SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON WEDNESDAY VOTED 4-1 TO REDUCE THE FEES ON BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED BEFORE FEBRUARY FIRST OF 2013. COMMISSIONER JOHN THAXTON WAS THE LONE DISSENTER. PROJECTS MUST BE BUILT AND HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BY THE FOLLOWING FEBRUARY FIRST TO REMAIN QUALIFIED FOR THE REDUCED FEES. HOME BUILDERS SAY THEY NEED THE CUTS SO THEY CAN LOWER PRICES AND CREATE WORK, BUT CONTROLLED GROWTH ADVOCATES SAY THE MOVE WILL SHIFT THE COSTS ONTO TAXPAYERS. BACK IN DECEMBER, THE COMMISSION SUSPENDED SCHOOL IMPACT FEES FOR TWO YEARS AFTER THE SCHOOL BOARD SAID IT SAW NO NEED FOR MORE CLASSROOMS DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AS THE STATE’S POPULATION FLATTENS OUT. THE MOVE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT $5 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE COUNTY AT A TIME WHEN BUDGETS ARE TIGHT.
