Bridget Ziegler Ignores Calls to Resign
I was talking with a family member and a friend who live in other parts of the country this week. They had seen the news coverage about the Zieglers controversy and footage from the recent […]
Cronyism
The Florida GOP, Loyalty and Elections
How the will of Sarasota County Republican voters was overturned in 2012 In 2012, Sarasota voters witnessed how important loyalty is to the Florida GOP. It was more important than the will of their voters, […]
Water Quality, Dark Money, & Bobby Jones Golf Course
This weekend word got out that a $1.5 million SWFMD (Southwest Florida Water Management District) grant for improving water quality in Sarasota was denied. That grant that was expected to be a slam dunk. SWFMD […]
Local Dark Money in Sarasota & Manatee
It’s election season! Soon voter mailboxes will be stuffed with PAC fliers. Who pays for these fliers? Finding out is difficult. Citizens United changed national elections. But in Sarasota & Manatee counties, PAC donors spend […]
Local Gerrymandering?
Gerrymander: (verb) to divide or arrange (an area) into political units to give special advantages to one group. In the Herald Tribune, Nancy Detert assures the public that the Sarasota County Commission is not working […]
Nothing to Hyde
I did not expect Martin Hyde to provide a full explanation of how he violated Florida election law. But that’s exactly what he did. […]
Choking Siesta Key, Squeezing Sarasota: There’s a Limit
Stickney Point & US 41 is the gateway to Siesta’s Key’s South Bridge, one of two access points to America’s #1 beach. Crippling the already choked intersection would damage residents and businesses on Siesta Key […]
Celery Fields Sell Out, Part II: The Designer Ordinance
Advocates for Sarasota’s celebrated birding and recreation park, the Celery Fields, gained a victory in June when the Planning Commission recommended the County deny James Gabbert’s petition to build an industrial waste recycling facility on […]
Bendersonville on the Ballot
Important Sarasota races will be decided on November 8th. As party lines blur nationally, local elections may be similar. Party affiliation may not be the best guide in identifying who will effectively steward our community, […]