It’s hard to have a debate when your opponents don’t show up. But the candidates in the Manatee Tiger Bay municipal elections debate who did show up today treated the audience to an intelligent and productive discussion of local issues concerning Bradenton, Palmetto, Holmes Beach, and Manatee County more broadly. Manatee Tiger Bay president Xtavia Bailey moderated the forum at the Kiwanis Hall of the Manatee Performing Arts Center.

The following is a brief summary of points from their opening remarks and responses to questions in the debate, as well as other information I could quickly find on the web about their races.

Thomas Schwarz — Candidate for Bradenton City Council, Ward 3 (downtown Bradenton, Wares Creek)

Schwarz introduced himself as a 30-year-old, 22-year resident of Bradenton with a background in hospitality and communications. He says he graduated from Manatee High School, and got a BA from USF in Sarasota. He says that his strong suit is working with people, which he thinks fits the needs of the position well and offers something different to a city operation already staffed with attorneys, administrators, etc. He believes he is a strong candidate because he could be an “accurate” representative of the kinds of people who live in Ward 3, including creatives in the Village of the Arts and the type of people you see at the Farmer’s Market in downtown Bradenton.

In his bid for office, he says he would like to address gaps in communications and cohesiveness between city departments. When there are gaps, he says, it costs investors and residents time and money. He wants to work on traffic and development issues, which he says are similar to issues in the county, and in the city, too, they could better use land. Another priority for Schwarz is addressing the needs of small businesses. He says he wants to be an “events guy” and stressed how important big events like BAM!Fest (Bradenton Art & Music Festival) and the 4th of July are to small businesses in Bradenton, some of whom make much of their revenue on exactly those days. He would like to promote more events like that and find different reasons to open businesses here.

Schwarz sees the city moving in the right direction but wants to make further progress. He cited the city council’s work with a college from Pittsburgh as a positive step to create more workforce opportunities. Schwarz noted problems in the district with flooding and natural drainage. He says that with high tides, you sometimes see fish and water coming up through the sewers. For traffic, he wanted to promote inter-connectivity and multimodal transportation across the River Walk. He said the city should also take a look at traffic systems and dynamic lighting; he aims to become “best friends” with FDOT and other partners to improve traffic. Schwarz hoped the Bradenton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) would continue to provide incentives to create new and different spaces. For example, Schwarz would like to see more “third spaces,” or places outside one’s work and home where people can hang out, citing Oscura, a performance space in Bradenton, as a model.

When asked about Amendment 3 on the ballot in November, a measure which would reduce homestead property tax but also gut revenue to local communities, he said he was glad voters would have the opportunity to vote on the issue themselves. Schwarz said that if the city council needed to make cuts, he would prioritize essential services such as fire, EMS, and police. But he also warned about the scope of potential cuts. He says these cuts could affect infrastructure for water and roads, and worried about the impact on the CRA and incentives and grants for small businesses. He also says that sales taxes could increase instead statewide to make up for revenue, and we could even see small businesses die as a result, which could “hurt our local culture.”

Schwarz’s opponent is incumbent Kemp Schuessler, a 60-year-old insurance agent who was appointed to the position in July 2025 to fill out the term after the sitting council member became police chief. Schuessler has raised just over $10,000 for the race as of the last reporting deadline, and Schwarz has raised about half that, but with a large number of small, individual donors. The race is officially nonpartisan, but Schuessler is registered as a Republican and Schwarz is registered as NPA (and former Democrat).

Lisa Gonzalez Moore — Bradenton City Council Member, Ward 4 (northeast Bradenton)

Moore is the incumbent city council member running for reelection in Ward 4, a district in northeast Bradenton that she explains as spanning the banks of the Manatee River and encompassing the oldest and newest areas of the city. Moore says she has lived in Manatee County for 24 years and raised four children here. She is a real-estate attorney who relocated her law practice to downtown Bradenton and has served on a variety of nonprofit boards. If reelected, she would like to build on the momentum the city council has built, as well as relationships she has developed with fellow council members, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, the Bradenton Area EDC (Economic Development Corporation), and Realize Bradenton.

Moore notes that infrastructure has been a major concern for her and she says she has been aggressive in grant procurement. The city hired a consultant to help with water reclamation and treatment and they are working to modernize the system. Moore says they have made progress with wastewater, but in the next phase they need to tackle potable and stormwater; the three types of water systems are all related, she says.

The problems are serious, she explains, because her ward is still recuperating from the 2024 hurricane season. Because the district lies right along the river, people got inundated from flooding, and she even had three feet of flooding in her own home. Moore notes that some housing units are still vacant and others are struggling to maintain their property. Moore says that on the city council, we can’t “build our way out of another Helene,” but we can mitigate water daily. Moore notes that you have to work with water, and you can’t fight against it.

Moore touted her work on economic redevelopment, connecting the eastern part of the city with other parts as the Riverwalk and downtown. She would like to see more walkable and bikeable pathways into downtown through the Riverwalk, as well as more advocacy with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for better roads. Moore says that neighborhoods that are adjacent to downtown can add to the resident headcount, which can encourage businesses to develop there because they will know they have a local resident base to support them. The ward has been increasing the number of apartments and condominiums and moving the needle on affordable housing, she says. Moore notes that the city of Bradenton, including Ward 4, have a different demographic than Manatee County overall and they need to think about that demographic and they city should have a vision for what they want to build. She would like Ward 4 to be a gateway to the city as a destination, to invest in the workforce, and encourage higher education in the city.

When asked about Amendment 3 on the ballot in November, Moore demurred, saying that she was “obligated” to say that as a sitting official that she is prohibited from advocating one way or another. I respect that stance to an extent in light of actual malfeasance found by a Florida grand jury reported yesterday regarding the Hope Florida charity scandal. In that case, Florida officials funneled Medicaid dollars from a legal settlement to political organizations that expended public funds to advocate against constitutional ballot amendments. But I can’t find any prohibitions on simple speech acts as individuals, and plenty of local officials have weighed in across the state on Amendment 3. That said, Moore encouraged people to find information resources such as the local chamber of commerce and the Florida League of Cities for more information about the potential impact. Moore expressed that she was concerned about the large number of renters, in particular, in Ward 4 who would be more heavily hit because they wouldn’t benefit from homestead tax exemptions. At the same time, she acknowledged that concerns of residents who worry about housing affordability are valid.

Moore faces challenger Keith Green, a property manager and member of the Bradenton City Planning Commission who reportedly moved to the city in 2020. Moore has raised nearly $27,000 as of the last reporting period, while Green has raised about $1,600. Both candidates in this nonpartisan race are registered Republicans.

Sheldon Jones — Candidate for Palmetto City Commission, Ward 2

The candidate introduced himself as Sheldon “The Mailman” Jones, a lifelong resident of Palmetto affiliated with the Shannon family and Jones family in Bradenton. After graduating from high school locally, Jones says he served in the military, got married to his wife of now 26 years, started a business, became a mailman, and just retired. Jones says he was a former commissioner at-large, former CRA chair, and former vice-mayor in 2020. He lives in Ward 2, where he says he has heart and compassion, and knows people from his years delivering the mail in the district. Jones claims that local residents need a strong advocate and leader, someone like himself who will answer emails and phone calls and get to work, not just attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

Jones explains that he has three areas of focus in his campaign: 1) critical infrastructure; 2) strengthening and supporting small businesses; and 3) revitalizing downtown Palmetto. Jones says that the Palmetto City Commission has a lot of work to do. He says that people think of Palmetto as a “pass-through” and many don’t know where downtown is. But Jones says that they have made progress, including from his years of service on the commission, and have been working to improve Main Street. Jones noted that the city needs to figure out a better solution for parking, in particular, which is important for businesses. He says that he proposed a parking garage in 2020.

Jones notes that the city has faced budget crunches and, as with the city of Bradenton, Palmetto has issues with the sewer system and water treatment plant. Jones commented that the plant has operated at capacity and they have had issues with manholes near canals getting blown out. Jones says they did a study from 2022-2023, but that they haven’t made much progress since that time. Areas have gotten flooded out too many times. He says this infrastructure work should have happened a long time ago.

