ORLANDO, Fla. — Tuesday, Orange County commissioners approved spending more than $50,000 on property taxes for a building purchased with tourism development tax dollars.
The now dissolved onePULSE Foundation bought the property for just over $3 million with the hope of building a museum. Those plans were scrapped late last year, with the county losing well over $1 million.
What You Need To Know
- Orange County taxpayers will pay more than $50,000 in property taxes for the former onePULSE Museum site
- County commissioners are still trying to determine the next steps with the Kaley Street property appraised at just over $4 million
- Commissioners say accountability and more oversight is needed when working with outside organizations such as non-proftis and private companies
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says paying the property tax balance is the next best move.
“It is in our financial interest and that of the taxpayers so that we don’t have a further calamity from this set of circumstances,” Demings said.
The property was the center of scrutiny last fall when the county discovered onePULSE was renting the building without permission, breaching an agreement. The onePULSE organization made just about $130,000 from rental fees at the West Kaley Street property.
In November, commissioners requested onePULSE send bank statements and financial documents so they could get a clearer picture of the foundation’s available funds, and spending of county tax payer money. Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond says they are still waiting on those documents.
“We’ve asked for the documents, and we have asked the county attorney to pursue that. The county attorney has pursued that, but the legal team for the onePULSE has been resistant to that,” Diamond said.
Demings says he has asked staff to look into working with a document firm to help get those records. While the county approved paying the Kaley Street property taxes, commissioners are pushing for oversight and accountability.
“There just seems to be no accountability and unfortunately through your memo we just got reinforced we may never get any accountability,” Orange County District 3 Commissioner Mayra Uribe said.
Orange County District 5 Commissioner Emily Bonilla said, “We didn’t have any oversight to really see what was happening and I’m concerned that we don’t have in place some oversight over nonprofits as well.”
According to the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office, the balance of $51,828.83 for the Kaley Street property would need to be paid by April 1 or additional charges would be tacked on. Commissioners are expected to discuss next steps for the property next month.