VOTE411 Voter Guide

I am an 8th generation native Floridian that has lived in Manatee county for almost 40 years. I have been a proactive citizen in engaging with our Board of County Commissioners for many years on a variety of issues concerning the need for good governance and protection of our resources and environment. I have been a catalyst in the formation of informal groups, organizations and other individual means to educate, inform and involve the public to increase their knowledge and awareness of the policies, process and procedures under which we are governed and how our communities are formed. As a commissioner, my innate knowledge of the land and waters of our state, my tenure of residency in various parts of this county that provides a knowledge of its political history, and my desire and ability to communicate with the average citizen are the traits of an effective county commissioner and a true representative of the people.

I worked with many others to oppose the move of the Future Development Area Boundary (FDAB), as I did not believe the county or state was prepared to service this area with the infrastructure needed. Other concerns, such as protecting our watershed, the state park and agriculture were not addressed and our Land Development Code and Comprehensive plan were disregarded. The decision to reduce our wetland buffers to only meet the minimum state requirement was not the intent of the state’s law, nor applicable in practical means in a county with much more diversity than others in its wetland areas from saltwater mangroves, to brackish water estuaries to swamps and wet prairies. Public call in comments are a valuable tool to provide our citizens the right and ability to observe and engage directly with local government. Industries within our county should strive to ensure no harm to our environment, provide a livable wage and sustainable future.

1. Poorly planned growth. 2. Protection of our natural resources and American grown food products. 3. Affordable housing

The growth our county has experienced in the last four years has been unprecedented due to a variety of factors. Our Land Development Code and Comprehensive plan must serve as the Constitution of land use for proper planning, fiscal ability to provide services, and sustainability in the future. Amendments to the plan must maintain the integrity of the plan and must be reviewed in whole on a consistent and periodic basis. While our Manatee county commissioners do not control the international trade agreements that have negatively impacted the American farmer, we can provide local protections, incentives and balance growth with the need and ability to produce the agricultural products our nation and our communities require to sustain our health and independence in the future. A function of good governance is to ensure that growth is planned for the benefit of all.

I will take measures to ensure our citizens have every opportunity to engage with their elected officials, such as: make our Citizens Advisory Committees a more active and required part of any issue before the board pertinent to their cause or concern; extension of our newly created Citizens Academy into all parts of the county; timely communication of topics and action on the BOCC meeting agendas so concerned citizens can take part; communicating the policies, process and procedures necessary in what and how decisions are made. While a county commissioner cannot be expected to know every citizen in their 60,000 plus population in each district, my goal and only job is to be their commissioner and to make sure every citizen knows what district they are in and who their county commissioner, their first line of representation in our American government, is. The job is to work for the people, and their tax dollars, where they are the boss and the county commissioner is their employee.

I have several qualifications that make me the best choice for commissioner in District One. I have been a practicing attorney for over 18 years. The commissioner position requires an understanding of the laws, rules & ordinances. I am well versed in analyzing & understanding the legal requirements to handle the position. I am able to serve as a leader. I have served in several leadership positions over the years through my service on nonprofit boards, event planning, fundraising & as an employer. I am extremely organized & efficient. I am able to prioritize needs, multitask & delegate very efficiently to maximize accomplishing what needs to be completed. I am a good listener & problem solver. A commissioner needs to be willing & able to listen to the needs of any person that may reach out. Further, a plan must be formulated to accomplish those needs. My overall experience through many years in the legal field & through my vast amount of volunteer efforts makes me the best choice!

There are so many decisions I would change, and will attempt to revisit, when elected. The biggest and first would be the wetland buffers. I would reverse that ordinance. I would give the historical program back to the clerk of courts. I would reinstitute the pet store ban. I would revisit the wording regarding the "affiliation" language of non-profits and Planned Parenthood. I would have voted against several of the rezone projects, including the recent one in front of Harrison Ranch. I would absolutely have not allowed the movement past the FDAB line and would have not approved those projects there were past the line. These were clearly all decisions made to either help special interests or out of spite for political posturing. A commissioner is supposed to listen to the residents and businesses that live here and make decisions that support their quality of life. I will do that!

