Marina Jack seeks property appraiser lawsuit

Jack Graham Inc., the company that leases Marina Jack, will ask the city next week for permission to sue the Sarasota County property appraiser.

The company wants to challenge the property appraiser’s decision to collect $1.5 million in taxes on the property — $300,000 for the current year and $1.2 million for unpaid back taxes.

The city owns the land and the building, but Jack Graham Inc. leases them both for 3% of its annual revenues, which came out to about $300,000 last year.

The company and city have argued that Marina Jack serves a public purpose and, therefore, should be exempt from paying property taxes.

But Furst cites other lessees of public land that do pay property taxes, such as O’Leary’s Tiki Bar and Grill at Bayfront Park, which Jack Graham Inc. also operates.

The Baltimore Orioles is the only other business that leases public land and does not pay taxes.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].