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Affordable housing for government workers? Don't hold your breathAnd the question of the week is: Should local government use your tax dollars to build affordable housing for government employees?We are not talking about the military here. They are their own entity, regardless of what the economic development councils and chambers of commerce believe, and they are well equipped to resolve their own dilemmas, not to mentiorsmart enough, too.Contrast that with our local“authorities,” and it is evidentour civilian sector is an entirely different ballpark, strange-colored horse, unusual bird —you get the idea.If that isn’t clear enough,how about that OkaloosaCounty judicial center?In the works for a dozenyears, and the best theCaseyBrookscounty can show for itare paper redrafts and aswamp on which to build it. Oh, and a proposed contract with a construction management firm based on proposals received almost three years ago.How’s that for languor?I can only imagine the contract negotiation, held somewhere in the inner sanctum ofgovernmental brilliance, where a few shining minds went over the details for Phase No. 362 ofthis perpetual project.COUNTY: As you are aware, we selected your firm years ago for the judicial ccn ter project. We’d like you to sign that contract now.CONSTRUCTION MANAGER: Very well. You have the site selected?COUNTY: Uh, no. We'reworking on it.CM: How about the project scope? Still the same?COUNTY: Uh, no. But we’reworking on it.CM: How about funding? Is it funded?COUNTY: Uh-uh. But we’reworking on it.CM: Forgive me for asking. but is there anything on this project you have completed?COUNTY: Why. of course.We selected you to build it. And we have tentative plans for different sites.CM: And when do you foresee deciding on which site?COUNTY: Just as soon asour secretary gets back withsome straws. We determinedthat would be the most impartial manner for site selection. CM: I see. Is that also howyou selected a CM?COUNTY: Oh, absolutely not! We painstakingly reviewed each proposal, atten-r* *'lt;L.tively sat through hours of presentations, and then Mac over there flipped a coin. It was straight doubleelimination.But back to government building houses for their em ployees.One would think that officials, with all that mental energy, would have figured out the basics of the laws of unintended consequences.And cutting half-a-miil off the millage rate while property values remain 100 percent-plus above what they were a few years ago does not equate to a “tax cut,” no matter how one looks at it.This is particularly true ofnon-homesteaded properties — rentals — that get the full tax effect of their increasedvalue.So maybe, instead of the dog chasing its tail — I mean, our local governments increasing their budgets to fund affordable housing they should reducetaxes to a more equitable level. Then possibly they may see more affordable housing become available.Until then, work harder.Government employees everywhere depend on vou.Daily News columnist Casey Brooks can be reached at casey-brooks101@cox.net.-4 *■!.o„r- -L*ill -
Newspaper Details
Northwest Florida Daily News
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US
Mon, Sep 25, 2006
Page 19
Full Page
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USA 09 Aug 2022
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