Fellow Winter Park Residents,

Please share with friends and neighbors.

Challenge our commission members to explain how their CRA extension and expansion plan benefits the residents of Winter Park. Demand they put this plan to a citizen referendum. Contact them here: mayorandcommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org. (See my prior post on this subject.) I also encourage you to attend the City Commission meeting this Wednesday, March 27 to comment in opposition to this plan (the vote on the second reading should be about 4 PM).

Again, this plan takes $87,000,000 from residents of Winter Park. This is the anticipated city property taxes taken by the CRA from our General Fund from 2028 through 2037, where it could otherwise be used to reduce taxes and/or increase investments for the entire city (that is, actually benefit the residents). The existing CRA has been accumulating property value since 1994. Winter Park residents need to receive all tax benefit of the accumulated valuations in 2028 and beyond.

Here is commentary on the “projects” contemplated in the proposed CRA plan. Do you think any of these benefit you as a resident?

$9,350,000 on Affordable Housing – Winter Park is 10 square miles. Orange County is 1,000 square miles. Winter Park already has a disproportionately high number of subsidized housing units for its size and population. Why do we need to subsidize more housing when this is an Orange County responsibility? How does this serve the interests of Winter Park residents? It does not. It would just add more people and more traffic in Winter Park.

$16,500,000 on underpass/overpass/crossings – I have no idea why we need an underpass or overpass. Do you? Where? Who uses them? How does this serve Winter Park residents? It does not. Street crossing improvements can be paid for using General Fund revenue.

$27,740,000 on Fairbanks (US 17-92 to Pennsylvania Ave- Streetscape) – This presupposes the city uses eminent domain to purchase the properties along Fairbanks. Why would we spend money on this when Fairbanks is a State road and the majority of Fairbanks traffic is cutting through Winter Park? How does this serve Winter Park residents? It does not.

$18,000,000 on Morse Boulevard (Streetscape US 17-92 to New York) – What is wrong with the current streetscape on Morse Boulevard, what changes are planned, and with what benefit for Winter Park residents? Another case where spending money offers no benefit to the vast majority of residents.

$17,000,000 on parking improvements – Where? On whose land? To benefit whom? Again, pie in the sky with no underlying need or benefit to Winter Park residents.

$8,400,000 on stormwater improvements – This commission recently increased the annual stormwater fee by about $700,000 per year and spent $750,000 for stormwater consulting. This in itself was a gross over reaction after hurricane Ian in 2022 as only about 60 properties experienced water damage (which is the property owners responsibility) and 35 cases of temporary street flooding were reported. There are sufficient resources within the Stormwater Fund and General Fund to address any and all stormwater issues.

$7,500,000 buying the USPS land on New York Avenue – This is a long simmering wish list item for some people that should be the topic of a citizen referendum if and when the USPS decides to put their property up for sale.

Challenge our commission members to explain how their CRA extension and expansion plan benefits the residents of Winter Park. Demand that they put this plan up for a citizen referendum. Contact them here: mayorandcommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org.