Jones argues that Palmetto needs to continue to grow and while they have added some housing capacity, including a couple of retirement homes, it’s been a small percentage increase over the last twenty years. Jones says that they need Palmetto’s downtown to thrive and to strengthen small businesses so that people will want to go downtown. Jones wants to continue to work with the CRA. He says they expanded their map and have incentive programs for new businesses, but that they also need to strengthen and keep existing businesses.

Jones expressed concern about Amendment 3 on the ballot in November. He says that if it passes, Palmetto could experience a big strain. If it passes, Jones says that he would prioritize projects like Patriot Park, which already had a groundbreaking. He says that, in general, it would become hard to fund projects already started, and it could even be hard to recruit people to fill vacancies in Parks and Recreation, for example.

Jones faces incumbent Palmetto City Commissioner Sunshine Joiner, a longtime Palmetto resident who has worked in a variety of fields. Jones has raised nearly $6,000 in the race by the end of the last reporting period, to Joiner’s nearly $5,000. Joiner’s treasurer and deputy treasurers are all based in Tallahassee. The election is officially a nonpartisan race, but both candidates are currently registered Republicans. Jones both won and lost as a registered Democrat in previous bids for the city commission.

David Zaccagnino — Candidate for Holmes Beach Mayor, Anna Maria Island

Zaccagnino introduced himself as a former Holmes Beach commission mayor and vice-mayor who has survived two Cat-4 hurricanes. He says he has lived on Holmes Beach, the biggest city on Anna Maria Island, for 29 years and raised his three kids here. They attended AMI Elementary, King, and Manatee High School. Zaccagnino says he originally grew up in Tampa, and graduated from FSU with bachelor’s degrees in geology and chemistry, also earning an MBA. Zaccagnino says he has worked in the financial services industry, first with Goldman Sachs and now with Raymond James in their St. Pete downtown office; he spends a few nights a week in St. Pete as part of his work routine.

Zaccagnino paints a picture of extreme changes over the years on Anna Maria Island. He says that taxes have gone up, while the population has gone down. He says it’s an island, but they can’t be an island onto themselves. They constantly get streams of tourists visiting Florida, as well as local residents coming from new developments in places like Lakewood Ranch, where they always advertise pictures of local beach communities. He says they need to work with the city and state to move forward. He appreciates the new water taxi, which has allowed people to come to the island conveniently and affordably, and he notes that visitors often spend a lot of money on the island when they are there.

One of the biggest changes on the islands, Zaccagnino notes, is that they now have almost 2,000 AirBNBs, and that’s just on Holmes Beach, not the island as a whole. He says that some of these places are 12-bedroom mega-mansions paying up to $50-60,000 in taxes, while he’s paying $3,000 in property taxes. He notes that with the growth of vacation rental homes, many residents and small business owners are leaving, but at the same time they are having growth issues such as traffic, infrastructure, and quality of life. He says that the norm now, for many small businesses and nonprofits, is to move to northwest Bradenton. Labor has become a limiting factor on the island. But he says he wants to make sure they keep providing services to businesses because they want to keep the small-business character of the island and don’t want residents to have to go over the bridge for errands.

On Amendment 3, Zaccagnino says he is predicting and “almost afraid” of Amendment 3 because it will change all their carefully crafted budgets and much about the amendment’s potential impacts remains unknown. Zaccagnino predicts the measure will pass because voters like tax cuts. Holmes Beach doesn’t have many homesteaded properties on the island, though, due to all the vacation rentals. Of the $3,000 in property taxes that Zaccagnino personally pays, he notes that only about 10% of it goes to Holmes Beach, and the rest goes to the county, schools, etc. He says they are the only community left practically where it’s free to go to the beach and use the boat ramp. He sees families struggling and wants to continue to provide that level of accessibility, but notes that it would become more difficult if Amendment 3 passes. He says he thinks of the local residents and 1,500 registered voters there first, but says they also need to think of the whole picture, including visitors.

The incumbent mayor decided not to run for reelection, creating an open seat. Zaccagnino’s opponent, Holmes Beach Commissioner Daniel Diggins, filed to run for mayor the day the incumbent mayor made her retirement announcement. As of the last reporting period, Diggins has raised about $2,500 to Zaccagnino’s $500. The race is officially nonpartisan. Zaccagnino is currently registered as an NPA voter. Diggins is registered as a Republican.

Life works in mysterious ways.

For one, I never expected to be writing this story.

You see, when I ran for Florida State House in 2018 as a Democrat in Manatee & Sarasota Counties in a district that Trump won by 25 points, in a campaign that one journalist called “quixotic,” I never imagined that my one-time Republican opponent, Tommy Gregory, would take a centerpiece idea of my campaign and help make it happen eight years later.

Hats off to him, and to the entire Manatee County Commission.

Because a “gosh-darn good idea,” as I also called it in a speech to Manatee Tiger Bay the summer after concluding my campaign, is just a gosh-darn good idea.

I campaigned on free college tuition for at least a two-year degree program, to include public community and technical colleges. Manatee County, as with most of the country, needs education and workforce development support. And people need to know that the help is there sometimes before they will even reach out for it.

I’m sure that some people thought I was crazy advocating for a “free” program for predominantly young people in a conservative district with a high population of retirees. I was the only person in the area publicly advocating for the idea at the time.

My opponent debated me several times and clashed with my ideas.

And I lost that 2018 election by a mile.

The next summer, Manatee Tiger Bay invited me to speak on free college education as part of a “debate.” I titled my speech, “Let’s Make a Manatee Miracle.” I labored over my speech to make a crazy idea sound as beautiful and sane as possible.

I pointed out that Tennessee, a ruby-red state, had advanced a free-college program with bipartisan support and led by a Republican governor. I suggested that the “last-dollar” model of funding that they used was practical and preferred. That is, the “last dollar” of funding only kicks in after all other scholarships and grants, including federal aid, have been applied. I challenged the Tiger Bay audience and said that Manatee County could be a leader and pioneer with community partnerships to make it happen.

In fact, that’s how it happened in Tennessee — their statewide free-college program began at the local level.

Never would I have imagined that the Manatee County Commission and a local institution would some day team up to model exactly that.

Today the Commission approved a program called the Suncoast Prosper Scholarship Fund to put $7.5 million toward ensuring that every eligible local student can enroll in SCF tuition-free. According to a Manatee County government press release, the program will support over 1,400 students. The program will begin in Fall 2027 and be open to 2027 and 2028 graduates of Manatee County schools: public, private, homeschool, you name it.

No one gave me a heads up about what Manatee County was doing or what SCF was doing. Not even my erstwhile opponent. Certainly not him?

I’ve been critical of politicians taking positions at public colleges and universities, but credit where it’s due: attorney Tommy Gregory, after retiring from the Florida State House, helped make this initiative happen as president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.

With the Suncoast Prosper Scholarship Program, the Manatee County Commission and SCF are even using the last-dollar model of funding.

With so much going wrong with higher education in the Suncoast region, it’s hopeful to see one thing going right.

The tagline on my email for years has been a quote from my political hero, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone of Minnesota: “Education and democracy have the same goal: the fullest possible development of human capabilities.”

Doing things to support the advancement of public higher education isn’t socialist collectivism, it’s community success.

In an era of partisan rancor and division, some might even say, a miracle.

The District 6 countywide commission race was surprisingly close. Tara Poulton, district chief for Rep. Vern Buchanan, won the GOP primary with about 38% of the vote. Ed Ference and John Calovich split the anti-development vote, but mustered about 48% of the vote between the two of them, showing still strong countywide sentiment wary of overdevelopment. Somehow another candidate got 14% despite two domestic violence-related arrests during the course of the campaign. Poulton will face Democrat Reggie Bellamy in the November general election.

STATE HOUSE RACES: The State Houses were already firmly in GOP establishment hands and that continues after today’s GOP primary results. Any ripples of local discontent about erasure of home rule and SB 180 that tied the hands of the Manatee County Commission to limit local development were washed away in a sea of mailers that landed in Republican mailboxes.

