READ IT HERE FIRST! WPB Commissioners dodge the question of whether to give $114m to a developer

It's like it never happened!

For the three West Palm Beach Commissioners who voted last week to give $114 million dollars of future tax money to a developer, it was a Sophie's Choice.

For Commissioners Paula Ryan, Keith James, and Shannon Materio, choice number one was to stick to their guns, try to override the Mayor's veto of the payout and face the public to explain why they want to give over $100 million dollars to a private developer. Choice number two was to allow the mayor's veto to stand, putting in jeopardy a project all three supported.

But then...after an hour and half of confusing procedural debate, they found door number three!

Pretend it never happened!

The three commissioners, joined by Commissioners Cory Neering and Sylvia Moffett (both of whom voted last week against giving the money to the developer) voted 5-0 to erase last week's vote all together.

Using a rarely exercised procedural option, they decided to undo last week's vote. Then, instead of revoting on it, they took it off the agenda all together.

It's like it never came up in the first place.

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio killed the $114 million dollar taxpayer payout to a local developer last week with her first veto since being elected mayor.

The Developer, Michael Masanoff said he needed the money in order to build the Transit Oriented Development (TOD), a project near the downtown TriRail station.

The plan would have given away almost 30 years worth of public tax dollars to Masanoff.

Now, Masanoff has a "do-over." It's up to him as to whether he wants to continue to ask the city for the $114 million dollars, or come up with an alternative plan.

Supporters of the deal said the benefits generated by the creation of a new TOD far outweigh the cost to taxpayers. They also argued the $114 million dollars (which is the amount of property tax revenue expected to be created by the project over almost 30 years) is money the city would never see in the first place unless the project is built.

Mayor Muoio, in a public letter last week to residents fired back calling the deal irresponsible and dangerous. She wrote no incentive package, not even the deal given CityPlace, has ever approached $114 million dollars.

Since the original vote last week, other developers had been calling the mayor's office to complain about what they said was favoritism towards Masanoff.

During the discussion, commissioners questioned whether the mayor had the authority to veto the funding in the first place. They requested the city send a letter to the Florida Attorney General asking the AG to clarify whether the mayor has the power of veto.