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The twelve-person [[Community Maritime Park Associates]] board of trustees was selected both by the CMPA principals and by the [[Pensacola City Council]]. On [[April 13]], [[2007]], the board selected the architectural firm [[Caldwell Associates]], which had been involved in preliminary development, as its top choice to write the final design criteria.
On [[September 6]], [[2007]], the Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling about tax-increment financing (TIF) bonds that could endanger the project's $40 million bond from the [[Community Redevelopment Agency]], a TIF district.
==Plan Details==
In late [[2004]], months after [[Hurricane Ivan]] devastated the Pensacola area, city leaders including City Manager [[Tom Bonfield]] and Mayor [[John Fogg]] met with [[Admiral Fetterman]] and others to discuss ideas about a possible "maritime park" project for the Trillium site. The [[Community Maritime Park Associates]] was formed and presented a preliminary proposal to the [[Pensacola City Council]], which approved the concept on [[January 18]], [[2005]].
==Criticisms and response& referendum==
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==ReferendumFunding==
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The Park was conceived as a $70 million project — $40 million provided by a [[Community Redevelopment Agency]] bond, and an additional $30 million or more from private development, grants and donations.
==Development==
===Financial troubles===
In early June 2007, Governor [[Wikipedia:Charlie Crist|Charlie Crist]] vetoed about $2.5 million in state funds that had been expected for environmental cleanup.<ref>"Park money at risk." ''Pensacola News Journal'', June 7, 2007.</ref> In addition, dramatic [[property tax]] reforms enacted by the Florida legislature could cause a budget shortage that would force a reevaluation of the project.<ref>"Park money at risk." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 11, 2007.</ref>
A [[September 6]], [[2007]] decision by the Florida Supreme Court struck down a decision by the [[Escambia County Commission]] to create a tax-increment financing (TIF) district to fund road improvements in [[Perdido Key]], ruling that TIF districts may not use bonds for special projects without approval by a taxpayer referendum. This could impact the Community Maritime Park's $40 million bond from the [[Community Redevelopment Agency]], a TIF district. Although the Park was approved by voters in [[2006]], the referendum was only open to [[City of Pensacola]] voters. Since [[property tax]] revenue collected from properties in the CRA district also includes millage levied by [[Escambia County]], another referendum for all county voters may be necessary, according to a legal interpretation by [[Pensacola City Attorney]] [[John Fleming]].<ref>"Park plan may return to ballot." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 13, 2007.</ref>
==External links==