On Tuesday, Orange County Commissioners took no action regarding relocation of the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector’s administrative offices from the high cost SunTrust building downtown Orlando, putting off their decision until next week.
A deal to purchase two buildings on Maguire Boulevard near Fashion Square Mall was called off after County staff advised against it. But in less than 24 hours, the deal was back on the table again.
Today, following the BCC meeting, Orange County Property Appraiser, Rick Singh issued the following statement:
The Orange County Property Appraiser continues to advocate relocating from the SunTrust building to a more convenient and cost effective location for the taxpayers.
As the agency that is most impacted by the relocation, it is imperative that I raise reasonable questions that are normally asked during the due diligence phase, in real estate transactions of this magnitude.
In light of the numerous deficiencies reported in the Atkins Assessment (facilities assessment report), we are requesting documents to learn more about the condition of the building. For example, this includes internal air quality reports indicating that the Maguire buildings are safe not only for my staff but also for the taxpayers.
Our office will continue to cooperate with the County, as it has since the beginning of this process, to ensure a smooth and efficient relocation that is most beneficial to the taxpayers.
