Coral Springs Candidates Discuss New Municipal Complex at Forum

Tjb: These are guesstimates based on a lot of factors and analysis. I do agree there is no exact number until it happens but I believe the potential is there for that and more.

Mr. Townblinder: Thank you but I think I’ll keep my name as when I state facts I believe they are accurate. My opinion when stated yes is my opinion, but at least it is based on known facts. You should probably keep your name too as you may be a bit blind about what is happing around town.

Yes, you are right! Is it 100% legally a done deal? No, of course not, but realistically speaking the ball is in motion and I don’t believe it is going to stop. And if you want to make points please do so with facts – you stated the “current players have a policy of multi million dollars with no bid contracts”, can you please provide a link to that policy or actual evidence of a no-bid contract? If you are talking about the radio system, that
is a sole source contract – very different than no-bid. I’d love to see this policy and some examples.

“This would take the single most valuable piece of commercial property in the city off the tax rolls” Ummm, I do believe the truth is that property, along with the main building on North side of Sample are ALREADY off the tax rolls. So you must be referring to SELLING that property and getting it ON the tax rolls. That’s great, but in order to do that you need one thing – an actual interested buyer. And how much interest has there been on property in the area (like the old Publix lot) – yea none. But now we see that
interest and guess what – the area on the North side will in fact be sold and put on tax rolls.

And I believe you meant Coral Springs Drive by Mullins Park, not Coral Hills. That question has been analyzed and answered – it would not fit properly and it would do nothing to generate the interest in the ‘4 corners’ area.

I’m glad you brought up Wellington, you must have told Skip and Joy about it too since they used it as another flawed example in the debate. So, let’s compare the same fruit – apples to apples. First, we have to use Wellingtons budgeted number as that’s all we have to compare to ours. If Wellington came in under, who’s to say ours can’t or won’t. Ok, so Wellington has a ‘Governmental Center’ aka City Hall as part of their ‘Municipal Complex’, same as our plans. But this is where your (and Skips and Joys) twisted facts come in. Wellingtons CITY HALL BUILDING was budgeted for $15m for 54k sq ft. That would be a cost of $277.78 per sq ft. Yes, the project was completed for $10.5m equaling a cost of $199.44 sq ft. Now, look at our proposed BUILDING (same as Wellingtons), not the whole complex. Our building, to compare equally to theirs is budgeted for $15.75m for 65k sq ft. That is a cost of $242.30 sq ft which is lower than their original budgeted cost! Yea, there are a lot of other potential variables but when you look at the actual FACTS we are right there in the ballpark. No more falsely comparing $10m (really $10.5) to $28. So, I call BS on that whole argument that we are looking at a crazy expensive ‘Taj Mahal’. I don’t care where you want to put it, who builds, it, etc. our proposed actual City Hall building is cost comparable to other cities.

I’m not even sure what to say about a ‘long term resident’ who doesn’t even know where the current city hall is. I don’t care if you’ve even been in it, if you’ve ever driven trough the city on Sample Road you can’t miss it. That whole argument is just pointless and irrelevant.

Find all the services we need in one place – the PD, FD, Theater and Gym? Are you really serious? Yea, I’m going to plan my Saturday afternoon to stop by the gym for a game, go file a complaint at the PD, thank the FD for a great spaghetti dinner and then catch a show at night. Be real – you yourself said ironically many people don’t know where city hall is – how many of those people would use, let alone know where the FD, PD or the gym is?

I guess you can’t see things in context. I believe Homan was using her opponent’s own phrase to simply state Coral Springs deserves a ‘nice’ complex. I would in turn ask how much fiscal responsibility there is in filing for bankruptcy ironically reported by the same people who are recommending her. I actually like Holz better than Carter because he at least understands the vision, he just doesn’t agree with it. Carter just sees the whole thing as a simple 9-5 building. As nice a woman as she may be, with that narrow a vision I’d be afraid of her as a commissioner. I also don’t like the twisted truths (as in Wellington example) for political gain. Homan, like her or not, seems to have the vision and supports the city moving forward.

And yes, lastly… no, I don’t find it odd at all. The revenue bonds DO NOT impact your ad valorem tax. You will not see municipal complex on your tax bill. It is paid through revenues of the city and it’s only because the city is financially strong enough they can do this, specifically to not increase your ad valorem tax. Since a GO bond DOES get added to your ad valorem taxes, it needs to be voted on. Would I have liked to vote on it – sure, but I also rather NOT have it as a tax increase which is why I don’t understand why you scream it will impact my tax double the GO bond.

Sadly I think a lot of this is simple human nature. People are afraid of change, they like the warm, comfy status quo. But lets remember this country wouldn’t be great if it sat still. Change is what creates progress. This city has been stale long enough. The current commissioners have the guts to make the changes that will ultimately move this city forward and that is scary and uncomfortable to some. I for one am excited about the changes coming to the city and the current and future commissioners and city staff with
the vision to do it. I would hope we have enough residents who want the same and don’t have the fear to hold back our progress.