I actually have five goals to accomplish when I become commissioner. The top three for me would be: (1) future planning of infrastructure; (2) addressing environmental and conservation concerns, and (3) transparency, ethics and community outreach.

I will address conservation/environmental concerns as I was asked to choose one. First, I would work with ELMAC to secure more funding, more bonding and more grants to maximize the properties purchased for conservation efforts. Second, I would move to reverse Ordinance No 23-66 and bring back wetland buffer protection. Third, I would stop selling our water to Sarasota to conserve water for Manatee County. Fourth, I would meet with other outlets such as FPL and Peace River to determine costs and other options for water sources. Fifth, I will vote against projects that cause adverse outcomes or negative impacts to the quality of life for the people, businesses and animals who currently live in Manatee County.

I began my efforts to learn everything I could about the county a few years ago. I completed Leadership Manatee in 22/23 which focused on many different areas of the county such as industrial, medical, law enforcement, education, government, non-profit & agricultural. The tours we took & the amount of information we learned was invaluable to understanding all the many facets of the county. Additionally, I have recently been touring places such as FPL, Piney Point and ER Operations Center to learn the ins & outs of all the facilities for the county. Knowledge is power & the more I know the better I can educate the public about what is happening where they live. I also have several more tours scheduled in upcoming weeks. As commissioner, I will hold townhalls, answer every email & address any questions. I will be available by phone, email, in person, via Zoom to make sure all needs are met. I will conduct surveys on topics of concern & bring back call-in citizens' comments & FB comments.

As a broadcast journalist for more than 35 years in major U.S. cities, I have witnessed firsthand the workings of county and municipal governments, and have seen the disastrous results when elected officials put the needs and concerns of special interest groups and individual agendas ahead of the will of the voters. Being a careful listener, knowing how to effectively research issues and being a critical thinker enabled me to report on government activities accurately and objectively, and expose corruption. Then efficiently communicating, at times complex findings in a clear and understandable way allowed my viewers to recognize facts that were purposely hidden from view by less than honest politicians. The skills developed during those years are the skills that will make me an effective Commissioner and trustworthy representative of the residents of Manatee County District 1. I am proud to have been endorsed by Florida NOW (Florida National Organization for Women).

I would revisit the protection of our wetlands. When residents, scientists and environmental activists came together last year to urge commissioners to keep local protections intact, they chose to side with the Manatee-Sarasota Building Association and defer local wetland rules to meet the state minimum, cutting the buffer zone in half. It will make algal blooms and red tide worse. Just another example of commissioners pledging their allegiance to the land developers who line their campaign coffers, over Manatee County residents.

1. Managing growth 2. Improving infrastructure 3. Protecting our environment

There are many approaches to managing growth in Manatee County, and having sufficient funds to prepare for the impact of that growth is of paramount importance. The board had before it a chance to increase impact fees to a level that would have allowed Manatee County to tackle long promised and much needed road projects and intersection safety improvements without burdening taxpayers. But the overwhelming opposition to raising fees to the level needed to protect the existing residents of Manatee County won out. It is true that the State Legislature has decided that impact fees can only be increased every 4 years and at only 50% of the current fee level. However, other counties that are experiencing high growth, just as we are, have increased their fees 100%, justifying it by a supermajority vote and a "demonstrated needs study." This current board's vote was disappointing yet unsurprising.

I will connect by listening to county residents. Meeting face-to-face during the campaign and after I'm elected to office is my pledge to voters. I want to address the concerns of all my constituents, regardless of party affiliation. When the focus is on the issues that truly matter to residents, the cultural issues that divide us fade into the background , allowing us to work together to solve the problems that affect us all. I will arrange periodic community gatherings to hear directly from District 1 residents to ensure that I am their advocate at every turn.