Our View: 'Yes' on straw poll

After two years of discussion and debate, a huge step is being taken to turn Lakewood Ranch into its own city. Backers of the idea are conducting a straw poll of all Lakewood Ranch residents to learn the level of support for the idea — a necessary step for local legislators to take the next step.

If there is enough support, at least a majority, then the poll results and the proposed city charter will be sent to the Legislature. If approved there in the spring, a formal election will be held probably in June 2012.

With some reservations, we see enough merit in the idea to recommend that residents of Lakewood Ranch vote “yes” on the straw poll to allow the process to go through the Legislature and come back to the voters.

A “yes” on the straw poll does not create the city; it only keeps the process moving forward and the debate continuing.

Proponents raise some persuasive arguments, backed by a Fishkind & Associates study. Those points include the fact that Lakewood Ranch would get back about 70 cents in services for every $1 it pays to Manatee County, and the concept that residents would have more local control over the future of the community if more decisions were made locally and not in downtown Bradenton by the Manatee County Commission. Plus, there is the somewhat amorphous, yet brand-worthy sense of community that goes with being a city.

Opponents, however, have raised legitimate issues. There are an awful lot of assumptions made in the Fishkind report that result in the financial projections looking rosy. The costs in the study are too lightly covered. And there are risks. There is no turning back once becoming a city, and taxes could be increased by a Lakewood Ranch City Council — although they can also be increased by the County Commission. Plus, there would be a loss of revenue to Manatee County because of it being kept within Lakewood Ranch. And there also is somewhat less local control.

In a sense, both sides are right on local control. Opponents point out that the five Community Development Districts that currently govern the developed Ranch, each with its own board of supervisors, is more local than a city would be. They are right. But CDDs have fewer powers, ceding many decisions to Manatee County. So the backers are right that more decisions would be made in Lakewood Ranch.

And we have concerns about the business on the Sarasota County side, which will see a tax increase because there is no unincorporated county tax there. Backers say a tax credit could be worked out. Perhaps. But that probably will not be known until after incorporation.

Some opponents say they are not opposed to incorporation conceptually. They just think now is the wrong time.

So far, we see enough evidence that the proponents of incorporation have a compelling enough case that Lakewood Ranch residents and businesses would be best served by voting “yes” on the straw poll and continuing the discussion.

We salute the civic-mindedness of the proponents and opponents, both expending enormous personal time and energy on what they believe is best for the community. We hope, if the debate goes forward, that personal attacks will be kept to a minimum and the merits of the concept will be at the forefront.