• FL 71: Jordan Varnadore easily beat Melton Little and Dylan Modarelli in the GOP primary to follow Rep. Will Robinson, Jr., who is term-limited out of the House. (Guess switching parties from Democratic to Republican didn’t help Little get elected.) Varnadore will face Democrat Ocean Fitts in the general election.

• FL 72: Developer darling Bill Conerly easily beat John “Captain” Phillips, who wanted more growth management. Conerly will face Democrat Harvey Shifrin in the general election.

• FL 70: GOP incumbent Michael Owen did not face a primary challenge. He will face Democrat Luther Wilkins in the November election.

STATE SENATE RACES: No surprises here, but further consolidation of the GOP establishment in those races. Democratic challengers are not widely known and face a significant uphill battle.

• SD 22: Sen. Jim Boyd, the GOP incumbent, cruised with no opponent, and stands positioned to become Senate President in the future if he wins. Gerald Baldi, a leader of the No Kings protests on Cortez, won a contested Democratic primary to take on Boyd. This district spans both Manatee and Hillsborough Counties.

• SD 20: Rep. James Buchanan (Vern’s son) won his GOP primary over Vic Rohe, a “medical freedom” proponent on the Sarasota Hospital Board. Buchanan will face Democrat Lew Wasserman and NPA candidate Martin Hyde, a well-known figure in Sarasota politics, in this race that spans Sarasota and a sliver of Manatee.

MANATEE SCHOOL BOARD RACES ON TO NOVEMBER: Two contested races for Manatee School Board will go on to November; in District 4, incumbent Chad Choate won reelection without opposition. These are nonpartisan races in which the party ties and support of the candidates is often well-known.

• In District 2 (Palmetto and Bradenton urban core), incumbent Republican-backed Cindy Spray will face Democratic-backed challenger Dr. Sharon Jefferson, a longtime educator and community leader in the district.

• In District 5 (Lakewood Ranch and east county), two Republican-backed candidates, Cam Bedinghaus and Dr. Jonathan Mullis, will face off in November. This was a squeaker of an election under low turnout conditions. Democratic-backed Chantal Wilford came in third, but there were fewer than 1,000 votes separating the first- and third-placing candidates. I personally campaigned for Wilford, who I thought would be a fantastic choice. For Democratic voters, the best option is now clearly Jonathan Mullis and I hereby endorse him. Bedinghaus aligns himself with the far-right culture warrior faction of the GOP.

Low Turnout: The final voter turnout reported at the end of the night by the Manatee SOE was about 30%.

Reprecincting Nightmare: Unbeknownst to political parties, candidates, and many voters, the Manatee SOE office had changed several precinct polling locations. Apparently they sent out letters informing people who were affected, but many voters did not realize that they had changed. The Manatee SOE website, moreover, was not updated with the new polling locations as recently as the afternoon before the election. Once informed about the website issue, the SOE office quickly updated the information. But how many voters went to the wrong location on Tuesday? How many will continue to be confused in November? Manatee County has a history of reprecincting depressing turnout, however; a UF study found that under the previous SOE Mike Bennett, precinct changes disproportionately and negatively affected the turnout of Hispanic and Democratic voters.

Otherwise Well-Run Elections: From what I saw, however, the elections seemed well run. I served as a credential poll watcher for the Manatee Democrats at two polling locations. I observed proper procedures being followed and voters’ rights being respected. I voted early at the Marble Recreation Center and had no problem there. I didn’t hear of other significant problems or issues beyond the reprecincting challenges (and those are big ones).

SARASOTA COUNTY

School board flips: The Sarasota school board now is under control of Democratic-backed candidates after Megan Tennimon (an NPA voter) and Beth Mayberry (a Democratic voter) were elected; Democratic-backed Tom Edwards and Liz Barker are already on the board. The remaining Democratic-backed candidate, Jimmy Glover, will continue to a runoff in November against Republican-backed Heidi Brandt. Three Republican-backed incumbents chose not to run for reelection, setting the stage for the FLIP. The results are notable in a district that was a hotbed for Moms for Liberty-style activism in previous cycles.

STATEWIDE RESULTS

Democratic Senate Upset: Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon won a shocker against the much better-funded Alex Vindman, a veteran who was the whistleblower in the first Trump impeachment hearing. Nixon was a strong campaigner and Vindman was… not. He was dismissive toward Nixon by not being willing to debate her, instead trying to make early inroads with Republican voters. Nixon will bring grassroots energy to the Democratic ticket in November, which is a huge plus. But Sen. Ashley Moody will be tough to knock off. Yes, she was appointed US Senator rather than elected, BUT she has historically had strong appeal with the Florida electorate. In 2018, no one got more statewide votes than Moody did.

Florida Governor’s Race Showdown: Democrat David Jolly and Republican Byron Donalds easily cleared their fields, but Donalds failed to crack 50% in his race, performing especially poorly in the Florida panhandle. GOP Lt. Governor Jay Collins fell far short but had the strongest second showing at close to a quarter of the vote. Something to watch is how far-right populist James Fishback surged with young male GOP voters, even though he ended up with just over 10% of the votes. Anecdotally, I’ve heard a small fraction of Collins and even Fishback voters may actually vote for Jolly over Donalds in November. Could the horseshoe effect help put Jolly over the top in a close race, even beyond his appeal to the moderate middle?

LET’S TALK ABOUT CONGRESS

Notable Tampa Bay-Area Congressional Races:

• CD-16: In Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, and other more rural counties that joined the new CD-16, Trump-endorsed Sydney Gruters, the wife of RNC Chair Joe Gruters, handily won the GOP primary in the reconfigured district. Former Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner, who has lived or worked across much of the sprawling district, handily won the Democratic primary amidst a diverse crowd of strong contenders vying to replace Rep. Buchanan. This will be a challenging pickup opportunity for the Democrats, but Kirschner is a go-getter campaigner tapping into hot-button local issues such as overdevelopment and the New College debacle that cost USF Sarasota-Manatee its campus. He’s also more unscripted than several previous Democrats who ran, offering a fresh voice to voters who may be *very very very* sick of Trump by November. Who will want another Trump rubber-stamp in Congress when we are still fighting a war against Iran, and paying high gas and food prices as a result? Who will want another Trump rubber-stamp when we are worrying about how to fund seniors’ social security and Medicare due to Trump and Rep. Vern Buchanan blowing the budget with tax cuts for billionaires? This race has legs, but expect Gruters to go all in on xenophobia due to Kirschner’s longstanding laudable work on behalf of immigrants in the community.

• CD-14: In Hillsborough County in CD-14, Democratic incumbent Rep. Kathy Castor will face Republican Mike Beltran, which Gov. DeSantis redrew as a gerrymander to try to win more seats for Republicans. But Castor has high name recognition and many years of service so it will be a tough race no matter what. Could it be a “dummymander” instead?

• CD-13: In Pinellas and Pasco Counties in CD-13, Republican incumbent Anna Paulina Luna (Russia’s favorite Congresswoman) will face Democrat Leela Gray, a veteran, small business leader, and strong fundraiser with Democratic establishment backing.

• CD-12: In Hillsborough and Pasco Countiesin CD-12, former Hillsborough County Commissioner Kim Overman won a closely contested Democratic primary against an opponent with national endorsements to take on Rep. Gus Bilirakis in November.

• CD-15: In Hillsborough, Pasco, Citrus, and Hernando Counties in CD-15, Democrat Robert People won a contested primary to take on incumbent GOP Rep. Laurel Lee.

DESANTIS DOESN’T WANT YOU TO FORGET HIM! On ELECTION DAY, of all days, Gov. DeSantis conducted his 13th capital execution; he also attended a higher education roundtable at New College of Florida in Sarasota with a press conference. He seems to want to impress that he is still the governor and calling the shots for now, unwilling to let any Republican, even the next gubernatorial nominee, upstage him. Expect him to flex at every opportunity until Jolly is sworn in.

