Robinson eyes tax + lease conundrum
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

E s - cambia County Commissioner Grover Robinson appeared at the Santa Rosa Island Authority's last meeting to express his dedication toward finding relief for Pensacola Beach businesses.

Businesses took a hit when Escambia County Property Appraiser asked them to pay taxes on the improvements to their leased property - in addition to continuing to pay their leases.

Under Robinson's proposal, the amount paid to the county would be returned to the SRIA to pay the lease fee. The Escambia County school board members would decide how to use the portion allocated to them.

Buck Lee, Executive Director of the SRIA, said the lease fees are pledged to bonds and the renegotiating those bonds to allow for the shortfall in lease fees would be costly to the county.

Robinson plans a Town Hall meeting at the SRIA office to discuss this and other local issues on June 17.