In The News

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.

Twenty-five years ago, the Sarasota School Board, at the behest of a widely disliked Superintendent, decided to sneak a special referendum on a ballot for July for an additional millage. The school system was on the verge of financial ruin and more money is all the School Board and Superintendent cared about.