Over the past six years Winter Park spending has grown faster than inflation and the city commission has voted for over $100,000,000 in government waste. Click here for the documentation. We don’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem!
We can now add another wasteful boondoggle to the city commission’s fiduciary failures.
The commission borrowed $8,000,000 in 2022 without a voter referendum to buy the Winter Park Pines Golf course, arguing that it would make money. Instead, Winter Park Pines is losing $500,000 each year.
In 2022 our Mayor wrote, “This is an investment in recreation and green space that will pay for itself from the business income, and will not increase your taxes.” Not true. As I wrote at the time, “The city is going to borrow $8 million we will be on the hook for when the golf course operates at a loss after capital and maintenance requirements. When it loses money, it WILL impact our taxes. If we don’t buy it, it remains a golf course under private ownership… This is a risky and unnecessary purchase, and a boondoggle in the making.” That is exactly what happened.
How many bad decisions and wasted tax dollars will it take for Winter Park voters to wake up? Tell the Mayor and Commissioners to reduce spending now: mayorandcommissioners@cityofwinterpark.org.
Peter, I agree with your analysis. We have one of the highest, if not the highest, ad valorem taxes per capita for cities our size in Florida. What I wonder is why you always blame the Commission. Where is your finger-pointing at the City Manager, who annually prepares and proposes the budget? As you know, we have a “strong” City Manager form of government in WP. Seems the spending problem starts there. Why the silence?
Michael,
The citizens elect a city commission to represent their interests. The city manager reports to the commission with the responsibility to execute their policy priorities.
I have been involved with the city for 20 years now and have worked with city management and staff on many issues over that time. I can say without reservation that City Manager Randy Knight, his management and staff, are both professional and very competent. However, it is naïve to think that any city employee does not relish spending every dollar allocated to them by the city commission.
It is clearly the responsibility of the city commission to direct the city manager and staff, not the other way around. A city commission that does not fulfill their fiduciary responsibility gets overrun by city staff.
An effective city commission understands human behavior and fiduciary duty.
As an example, I received several emails from people supporting the purchase of Winter Park Pines. These people included a golf advisory board member, a person living on the golf course, and several regular users of Winter Park Pines. One resident Winter Park Pines member let me know his cost per round played was $7 and did not like the idea that my email may result in that price being increased. The point is, everybody has a vested interest, both personal and financial. Should the commission continue to subsidize people with a vested interest in Winter Park Pines at the expense of all Winter Park residents?
It is the job of the city commission to serve the greater good, not the narrow interests of a few and certainly not the interests of city management and staff.
Here is another example that gets to the heart of fiduciary responsibility. Former Mayor Phil Anderson was involved with Steve Goldman in starting and supporting The Winter Park Land Trust, a non-profit promoting green space. The commission held public meetings to access what to do with the city’s Progress Point land on Orange Avenue. The only invited guest to offer ideas was Steve Goldman. As Mayor, Phil Anderson embraced and approved Steve Goldman’s plan to turn about 4 acres into a park. This park had a direct cost of over $5,250,000 (budget $4,000,000) and an opportunity cost exceeding $10,000,000 (at today’s land values). The land is now mostly parking lot and little park. Was Phil Anderson representing his interest in expanding green space at the expense of Winter Park residents?
So, Michael, I see that we have two issues. One, a city commission that does not understand its role in directing city management, and two, a city commission driven by personal ideology rather than fiduciary duty.