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Representing the Board Directors for The Florida Center, Lee Hinkle, made a presentation to the Sales Tax Committee at their first Public Hearing on April 26th.  The Public Hearing was the first opportunity for community groups to present projects for Committee consideration, as they develop criteria and recommendations concerning the proposed one-cent sales tax extension.   It was our chance to present the new design for The Florida Center which calls for decreasing construction and operating costs while still building a facility that meets our community’s most pressing needs.  The Florida Center Board of Directors approved the new design, recommended by Theatre Projects Consultants, and presented it to the City and County Commissions in October 2011.  See new plan.    

With the new plan, it will be necessary to revisit and revise the previously adopted funding plan and the timing of our private fundraising efforts. Almost every performing arts center in the United States has been built with a combination of public and private funds. To suggest that this facility can be built with solely private dollars is either a way to “kill” the project or a way to ignore history and how these facilities are built and operate. 

It is essential that a portion of The Florida Center’s project costs be included in the sales tax extension funding priorities. These funds are the only major source of public financing for the building this facility.  

For more information on the Sales Tax Committee, go to: http://cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/LeonCountySalesTaxCommittee

For us to be successful in having The Florida Center included in the list of projects to be funded by the sales tax extension, we need to demonstrate broad-based community support. There are always more projects than there are resources. The City and County Commissioners will be evaluating the list of projects, recommended by the Sales Tax Committee both in terms of their contribution to the quality of life in our community and the public support they enjoy. It is essential that we work to expand our base of supporters and that this support be visible and vocal. Clearly, those that do not want this facility are not timid about voicing their opinions.  Therefore, for us to be successful, we must make sure our voices are heard and that our opinions are counted.

Join the list of supporters who are in favor of building the Performing Arts Center and funding it in great part through the sales tax extension.