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Commission moves to send letter opposing House plan to curtail tourist development councils and curb CRA use
Summary
Commissioners said the House plan to eliminate or sharply cut Tourist Development Councils (TDCs) and restrict community redevelopment authority (CRA) uses could harm Winter Haven and Polk County economics. The commission directed staff to circulate and collect signatures on a letter urging state senators to oppose the changes.
Members of the Winter Haven City Commission used new business time on April 28 to discuss pending state legislation that would curtail Tourist Development Councils (TDCs) and restrict some uses of Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) funds.
A commissioner said the Florida House had passed a measure that, as drafted in committee, would eliminate or drastically reduce TDC funding. City leaders said that would threaten local projects and sports‑marketing initiatives that attract out‑of‑area visitors and pay for facility marketing and rental fee offsets. Commissioners and staff described the potential local impact as large, citing hundreds of events booked through sports marketing at a new field house and other venues, plus arts and cultural funding that uses tourist taxes paid by visitors rather than local taxpayers.
City staff reported the Florida Senate did not have a companion bill identical to the House language but that senators were discussing versions that could cut TDC funding by 75 percent and leave 25 percent — still a major reduction, staff said. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a short letter and to seek signatures from elected officials urging state senators, including the office of Senator Ben Albritton, to oppose the House approach and preserve TDC authority and funding. The commission asked that the letter be circulated and signed that evening if possible.
Commissioners also asked staff to monitor a related CRA provision reported to restrict new CRAs and bar certain uses for hotels and banquet incentives; staff said the House language prohibited CRA expansion and creation and prevented CRA funds from being used for hotels or banquet facilities under the amended text. The commission asked the city’s advocacy partners — the chamber and Florida League contacts were mentioned — to weigh in.
Staff said the city would collect signatures and deliver the letter to the senator’s office and other recipients identified in the draft. The action recorded in the meeting transcript was an instruction/direction to circulate and sign the letter rather than a formal recorded roll‑call vote.