Today I attended the Manatee Tiger Bay debate for County Commission races 4 (south county) and 6 (countywide) at the Manatee Performing Arts Center’s Kiwanis Hall. Manatee Tiger Bay president Xtavia Bailey moderated.

District 4 is currently represented by Republican incumbent Mike Rahn, a favorite of development interests who did not attend the debate.

District 6 is currently represented by Republican incumbent Jason Bearden, who is not running for reelection. All the Republican candidates showed up for the District 6 debate. Democrat Reggie Bellamy, a former Manatee County Commissioner, was invited but did not attend.

Candidates overwhelmingly said they want to at least slow growth to make sure infrastructure is in place, protect law enforcement and emergency services from cuts, and ensure a long-lasting supply of clean water for Manatee County.

Key differences emerged on topics such as AI data centers and Amendment 3, the statewide ballot initiative in November that would substantially reduce homestead property taxes; here is where the candidates showed their willingness to buck the Republican Party and big business interests – or not.

Why are county commission races even partisan in the first place? I’ve often thought that they shouldn’t be partisan elections because most of the issues the county commission deals with are everyday service issues that don’t have a strong partisan character.

But the answers given in the debate today and the political networks supporting the candidates make these elections, for now at least, inextricably partisan affairs, even in ways that the school board elections are not. It makes a difference that school board candidates, for example, are not locked into closed partisan primary elections and have to try to win over large cross-partisan voting publics, even when they do have party ties or support.

During the audience Q&A portion of the debate, Betty Lou Rhodes hit the nail on the head when she asked how the candidates would handle pressures from their political party and interest groups. Candidates were quick to reassure but true political courage and leadership is rare and past experience in managing these tensions is most likely to predict future results.

THE CANDIDATES

Here’s a recap of candidate responses to their opening and closing statements, as well as responses during the debate itself.

DISTRICT 4 — SOUTH COUNTY

Glen Gibellina — Gibellina introduced himself as “Glen ‘Gadfly’ Gibellina,” referring to his 18 years of personal advocacy at the dais before the Manatee County Commission. He asked the audience how their life has improved over the last four years; he believes the county is moving in the wrong direction and criticized his opponent for running from debates. Gibellina wants to hold developers accountable and stand up for quality of life by listening to the people; he cited examples of poor treatment of citizens at the county commission who have come to share their thoughts and says we can learn a lot from those citizens and should respect them. He touted his preparedness for the role in earning a credential in county commissioner training from the Florida Association of Counties that most sitting commissioners do not have yet.

Gibellina is a critic of overdevelopment and state control, and a longtime advocate for affordable housing. He criticized the Live Local Act and the Florida legislature’s SB 180 for “taking the legs out” from local government. Gibellina noted that other counties are suing the state and suggested that Manatee should join the fight. He thinks it was a mistake when the county commission voted to decrease wetlands setbacks; he says he would increase them, if he could, to 100 feet, like they have in Orlando. Gibellina has served on the Manatee Affordable Housing Advisory Board and criticizes the board’s slow approach to bringing more affordable housing to the county. Gibellina also called himself an “old hippie from the 70s” and talked about his interest in improving sustainability across the county.

DISTRICT 6 — COUNTYWIDE

John Calovich – Calovich introduced himself as a Manatee County resident for six years who wants to give back to people. He wants to “stop the building” and put a moratorium on new development. He says he wants to figure out a better plan for infrastructure on Day One to improve roads, traffic, etc. He said he lives off Lorraine Road and it now takes 20-25 minutes to get to SR 64 and SR 70, whereas it was a much quicker trip even six years ago when he moved here. He worries about how EMS services will get to people in need with emergencies with traffic like this. So, looking forward, he says we need infrastructure in place before developers build new developments. Calovich criticized the development of “too many car washes” and expressed concern for possible future water scarcity in Manatee County. He also wants to restore the wetlands buffer. He hopes new affordable housing is built in existing developed areas and near bus transit, rather than from new development construction.

On budget questions, Calovich touted his background owning businesses, from Kansas City, Missouri to a swimming pool company here in Florida. He studied at the University of Kansas, according to his Facebook page, and he mentioned that he recently drove his daughter to KU, which she is attending on a scholarship; he also has a few campaign contributions from people he knows in Kansas. Calovich has managed over 150 employees and says he always has felt responsibility for his employees. He also encouraged people to help look out for their neighbors and talked about how impressed he was when he saw CERT teams responsible for emergency services in Lakewood Ranch.

Tara Poulton – Poulton talked about her depth of experience in Manatee County and public service, starting with working on human services with United Way in Manatee and later working in government offices at the local, state, and federal levels. She says she has helped people solve problems with “boots on the ground.” Though she did not mention it specifically, she is currently serving as District Chief of Staff for Rep. Vern Buchanan. She also has been involved with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce, serving on the board and as the VP of public policy, giving her an understanding of the needs of small business. She touts her record of service to the community on many boards. She is a graduate of Leadership Manatee, where she met her husband Bill. She says she has the experience, strong relationships, and fiscal conservatism that prepare her to be a county commissioner.

Poulton’s top issues are affordability, saying that homeowners deserve relief; slowing the growth and making sure infrastructure keeps pace with development; and general quality of life in Manatee County. She says the county needs to rely more on advisory boards such as the Manatee Affordable Housing Board and talk to Planning Commission members; she described the Live Local Act as a “mess.” Poulton has five years of experience working with SWFMD and spoke of wanting to diversify the county water supply; at present, two-thirds of drinking water comes from Lake Manatee. She noted that Manatee is a founding member of the Peace River Water Authority, that Manatee is currently selling water to Sarasota County, and that she hopes that the county will not sell water to Hillsborough in the future. Poulton explained her experience managing budgets by citing her experience managing divisions with DeSoto County government, marveling at all they can do on a shoestring budget.

In her closing statement, Poulton noted that she is the only woman on the stage, from which she draws a sense of purpose; she says she is strong, driven, understanding, and competent and hopes that people will “vote for a working mom like me.” I’ve had only pleasant and helpful interactions with Poulton in her various capacities and could see her smoothly transitioning into a county commissioner role. Yet on the “working mom” comment, I’ll say that at least she has a lot of resources to help manage the difficult balance. If elected, Poulton would easily become the wealthiest member of the Manatee BoCC, based on available financial disclosures.

Tony Barrett – Barrett began by saying he needed to address the “elephant in the room,” his personal struggles that resulted in getting arrested twice on domestic violence-related charges, adding to an already difficult campaign. He surprisingly cited his experience in jail as giving him a greater perspective, saying others on the stage with him don’t know what it’s like to be incarcerated and that he would like to have a conversation with Sheriff Rick Wells about conditions in the jail. Barrett says that what happened to him is a personal matter and still under investigation; he says he cares about the person he lived with and wishes her well. He urged greater support for people who are struggling with domestic violence situation, as he met people in jail who were there for the same “horrible thing” as him.

Barrett has served as a fire commissioner and head of the Sarasota-Manatee Realtor Association. He touted his experience managing a $32 million budget with the fire commission, engaging in union negotiations, and managing a fleet of trucks. He also said that he started a nonprofit group to support veterans. Barrett’s top issues are emergency services (which he noted are not recognized as an essential service in the state of Florida and therefore not properly reimbursed during hurricanes); housing affordability; and managing county wants vs. needs, especially if Amendment 3 passes.

Barrett is wary about stopping growth; he says that if you stop it, people will just go elsewhere, and then find jobs and spend money elsewhere. He says the county made a mistake by not doing enough building during the pandemic, but since then, they are trying to catch up and they failed to think about the infrastructure they need. He cited Lakewood Ranch as the “best master-planned community” where traffic is not as bad because of proper planning. Barrett also cited many relationships and conversations he has had with state lawmakers to lobby for community priorities and noted that the Live Local Act (LLA) had some good points, including home down payment assistance for qualifying residents; Barrett said he lobbied for LLA and it has only been used about three times in Manatee County.

