Sarasota Seeks Tax Hike

At a time when reform of soaring property taxes has become a major priority in Florida, Sarasota next Tuesday will ask voters to hike their taxes to secure $16 million of general obligation bonds that will help finance a $54 million makeover of the city’s spring training facility for Major League Baseball’s Cincinnati Reds. The improvements, if approved by voters, would also be funded with $21.6 million from a tourist tax on hotels and short-term accommodations, $7.9 million from a sales tax rebate from the state, and a contribution from the Reds, who have also pledged to pay for cost overruns and sign a 30-year lease, according to the Herald-Tribune. Sarasota voters first approved financing for their spring training stadium in 1986. The city is in Sarasota County on Florida’s southwest coast.Spring training facilities have been getting upgrades across the state, prompted by Florida’s offering of 30-year rebates on sales taxes due to competition from Arizona, which has lured a number of MLB teams away from Florida.