could help bring downtown to life if everything was done properly?? The owner's seem's to have some plans for the Landing and is just asking the city for parking. That's it. And they cant provide that? That seems to be a bit ridiculous.

[finehoe]

It truly amazes me how the city of Jacksonville has such a tough time making small, simple decisions.

So you can well imagine what it will be like trying to get anything in the proposed 2030 Mobility Plan done.

[finehoe]

^^I hope you're right stephendare, I really do.

[stjr]

Clark said he's asked the council auditor to scour the budget for the $3.5 million. The city didn't earmark money in the current budget for the parking obligation because no one was building a garage, or even planning to, Skipper said.

The above quote says it all and points up the real issue.

My guess is that the $3.5 million from Humana, if that is accurate, or from any other source, was spent years ago by some prior administration on long ago forgotten projects and/operations rather than being held in an escrow account.  With the City facing employee cuts, pay cuts, benefit cuts, and overall service cuts, coughing up the $3.5 million may just not be possible.  And, can you imagine any politico going to the taxpayers and saying we are raising your taxes to assist Tony Sleiman?   

[CS Foltz]

stjr.........not only NO but Hell No! They won't find any money unless they use the Mayor's secret books! You know the ones he uses to suddenly produce money for whatever pet project he has in mind! I allways have wondered just where the money for River Walk upgrades was coming from!

[JeffreyS]

The city promised this money long ago. The bill has come due. I am just not sure why the city never wanted the 28mil in rent it could have earned.

[thelakelander]

My guess is that the $3.5 million from Humana, if that is accurate, or from any other source, was spent years ago by some prior administration on long ago forgotten projects and/operations rather than being held in an escrow account.  With the City facing employee cuts, pay cuts, benefit cuts, and overall service cuts, coughing up the $3.5 million may just not be possible.  And, can you imagine any politico going to the taxpayers and saying we are raising your taxes to assist Tony Sleiman?   

If this dedicated $3.5 million has been spent on something else, then maybe the money should come out of the Metropolitan Park improvement funds.

[CS Foltz]

lake............I hope to heck that Tony has it in writing and if he does............then it is past time for the City to pay up! Maybe the current Administration can pass the hat around all of the 227 AMIO's and all of the 6 figure plus paid inner circle? Should be able to come up with that real easy!

[thelakelander]

It only makes sense to deal with this problem for once and for all now.  Its already been 23 years.  I think that is enough time to come to the conclusion that what we have been doing isn't working.  With the Jackson statue getting ripped out of ground and Laura Street rebuilt, this is the best time to address how the face of the Landing will meet/integrate with these publicly funded infrastructure projects.

[CS Foltz]

Lake I agree! Current administration will procrastinate and hem and haw and pawn the problem off on the next administration! Like I have said before............no vision and no plan! Current administration could not plan their way out of a phone booth.......they could buy their way out but not plan out!

[tufsu1]

The problem here seems to be a long-standing difference of opinion between Mayor Peyton and Tony Sleiman on various issues....this will likely need to wait until at least Summer 2011

[AbelH]

Reading through the thread and interestingly enough, this just happens to be the topic of my column in Sunday's paper.

One thing should be abundantly clear when discussing Toney Sleiman’s $5 million proposal to purchase a 300-space parking lot across from The Jacksonville Landing: Despite the fact that he’s asking for the city to fork over $3.5 million for the purchase, this isn’t exactly a taxpayer bailout.

It is, in fact, Sleiman’s effort to collect on a 23-year-old obligation that calls for the City of Jacksonville to provide parking for the Landing.

The rest of the column can be read here: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/401574/abel-harding/2010-04-09/23-years-later-its-time-solve-landing-parking-problem

[fieldafm]

Reading through the thread and interestingly enough, this just happens to be the topic of my column in Sunday's paper.

One thing should be abundantly clear when discussing Toney Sleiman’s $5 million proposal to purchase a 300-space parking lot across from The Jacksonville Landing: Despite the fact that he’s asking for the city to fork over $3.5 million for the purchase, this isn’t exactly a taxpayer bailout.

It is, in fact, Sleiman’s effort to collect on a 23-year-old obligation that calls for the City of Jacksonville to provide parking for the Landing.

The rest of the column can be read here: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/401574/abel-harding/2010-04-09/23-years-later-its-time-solve-landing-parking-problem

I read the article this morning Mr Harding.  It was a good piece.  Thank you for consistently devoting time and ink to these issues.

[Steve]

Nice job Abel!

Totally agree.  The fact that this is going on 23 years later is embarrassing. Some cities have completely revitalized their downtown in less time.  We can't even solve the issue of parking at the landing in 23.  I don't just blame Peyton for this.  I blame every city leader since 1987 for this one.  However, Peyton can really step up here, and add something to his toteboard before he leaves office (granted, if he just sold Sleiman the land in 2003, it would be a non-issue).