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ISSUES
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TAXES |
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The
property tax system in Florida is broken. Our high
and inequitable taxes are pricing people out of
their homes and businesses. The City of Hollywood
can trim its budget to lower our tax rate, but real
tax reform must occur in Tallahassee. It is a state
government responsibility.
Every year, Hollywood spends at least $50,000 to
hire a lobbyist to lobby for the city's legislative
priorities in Tallahassee. This lobbyist should have
as his number one priority lobbying for property tax
reform on behalf of all Hollywood property owners.
As your commissioner, I will push the city to make
tax reform the city's first legislative priority in
Tallahassee.
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HIGH RISES ON THE BEACH |
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I
support low-rise revitalization for Hollywood Beach.
I have consistently opposed high rise development on
the beach for many years. There is now a new high
rise project proposed for the south end of Hollywood
beach, just north of the Hallandale Water Tower.
Back in January 2007, on a motion offered by
Commissioner Anderson, the Hollywood City Commission
voted unanimously to approve platting this property
for 480 condo/hotel units plus commercial space - a
tower that would be over 50 stories high.
As your commissioner, I will not approve any high
rise development on Hollywood Beach.
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HISTORIC
PRESERVATION |
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Is it
OK for the city to designate a property as
"historic" even though the owner doesn't want it? Is
it OK for the government to limit height to five or
six stories on central beach even though a property
owner may want to build a high-rise there?
The courts have ruled that government has these
powers, if they are exercised properly. So this is
not a legal question. It's a "values" question that
reflects who we are as a community.
We all agree we don't want Sunny Isles on central
beach. Why not? Why do we want to limit height and
keep our special central beach character when a
property owner may want something different?
I think the answer is that we have more shared
values than we sometimes realize. Hollywood's
history is unique. It gives us our sense of place
and it has the potential to spur major economic
revitalization. A University of Florida study looked
at residential property values in several Florida
cities and found there was no case where historic
preservation depressed property values.
As your commissioner, I will work hard to bring more
shared understanding about the consequences of
preserving Hollywood's history and how it can be
beneficial to all of us, property owners included.
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PUBLIC
SAFETY COMPLEX |
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There
are several issues with the proposed public safety
complex.
1) The historic structure on the property must be
maintained and preserved, beyond the façade, as an
integral part of this complex.
2) This complex needs to be designed within the
scale appropriate to the neighborhood in which it
will be placed.
3) Changes on this property as well as the community
center property must be made with input from the
neighborhood. As your commissioner, I will see that
representatives from residents and business
community have the opportunity to review public
building design at an early stage so that changes
can be made to accommodate neighborhood concerns.
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IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN |
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1) Young Circle
Overlay District.
The City Commission must adopt an overlay district
that will specify setbacks and ample landscaping so
we don't have these big boxy buildings with
balconies hanging over the sidewalks.
Space and greenery around buildings in our
community are important design standards. Clarity
on what can and cannot be built in this area must be
defined. As taxpayers, we paid for the Zyscovich
plan for the Circle, but the city has never adopted
that plan. Prospective developers need to know what
to expect and so do we. Otherwise we are going to
have an ArtsPark surrounded by fortresses, instead
of thoughtfully planned development that will be
sustainable in the long term.
2) Parking Relief.
At a minimum, the CRA should develop a program with
downtown businesses that would cover 2 hours of free
parking for their customers. Free or discounted
parking in downtown areas is a proven strategy for
increasing more business downtown and is available
in many cities throughout the country.
3) Improved
relations between local businesses and residents.
In a well-managed city there is synergy between
local business and local residents. In Hollywood, I
have noticed animosity. At the city commission, you
will see the business interests sitting on one side
and the residents on the other, and they will have
opposite viewpoints. This needs to change.
Residents and local businesses are natural allies.
They can help each other.
As your commissioner, with my background in
mediation, I will do whatever it takes to try to
move us toward a common understanding. If it takes
shuttle diplomacy, I'll be knocking on your doors.
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MARINA EXPANSION |
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City staff are pressing to expand the Hollywood
Marina, for which grant money may be available. How
does a commissioner decide whether this is a good
idea? Here's how I would approach it. First and
foremost, talk with the residents on Polk Street and
the surrounding neighborhood to hear their
opinions. Their concerns would be very important to
me. Next, determine who is proposing the expansion
and for what reasons. What data do we have
demonstrating the need for an expanded marina? What
interests will benefit from the expansion? In what
ways is it beneficial to the neighborhood and to the
city?
Lastly we need to know how much the expansion would
cost and how it would be financed. Would that money
be available for another project or service if not
dedicated to the Marina expansion? All these
concerns need to be addressed before we can decide
what is appropriate for the Marina.
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OCEAN OUTFALL |
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This
is a major issue for the City of Hollywood. The
Governor wants to eliminate altogether the practice
of piping wastewater into the ocean. When outfall is
prohibited - as it surely will be eventually,
Hollywood will have to find another way to dispose
of over 40 million gallons of wastewater per day. Recognizing that the underground water supply is not
limitless, Florida is urging communities to provide
extra treatment to wastewater so it can be re-used
instead of lost in the ocean. Hollywood is now being
required to develop a re-use master plan. Hollywood's current position on these changes is to
deny their necessity and seek exceptions for our
city.
The Public Utilities Dept. held a workshop for the
mayor and commissioners on Oct. 9 to inform them
about state-level plans to eliminate outfall. Of all
the individuals running for District 1 Commissioner,
I was the only one who attended that workshop. I was
there because I know that this is a major issue down
the road for the City of Hollywood. As your
Commissioner, I will be vigilant and proactive, not
defensive and reactive.
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THE
DRIFTWOOD |
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The Quadomain residents have been
fighting the proposed Driftwood
high-rise for over four years - and
still no resolution. The Driftwood
project would cut off views and reduce
property values for many residents of
the Quadomain.
Litigation is mushrooming with a Bert J.
Harris claim in the works and a
threatened inverse condemnation. I
fully support the city's vigorous
defense in all the litigation.
The Driftwood is the poster child for
the kind of development that makes life
miserable for Hollywood's existing
residents. We all experience this to
some extent in the form of traffic
congestion and ill-maintained roadways
or when we try to go to the post office
where traffic backs up and there's no
place to park. What used to be a
routine chore is now a major headache.
With so much emphasis on attracting new
residents, Hollywood has made life much
more stressful for existing residents.
As your commissioner I will fight for
reasonable, sustainable and solid
development. I will fight to prevent a
Driftwood, a Mirador or any other
situation where a new development has
such a negative impact on existing
residents.
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For Fair and Honest Government, Sara is the ONLY
Choice.
Please Help Sara Win! Contribute your time, your
money, your ideas! |
Sara Case Campaign, PO Box 220332, Hollywood, FL
33022
Call Sara at: 954-925-2905 – or email her at:
sara@saracase.com
VOTE FOR SARA ON JANUARY 29, 2008!
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Political Advertisement, paid for and approved by
Sara Case, non-partisan for Hollywood City
Commission, District 1 |
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