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Subj: UEL Press Release on CRA/World Center
Date: 12/29/2014 12:37:58 P.M. Eastern Standard Time ,, t�-
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Press Release - °N E
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From the Urban Environment League of Greater Miami 2 c _
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For Immediate Release
December 29, 2014
Contacts:
Grace Solares, President :305-798-9568
Greg Bush, Vice President: 305-926-5001
Peter Ehrlich: Secretary: 305-798-1200
The UEL calls on the CRA to defer the item related to World Center in order for a
more transparent process to proceed when considering the public interest.
Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Urban Environment League
Re: Miami World Center — SEOPW CRA Agenda December 29, 2014 — ITEM NO.
11, RE-14-01286
WHEREAS, the Urban Environment League (UEL), while supporting smart growth,
has long been an advocate against corporate welfare and projects that can adversely affect
the quality of life in Miami's communities; and
WHEREAS, the UEL has long believed that transparency and community involvement
to mitigate the impact of major projects are key to building long-term, sustainable
communities; and.
WHEREAS, the UEL wishes to raise some important questions and concerns about the
proposed TIF rebate agreement being voted on December 29, 2014 to benefit the Miami
Worldcenter, most importantly, the utter lack of community involvement and the
deviation from the stated goals of the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA (SEOPW
CRA); and
WHEREAS, in 1982, the City of Miami created the Southeast Overtown Park West
CRA. The stated reason at that time for including Park West, was that once Park West
was redeveloped (proximity to the waterfront meant that Park West would organically
Clerk of the Board
Monday, December 29, 2014 AOL: Gachysolares
1 4- 0 12.W0- So bmi f tI- Cfrace Sol res- 8/solo-bon-urban vi ronr eit League.
Page 2 of 3
develop before Overtown), was to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) money from the
Park West area to subsequently develop Overtown. This long suffering community has
waited 32 years for this to happen, and now when it finally is occurring, the CRA intends
to issue TIF rebates to the developer, effectively breaking a decades long promise to the
community; and
WHEREAS, the UEL believes there has been inadequate vetting and public oversight
of this proposal, witness the date of this meeting, between Christmas and New Year, and
the fact that supporting documents were not released to the public until Christmas eve;
and
WHEREAS, the Overtown Advisory Board, the legally appointed entity representing
the community, passed a resolution on December 18 requiring the CRA to allow review
and comment by the Board, as required in the Redevelopment Plan; and
WHEREAS, there are serious questions and uncertainties about the legality under the
Florida redevelopment act of effectively giving tax rebates in exchange for minority
hiring of firms that are located outside the redevelopment area, which questions and
uncertainties must be resolved by way of a Legal Opinion from the Attorney General of
the State, prior to any allocation of funds or entering into any kind of Agreement with
MiamiWorldCenter, its subsidiaries, partners, assigns, heirs; and
WHEREAS, the proposed agreement offers substantially the same (and potentially
less) community benefits to that already negotiated in the Development Agreement with
the City of Miami. This at a cost of nearly $280 million in public assistance to the
Developer; and
WHEREAS, the UEL feels that ALL applicable fees and taxes should be paid by the
private developer and that those funds should be used to reduce slum and blight and
improve the quality of life of the long-suffering residents of Overtown; and.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Urban Environment League request that the Commissioner
Members of the CRA Board defer the World Center item presently scheduled for
December 29, 2014, and more specifically identified in the agenda as Number 11,
Legislation No. 14-01286, so that the citizens and the media receive full access to all the
documents drafted in relation to the contemplated Agreement, so a transparent and public
vetting can take place. Too often we have seen the City of Miami rush into "deals" with
the private sector, with disastrous results.
Grace Solares, President
Gregory Bush, Vice President
Submitted into the public
record in connection with
Item 'Ion j2-29-1'-t
Todd B. Hannon
Clerk of the Board
Monday, December 29, 2014 AOL: Gachysolares
Page 3 of 3
Peter Ehrlich, Secretary
Alberto Ruder, Treasurer
Clerk of the Board
Monday, December 29, 2014 AOL: Gachysolares