Ed Ference – Ference introduced himself as a longtime resident of Manatee County, who has many male relatives in law enforcement in the county and who has personally served 30 years working for county government on infrastructure residents depend on. He says that he works in upper management in Manatee County government today to make sure people’s water is safe and that wastewater is managed in an environmentally responsible way. He said that he’s a Christian, married for 34 years to his wife, and a father. He says that with his experience, he will be ready to go on Day One.

Ference says that his top issues are overdevelopment, infrastructure, and the county’s wasteful spending. He says that overdevelopment has caused the traffic and other infrastructure problems that we have. He wants to control the growth and seek future growth that pays for itself. To cut the budget, he recommends that the county manage more functions itself rather than privatizing them and paying more to outside firms than what could be done in-house. Ference cited his experience managing budgets in his work for the City of Bradenton, as well as for Manatee County government, where he had oversight over seven different departments. He cited concerns with aquifers going dry and talked about the importance of sustainability measures.

AI DATA CENTERS

In the audience Q&A portion of the debate, Sari Lindroos-Valimaki, Democratic candidate for Manatee County Commission District 1, asked a question about the comprehensive plan, a topic that hadn’t come up in the debate or any of the candidate responses, as well as about AI data centers. The answers reflected a surprising diversity of opinion.

Tony Barrett was the only strongly pro-data center candidate. He acknowledged that they take energy and water, but says we will need AI data centers “to keep up with other countries.”

Glen Gibellina and Ed Ference were the strongest voices against data centers. Gibellina said we don’t know the long-term effects of harmonics from data centers; right now, he says, some people near them can’t sleep properly.

Tara Poulton and John Calovich didn’t completely rule them out but were far from enthusiastic. Poulton said “AI is the future” but she has “big concerns about data centers.” She says that we need data centers in general, but maybe there is a better place for them outside of Manatee County. Calovich said that data centers are “not good right now for Manatee County” and he couldn’t foresee approving them unless they were prepared to pay for everything needed, including water, electricity, etc.

AMENDMENT 3 ON PROPERTY TAX CUTS

I used my Tiger Bay member prerogative to ask how the candidates themselves personally planned to vote on Amendment 3 and why.

At the request of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida legislature held a special session and approved a ballot amendment to lower property taxes. DeSantis wanted to abolish all homestead property taxes, but the legislature exempted public school revenue in its amendment proposal. DeSantis has already backed away from the amendment, saying he’ll vote for it but won’t campaign for it because the legislature altered his proposal. It’s sufficiently unpopular, however, that there’s no statewide campaign for the amendment by any established set of interests.

Manatee County stands to lose significant revenue if over 60% of voters approve Amendment 3. County commissioners have already cited severe service cuts and fee hikes that would happen if it passes. These include fare increases for Manatee public buses, cuts to library hours, cuts to ride services for veterans, cuts to land conservation programs, and slashing of support for nonprofits. That’s likely just the start. Amendment 3 is also widely viewed as a Tallahassee power grab, because revenue-starved local governments will have to go hat in hand to state lawmakers to make up for budget shortfalls. County and city governments would be at the mercy of state lawmakers to fund local priorities with what state interests allow.

Tony Barrett was the only candidate to expressly oppose Amendment 3. He pointed out that state lawmakers carved out public education, but they didn’t create a protected carve out for law enforcement and emergency services such as fire and rescue. Barrett is also a sitting fire commissioner and Florida Professional Firefighters just came out in opposition to the amendment.

Ed Ference and Tara Poulton both said it’s up to the voters but they personally support the amendment and welcome the challenge to do “more with less.” Neither addressed the issue of a possible Tallahassee power grab.

Notably, Poulton is already routing her own campaign money through Tallahassee, employing the services of a Tallahassee accounting firm that manages statewide PACs. Poulton is also employing the services of Three Seas Consulting, associated with Nicholas Catroppo of Tallahassee, who has worked with the Florida Republican Party, Florida Chamber of Commerce, and who served as Rep. James Buchanan’s (Vern’s son’s) campaign manager. She has received more campaign contributions in the race than anyone else, reflecting support from the core Republican establishment.

This is where I have to say, regretfully, that Poulton and Ference seem more tied to Republican Party interests even than to interests of the business community. The Florida Chamber of Commerce has expressed concern about the impact of Amendment 3 on commercial and non-homesteaded property, as well as on renters. If local governments cannot raise enough revenue with the cuts due to Amendment 3, they may have to turn to higher taxes on commercial buildings to fund core services.

John Calovich’s response wasn’t clear to me, though it’s possible I missed something; he sounded like he might approve the amendment because he called the Manatee County government “top heavy” but I didn’t hear a clear “yes” or “no.” I was particularly interested in what he thought about this issue, though, because of his familiarity with the state of Kansas, where Republican Gov. Sam Brownback experienced blowback for a series of massive income and business tax cuts that depleted state revenue. Brownback’s efforts led to budget deficits, severe service cuts, and downgraded government credit ratings. Kansas voters rebelled at results that hurt their quality of life and Republican lawmakers consequently reversed his tax cuts, over Brownback’s veto.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I haven’t seen any polling on the District 6 countywide race (nor have I looked for any), but I suspect it’s Poulton’s race to lose because of her wide establishment backing and a lack of unified opposition to her as the candidate most closely aligned with the GOP establishment in the race.

My sense is that several of the candidates today have the potential to be strong representatives in various ways, as does Democrat Reggie Bellamy; there’s a lot to be said for moving away from 30 years of one-party rule in Florida government, including at the local level. I would really love to see these candidates develop more of their own independent voices and leadership capacities. I know they need to get through a GOP primary and GOP primary voters mostly favor Amendment 3. But on issues as important and consequential as Amendment 3, we need community leaders and independent thinkers who speak the truth.

Republicans like to say “Don’t New York My Florida.” But as a Democrat, I’d like to say “Don’t Brownback my Florida” or “Don’t Kansas My Florida.”

I’d like to say “Don’t Trump my Florida” as well, but that ship has already sailed.

Manatee Tiger Bay held debates today for all Republican and Democratic candidates in Manatee County Commission Districts 2 & 1, representing the urban core and fast-growing east county, respectively. Manatee Tiger Bay Board Member Christi Haley moderated.

Development and growth issues dominated both debates. Overall, candidates seemed passionate and knowledgeable about issues facing their districts, and many boasted impressive resumes. Yet they seemed largely unable or unwilling to connect the challenges the county faces to larger regional coalitions they could be part of or state forces that are boxing them in.

I walked away with the impression that even if county residents voted, as they did in 2024, to push back against the pro-development status quo, this county commission would be hard-pressed to guarantee results, and it wouldn’t necessarily have anything to do with the candidates themselves.

The Florida legislature continues to erode home rule and threatens to take away revenue from the county with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s draconian property tax amendment (Amendment 3) to reduce homestead property taxes and put more power in the hands of Tallahassee lawmakers. Manatee County staff estimate that the county could lose at least $230 million in revenue in the first two years alone.

No candidate was directly asked about their view on Amendment 3, but not a single candidate spoke in opposition to it at the debate, which seemed like a missed opportunity to warn voters that they may be at risk of even further cuts to local services and harm to their quality of life. Gov. DeSantis signed the legislation to put Amendment 3 on the ballot just yesterday in Bradenton.

DISTRICT 2 DEBATE: REPRESENTING THE URBAN CORE

The D2 debate was feisty, as opponents challenged incumbent Commissioner Amanda Ballard on development, the environment, and local control. Some of the snipes at each other from all sides were unfair, but I’ll leave that aside here to draw out the issues.

AMANDA BALLARD: The incumbent Republican commissioner introduced herself as a hard-working representative with a background as an attorney who specialized in child welfare issues. She touted her record investing in D2 parks, protecting Mixon Fruit Farms from development, and cutting the millage two of the last three years. In response to a question about local business, Ballard acknowledged that economic development in the district has been a challenge. She says that local business owners have cited homelessness as a hindrance to their establishments, so she wants to do more to address the issue, but didn’t specify whether that would look more like law enforcement or more like enhanced social services.

