Sarasota changes its mind on new firms

The city of Sarasota has wheeled out the proverbial wagon to welcome new businesses to town.

“We have a new a mindset,” Sarasota Mayor Suzanne Atwell says in the introduction of Succeed in Sarasota, the city's business-friendly bouquet to new businesses. “This is our way of welcoming businesses to our city. Every business owner has choices on where to locate, and we want to recognize those who choose Sarasota. We appreciate them and we hope they succeed in Sarasota.”

The program was launched in early October. The packet, which will be mailed to any firm in the city that registers for a new local business tax receipt after Oct. 1, 2011, offers more than Atwell's business-friendly City Hall promise. It also touts a simplified permitting process and a 10-year suspension of water/sewer impact fees. Moreover, City Manager Bob Bartolotta says he will hold open door meetings to help solve development difficulties.

The effort certainly sounds nice. Coffee Talk, though, isn't overly excited just yet, having seen and heard many anti-business horror stories. It also wonders what took so long to have a pro-business mindset.