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Lee County’s Horizon Council wants county commissioners to set aside $25 million to lure new businesses.

The public-private economic development board said the money should be on-hand to help close the deal should a major draw like the Scripps Research Institute look to locate here.

"It is time to have a commitment from everyone in this county," said banker Robbie Roepstorff, a member of the Horizon Council executive committee. "In tight economic times everyone wants those reserves, but what is going to impact each and every one us us the most? Economic development."

Roepstorff said it’s not about the county writing a check, but about the county showing a commitment if there is an opportunity.

Ron Inge, a development consultant and chairman of the county economic diversity task force, said the money wouldn’t be spent "willy-nilly" and commissioners would have the final spending decisions.

"People will ask why are you doing this when the economy’s not strong," he said. "That’s exactly when you should be doing it."

Lee Commission Chairman Ray Judah warned the council members if they want $25 million set aside they’ll have to fight for it.

"If I may, let me try to put this in perspective," he said.

Tax reforms and a tanking economy are expected to hack as much as $150 million off the county’s tax revenue, Judah said.

"There’s a certain faction in this community that has really admonished county commissioners for spending money like drunken sailors," he said. "And they say we’re a ‘tax and save’ entity that’s placed a heavy burden on taxpayers."

However, Judah said the set-aside could be an important step, and it’s a good thing the county has reserves available to grant the request.

"It’s good that Lee County government has the ability to consider and hopefully approve what you send us," he said.

Erik Jorgenson doesn’t necessarily agree. Jorgenson is a member of the Republican Executive Committee’s Golden Goose Committee, which has dissected the county budget and criticized commissioners just as Judah said. Jorgenson said he doesn’t know much about the Horizon Council, but the county shouldn’t have $25 million laying around to grant the request.

"If they want $25 million they should have to take it from another project and really justify it," he said. "It shows we do have bloated reserves."

Jorgenson points out that $25 million is almost $50 for every man, woman and child in Lee County.

"They’re digging into our pockets for $50 each. For a family of four that’s $200," he said. "That’s $25 million that should be sitting in our accounts, not theirs."

The argument, Horizon Council members say, is that drawing new, clean, high-paying employers here will benefit everyone.

"Communities that have won large organizations and brought clean, high-paying jobs have had land available, they’ve had a major economic commitment and they’ve had networking, with those in the community linking up with those looking to move in, educating them and encouraging them," said John Wiest of Lee Memorial Health System, and the Horizon Council’s vice chair. "This gives us all three legs of that stool."

Regina Smith, director of the county Economic Development Office, said local communities have contributed as much as $200 million to lure major employers.

"It’s money to close a deal," she said. "If we have a really good prospect we have the ability to close it."

Commissioners likely will discuss the idea during budget discussions beginning in June.