On development and infrastructure issues, Ballard said that many areas in D2 have been built in a “constrained” way that makes it difficult to add lanes on the road; she hopes to use federal dollars to fill in sidewalk gaps where possible. Ballard expressed disappointment with Florida’s Live Local Act, which she called a “disaster” because it has not provided true affordability, which the act defines as earning as high as 120% of area median income (AMI). She said the legislation is also cutting through local processes that the county commission has in place, a rare note of concern in the debate about home rule. Ballard hopes that land zoned for industry in the county is preserved for industry to boost jobs other than tourism and construction.

Ballard touted that she is not working with any consultants this time and the only developers she’s taken money from are affordable housing developers.

ED BAILEY — Bailey introduced himself as a challenger to Ballard in the GOP primary asking voters whether they feel like their life has improved over the last four years in the district. Bailey argues that the opposite is happening, with more traffic, a higher cost of living, and failing infrastructure. As the youngest candidate on the stage, Bailey spoke of challenges facing his generation, with many of them moving away from Manatee County entirely. He says that the county needs to invest in young people, who are the future workforce of the community.

Bailey asserts that he will not be beholden to any special interests, and that the commission needs to stop rubber-stamping approvals on development projects. He spoke of the need to build infrastructure here first and expressed concern about homes being built east of the FDAB (future development area boundary) line. Bailey called out Ballard for her vote to reduce wetland buffers, as well as a vote on development impact fees. He wants to “protect our way of life” and is concerned that Manatee is starting to look more like highly developed Sarasota, and Sarasota is starting to look more like Miami.

CHARLES B. SMITH, the lone Democratic candidate in the race, introduced himself as a self-made businessman of 40+ years and a former elected Manatee County Commissioner and Palmetto City Vice-Mayor and City Commissioner with 26 years of experience in office. Smith said “we need change” and argued that the incumbent was voting against the environment, for phosphate mining giant Mosaic, and making giveaways to FPL. He also criticized Ballard for “outsourcing” Port Manatee and giving it over to state authority, a decision that Ballard said put it in the hands of “experts” instead of the county commission. Smith spoke out in support of animal advocates who are upset with the design of a new animal welfare facility and expressed concern for how poorly they have been treated in bringing forth their complaints and ideas. In a counterpoint to Ballard’s comment about homelessness, Smith asserted that he has “no intention of putting homeless people in jail if elected.”

On development and infrastructure issues, Smith said the county needs to do more to foster true economic development, instead of just building new construction and destroying the environment; he recommended the use of incentives for businesses to develop locally. Smith cited the need to build out infrastructure before awarding new building permits. He expressed concern about District 2, in particular, as a “dumping ground for traffic,” and cautioned that if the county proceeds with a “flyover” road development project that in 8-10 years, no one will want to invest in communities in the district.

Smith called himself a “fighter” for people all across the county, not just in D2, and said he was not beholden to special interests. Smith said that he had a hundred community meetings when he was previously county commissioner and would be an engaged, hands-on commissioner who would meet people where they are.

DISTRICT 1 DEBATE: RESPONDING TO FAST-GROWING EAST COUNTY CHALLENGES

The D1 race in 2026 is a special election due to the untimely death of Commissioner Carol Ann Felts, a champion for the rural way of life and opponent of overdevelopment. The debate was marked by candidates seeking to claim the mantle of her legacy and assert their independence from special interests. All the candidates below are Republican, except for Sari Lindroos-Valimaki, who is a Democrat.

ELIZABETH ARNOLD opened her remarks by thanking a local GOP activist who had given her a picture of Carol Felts, whom she cited as a friend with which she had attended Manatee County Commission and Planning Commission meetings over the last ten years. Arnold says she has been organizing neighborhoods to fight new subdivisions and to preserve canopy roads. Arnold also cited her professional career as director of treasury operations for a Fortune 500 utility company, where she managed large budgets. In response to a question about potential cuts if Amendment 3 passes, she cited her budget experience cutting 10% a year for several with no layoffs at that company when they were forced to “skinny down.”

Arnold said she has a multifaceted view of the county because she has property in Myakka but lives in Parrish, within five-minutes walking distance of five different storage facilities, which she cited as an example of poor development in the region, along with endless strip malls. She expressed concern about 65,000 homes that she says are in the pipelines but about which we can’t find information about where and when they will be here. She wants to consider the interests of farms, ranchers, small businesses, and focus on what people in the community actually want rather than what they have been given by the commission.

JOHN DUNN introduced himself as a US Air Force veteran who served as a sergeant and medic and was born and raised locally in Manatee County. He says he wants local government to work for everyday people and claims to be the preferred America First for Manatee candidate. He touted signing his own “Not for Sale” pledge that he developed to show that he will not take special interest money. Dunn expressed concern with the county’s “growth-dependent fiscal model,” which creates structural pressure to approve growth, resulting in only short-term gains. He wants to stop the growth out east, particularly past the FDAB, and says that the county commission needs to “stand up to special interests.” Dunn also wants to foster more transparency in policy decision-making. He said that, far too often, it seems that county commissioners have already made up their mind on topics before they have even heard from the public.

Dunn says he fought fraud, waste and abuse while managing multimillion-dollar budgets in the Air Force and will bring the same sense of fiscal responsibility to the Manatee County Commission. If Amendment 3 passes, he says the county will have to prioritize public safety and EMS services, but also turn to public-private partnerships and impact fees to compensate for revenue losses.

MICHAEL HARRISON acknowledged that he is the “oldest living Manatee County resident” in D1 running for office and cited former Commissioner Felts as a friend for over 38 years. He bluntly stated that he didn’t like people moving into the county, but acknowledged that if they move in, we need to provide for them. Still, he thought new residents were getting a better deal out of recent county commission decisions than older residents. Harrison expressed concern that new residents, such as in the Moccasin Wallow area, have “no sense of community” and “no idea” that they moved into an agricultural community. He advocated for greater recognition of the role of farms and ranches (“things are not made in the grocery store”). And he said that we need to not only enforce the FDAB but celebrate official recognition of the agricultural heritage of the county. Harrison expressed concern with traffic and urged the creation of bypass roads as a kind of “surgery” to deal with clogged arteries right now.

Harrison says that if Amendment 3 passes, the county should stop “giving away” money to nonprofits. He noted that some nonprofit CEOs make more money than the county commissioners themselves and that if they want public funding, their CEOs should “not make more than the average median income.” Harrison also frequently referenced his Christian values as a guide and suggested that “God will put my name in people’s mouths” and he will win that way. He also commented that from living here that “it’s not hotter, you’re just older,” which evoked laughs, but made me wonder if he was a climate change skeptic.

SARI LINDROOS-VALIMAKI presented herself as a Democratic candidate in D1 who will definitely be on the ballot in November 2026 and who ran for the at-large seat in 2024. Lindroos-Valimaki explained that she is a naturalized US citizen from Finland with an MBA and 40 years of experience working in cybersecurity and infrastructure. She described herself as a “systems thinker with an engineering mind” who was spurred to run in 2024 by the Piney Point disaster, which happened in her neighborhood. She recalled getting a text message to evacuate from the potentially “radioactive tsunami” that could crash into her neighborhood; instead it was diverted into the Gulf. She said that, consequently, she is “passionate against Mosaic and phosphates.”

Lindroos-Valimaki supports better infrastructure including food security and farmland security because “once the land is gone, it’s gone.” She was the only candidate at the debate to urge greater investment in mass transit, which she said worked well in Finland as a model. Amazingly, Lindroos-Valimaki was also the only candidate in the debate to address the new comprehensive plan being written and she encouraged people to follow her on her Substack blog to learn more about it; she says that if we’re not careful with the plan we could end up with AI data centers, for example. Lindroos says she is ready to serve on Day 1 because she’s been keeping up with the issues and that people should give a Democrat a try; if they don’t like it after two years, they can move on to someone new.

