In The News

In the wake of recent events, there has been a call for unity nationwide and the ability to have conversations even if you disagree. Here in Sarasota, the collective community has been having productive conversations for a while, but peaceful discussion is not sensational enough to cover in the news, and it does not generate clicks and likes.

The affordable housing shortage is a market problem and that is usually very much forgotten in land use decisions at the Planning Commission level and at the City and County Commission level. A part of the market problem is the costs involved in financing and building a project. It’s about a brutal economic reality that makes seasoned developers run the other direction: the numbers simply don’t work.

The Sarasota City Commission appropriately hit the reset button last month on their City Manager Search. It was the right thing to do, and at the right time.

When a city commissioner steps into office, commissioners must rely on staff for the expertise of their departments, as commissioners usually are dealing with issues they have limited time to learn about. This is where the commissioners learn to trust staff, but verify, and learn their role in accountability of government.