MARK STANOCH introduced himself as a resident of Manatee County for 18 years with experience managing large enterprises. He said he has a 40-year background in technology business, including working for technology giants such as IBM and Dell and getting off the ground two tech startups that were sold to larger publicly-traded companies. From these experiences, he says, he sees the value in long-range strategic planning. He has also been active in local conservative organizations and has served as Chair of the Manatee DOGE. He also developed a Victims of Communism Scholarship Fund. Stanoch says he is running to improve the local quality of life, preserve natural resources, and attract high-paying jobs that will make Manatee County a premiere place to live, work, and play.

Stanoch noted that Manatee County is a net exporter of workers and argued that we need to bring jobs here to reduce commute times. Stanoch says he is running to create a better Manatee County for his kids and grandkids, and noted that he already had a career and is now retired. He says that if Amendment 3 passes, the county would need to continue funding for functions that are mandated, including the Manatee Sheriff’s office. He says that the county could offset the loss of revenue from property taxes “by increasing business,” and cited commercial, non-homestead exempt properties. He wants a clear vision for the future of Manatee County’s economic development.

LELAND TAYLOR said he was born and raised in Manatee County, and his children also graduated from Palmetto High School. He has served as an attorney first in Bradenton, now in Palmetto, and his family are small-business owners. He says he also married into the cattle business and farming, so he has a side of that part of the district as well. He is running on quality of life issues such as infrastructure and the ability to commute, as well as public safety, which he says is also related to agriculture. He argues that law enforcement needs another station in Parrish, a stance that was echoed by other candidates as well; he worries that response times have gone up. He says that people are concerned about change, so he wants to preserve the county’s heritage while planning for the future.

Taylor says he doesn’t want to balance growth or the budget on the backs of existing residents and that he worries about seniors in the district. Taylor pointed out that the half cent sales tax is up for reauthorization and is a funding mechanism that is available if voters pass Amendment 3 curtailing revenue. He supports putting it on the ballot to reauthorize it. He says that it’s a priority to make the county safe, including with roads and infrastructure.

ADAM JOHNSON might be the most well-recognized candidate in the race, as he gained notoriety for being the “Lectern Guy,” as he was photographed and later prosecuted for carrying away Nancy Pelosi’s lectern at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. He has since become a national podcaster and right-wing influencer advocating for 1A and 2A rights, but he touted that his experience goes deeper than that. He says that he grew up in Manatee County, is married with five sons, and graduated magna cum laude from SCF. He says that he has managed two Walgreens stories, has worked as a carpenter, has served as a worship pastor, and is now a small-business owner of an online shop, all experiences that he has with managing money and budgets. He says that he switched from national to local politics because if we can make a change locally, it could give others across the country inspiration.

While Johnson seemed generally conversant on local issues, there seemed to be a giant contradiction at the heart of his overall stance on local government. He was the only candidate to directly state that he “likes” the property tax amendment on the fall ballot because of the “waste” in county government. But he also repeatedly complained that Tallahassee has got us “over a barrel,” and said that we’ll need to “lobby Tallahassee” for what we need if Amendment 3 passes. So, basically, it sounds like he wants to give up Manatee County power to Tallahassee via Amendment 3 and then grovel for what it can get back…. This is why I wish all the candidates had addressed Amendment 3 directly.

MANATEE COUNTY IS NOT AN ISLAND

While we may be lucky to have barrier island communities in Manatee County, the county itself is not an island onto itself with our local government. For all I’ve heard over the years about how the local level of government is the most important level of government and most affects our quality of life, that has ceased to be true over the last several years of Gov. DeSantis’s administration, if it ever was.

With SB 180 and the Live Local Act tying the hands of the county commission to implement local growth controls, with the Florida legislature kneecapping our workforce development by shutting down USF Sarasota-Manatee, and with Amendment 3 about to eviscerate local revenue if it passes, the role of the Florida state government has never loomed larger in our local community. And if these Manatee County Commission candidates don’t want to be blamed for the further growth and development that is going to inevitably happen in Manatee County, they should point to where they need allies at other levels of government to make the changes they want to see.

This debate was particularly an opportunity to talk about how our local community could be upended by Amendment 3, which would be a stark and revolutionary change to the way state and local governments do business. Manatee Tiger Bay should have asked the candidates directly about their views on the topic, and candidates should have sounded alarm bells. Instead, they all treated it like a fait accompli.

The last thing I want to note is the lack of wider regional planning that could also help the county in its growth and development. I never heard anything in the debate about potential partnerships with Sarasota or Hillsborough Counties or attempts to build efficiencies and plan for growth across multiple regional urban centers. Transportation might be the most obvious issue to bring up at a wider regional level, as a lot of the traffic in Manatee County is people going from Tampa/St. Pete and their suburbs to Sarasota and vice versa; Manatee County is just a pass through for many. Meanwhile, others, like myself, would love to have mass transit options to commute up to Tampa and St. Pete where the higher-paying jobs are.

Ultimately, though, we once had state-level growth planning, but since the Gov. Rick Scott years, it all got rolled back. If we lack an identity and sense of community in Manatee County, as some candidates averred, we surely need to build more of one region-wide and state-wide, too. If we want livable local communities, we need values as Floridians for smart growth management, environmental conservation, support for public education and workforce development, and robust social services. And, sorry to say for these county commission candidates, it all starts at the top.

Somehow it seemed fitting — On the day that President Donald Trump embarrassingly surrendered to Iran to end a folly war of choice, the candidate he endorsed in the FL-16 Congressional race was nowhere to be seen at the Manatee Tiger Bay debate to defend the decision.

While Sydney Gruters refused the debate, every other Republican and Democratic candidate crowded the stage for a two-hour debate moderated by Manatee Tiger Bay president Xtavia Bailey and Jamie Smith.

I did not partake of the open cash bar preceding the event at the Manatee Performing Arts Center, but audience members may have wanted it to brace themselves for the sometimes convivial, sometimes berserk debate that followed.

Amidst pleas for political civility, attacks on Big Tech and AI data centers, pledges to defund ICE, threats to have Carlos Beruff and big developers arrested, and assertions by one candidate that citizens finally would be presented with long-awaited evidence of voter fraud on his website, we could see glimpses of a post-Trump future emerging.

With the candidate most closely tied to Trump AWOL, it was notable that Trump’s name was rarely mentioned in the debate, and the first mention came well after the halfway mark.

Candidates, instead, talked about issues facing the Manatee community and the larger, highly gerrymandered FL-16 congressional district. Issues such as political polarization, national debt, rising healthcare costs, and the influence of special interests on politics were here before Donald Trump and will outlast his presidency.

Several candidates talked about the importance of campaign finance reform, and both Republican Eddie Speir and Democrat Kelly Kirschner made a point to say they wanted reforms leading to the overturning of the Citizens United decision that opened the door to unlimited corporate spending in politics. Most, if not all, of the other candidates seemed to agree.

Speir and Kirschner framed key messaging around attacks on overdevelopment in Manatee County, a hot-button topic amidst roads clogged with traffic and erosion of a rural way of life in the eastern part of the county that led to the ouster of developer-backed incumbents on the Manatee County Commission in 2024.

As Speir attacked big developers and tied his absent GOP opponent to the pro-growth, pro-development machine, Kirschner expressed his bewilderment that Manatee Republicans could see the influence of special interests so clearly in local politics, but not the influence of Elon Musk, Big Tech, and billionaires who were bending national politics away from public priorities the same way.

DEMOCRATS SHINE WITH POLICY KNOWLEDGE ON DISPLAY

Thank goodness for every Democrat on that stage, as they elevated the debate by bringing passion, focus, facts, and dialogue to the issues.

I felt a sense of relief every time the moderators handed the first response to a question, as they often did, to Jan Schneider, a perennial Democratic candidate for Congress who knows every policy issue inside and out. She sets the standard with her deep expertise in law and policy over the years, especially on issues such as health care, the environment, and campaign finance reform. She’s a Medicare for All backer, has written legislation on environmental policy that has been passed by Congress, and says she is currently working with a Republican on draft legislation for campaign finance reform. Because the moderators addressed a Republican candidate with the title of “Dr.,” they should have done the same for “Miss” Schneider, who has both a Ph.D. and law degree from Yale University.

Glenn Pearson brought an economic populist message to the debate, decrying the influence of billionaires on politics and speaking of the need to “unrig a rigged system.” He spoke of the importance of healthcare for all, and making sure that we protect federal programs such as social security and Medicare, as well as the civil rights of all. He also advocated for public education and science-based policymaking, as the current administration is in the midst of removing sensors from the ocean that help with weather monitoring and predictions right at the beginning of hurricane season. Pearson tied this back to his career as an award-winning news reporter and anchor who held officials accountable; his polish and steady poise in the debate showed from this experience as well.

Jon Harris shined when talking about issues pertaining to national security and technology, given his background as a military veteran and now cybersecurity professional advising Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in Tampa. Harris spoke of the property insurance crisis, general affordability issues including childcare, and getting healthcare costs for families under control with the introduction of a public option for health insurance. Harris made excellent points on an immigration question about the need to fund the federal system in place so that they can process amnesty and asylum cases in “weeks, not months.” For that, he said, they need resources, including more personnel such as judges and case officers so they can efficiently do their due diligence in vetting new arrivals.

Tamika Lyles, a military veteran, educator, and mediator, highlighted the need to protect the environment and clean water. She spoke powerfully of civil rights issues, particularly related to public education and immigration. While Republican candidates on stage were crowing about how Elon Musk and DOGE took a wrecking ball to the Department of Education, Lyles pointed that the Department of Education oversees protections for students with disabilities across the country. While Republicans wanted to throw undocumented immigrants out of the country in a stance supportive of President Trump, she pointed out the fiasco immigration enforcement has become, with ICE picking up people “based on how they look.” She advocated securing the border in a “humane” way that respects our Constitutional rights, including due process for all human beings and not sending migrants off to countries they have never been before.

Kelly Kirschner touted his record as Sarasota mayor, where he took on special interests such as big developers and helped pass local campaign finance reform that was later overturned by Citizens United. Kirschner also mentioned his recent endorsement from the West-Central Florida Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He spoke of the affordability crisis, in which over 40% of local residents are asset-limited and income-constrained (ALICE), just one car accident or family emergency away from financial disaster. Kirschner pointed out that the government needs to stop actively harming people with high tariffs that raise the cost of food and misbegotten wars that raise the costs of fuel and fertilizer. He brought spice to the debate, with a dash of humor. He advocated going after employers, including construction companies and big developers, by prosecuting them for hiring undocumented workers (“arrest Carlos Beruff”), rather than going after the poor migrant workers themselves. And when staring at Speir while rehearsing a response to a question, Kirschner claimed he wasn’t trying to make a comment about Speir, it’s just that Speir was a “very handsome man” and “wearing a [cowboy] hat.”

REPUBLICANS WAVER ON SUPPORT FOR TRUMP’S AGENDA

The two Republicans who showed up to the debate, Eddie Speir and Ed Pope, offered a curious mix of standing with and breaking with Trump and the Republican majority in Congress. Both candidates strongly opposed illegal immigration. Speir signaled a broader range of issues in which he wanted to shake up how business was done, while Pope was more cautious in his answers.

Eddie Speir is founder of a local Christian private school known and is known locally for his appointment by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the board of trustees of the New College of Florida in 2023 as part of a “hostile takeover” of the institution; Speir subsequently failed to be confirmed by the state legislature. Speir is running against establishment Republicans that he calls RINOs (Republicans in Name Only), and he takes credit for helping drive out pro-development Manatee County Commission candidates in 2024. These points drew applause even from some Democrats in the audience. (The Democrat sitting next to me remarked later, despite his policy differences with Speir, “I just like the guy.”) Speir is also a former technology businessman who wants to break up the Big Tech monopoly, just like the federal government broke up the Bells in the telephone industry decades ago. More radically, Speir wants only single-issue bills instead of omnibus bills in Congress, so that people can’t sneak wasteful spending into bills; such a change would surely slow Congressional business to a crawl.

Speir’s most “out-there” statements were on immigration and election integrity. Speir brought the crazy when he falsely claimed that “millions” were coming over the southern border from Iran, Venezuela, and Nicaragua “with the intent to jihad.” And when Democratic candidates were trying to explain the rarity of voter fraud (and how unnecessary therefore is the SAVE Act), Speir said they “haven’t seen the fraud” because they are all “watching MSNBC and CNN.” He proclaimed, “I will prove it and put it on my website,” so watch this space.

Speir also directly invoked his support for an obscure Christian nationalist vision of local government supremacy called the “Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate.” I once wrote a long, investigative thread on Twitter (now X) explaining the development of the doctrine in the writing of a Wisconsin-based pastor and anti-abortion activist; the movement behind the principle rebukes federal authority over local jurisdictions such as county governments. It’s an interesting position to take for someone running for federal office.

Ed Pope brought a kind of gravitas to the conservative side in the race because of his experience as a military veteran and in law enforcement, along with his careful stances and more traditional Republican positions. His law enforcement record includes work with SWAT teams, as a firearms instructor, and and with recognition as State Trooper of the Year. He also serves as chief operating officer of a company in the medical field and has a Ph.D. in criminal justice. Pope talked about the significance of responsible leadership that accepts accountability. Overall, he expressed more typical Republican positions such as smaller government, lower taxes, and fewer regulations. He seemed to be distinguishing himself in the GOP race based on his biography and experience more than anything else.

Both Republican candidates took some stances that seemed counter to the Trump administration, giving us a sense of where the Republican Party might go just over the horizon as Trump’s star fades. They both embraced some parts of the DOGE’s spending cuts, when asked about it, but Speir didn’t elaborate much beyond talking about cuts to the Department of Education. Pope said he would “review” spending choices but “fight” for groups such as veterans, working families, public safety officers, etc., suggesting wariness with how far DOGE has gone in some areas.

Trump has been strongly supportive of Elon Musk, Big Tech, and AI, but the two GOP candidates this evening ranged from cautious to critical on these topics. When asked about a Trump sovereign wealth fund, Speir said he didn’t favor it and criticized it for being part of an AI data center push that “sacrifices” our land and water. Pope said he supports technology jobs coming back to the US, but that it has to be done responsibly. Pope argued that large-scale data centers should be based on local communities’ interests to ensure that water is protected and power grids can handle demand. Pope said Washington shouldn’t dictate to local communities on this topic.

All the candidates favored a ban on stock-trading by members of Congress, at a time Donald Trump himself has been making thousands of stock trades as president. All the candidates supported Congress retaining powers to review a president’s ability to go to war, per the War Powers Act. All the candidates except for Speir supported term limits for US Supreme Court justices.

A MIXED PARTISAN PRIMARY DEBATE

One of the most interesting exchanges at the end of the debate came in response to a question about the greatest threat facing the United States, in which the moderators suggested several national security topics that the candidates might consider. Kelly Kirschner, though, responded to a stray comment he overheard in the audience in which someone cracked that the “Democratic Party” is the biggest threat to the country.

Kirschner said that it’s exactly this kind of comment that “sums up where we are” and how “unfortunate” it is that’s the sentiment, when over 40% of the district is one family emergency away from financial ruin, and how we need better governance regardless of party affiliation. He said we need to send to Washington DC individuals who will be accountable “to you and not parties.” He brought back the issue of addressing money in politics to do so, and reached out to the person in the audience who made the comment and invited them into further conversation after the debate to try to find common ground.

Jon Harris rejoined Kirschner’s comment and said he was worried about the national debt and our ability to fund critical government programs, but affirmed the scourge of political polarization and the notion that the other side in your own country was the enemy. Based on his experience in the national security sector, he said that he knows there are “rooms full of people in other countries whose job is to convince you of just that.” Even Speir, by the end of the debate, said he was worried about “totalitarianism,” but acknowledged that he “agreed with some things with Democrats.”

TOWARD THE AUGUST PRIMARY ELECTIONS

I walked into the debate hall unsure of the value of mixing Democratic and Republican voices together in a Congressional debate before a primary election in which both sides tend to run to the far-left or far-right to win over primary voters.

By the end of the evening, I came away thinking a post-Trump future in Manatee County with Republicans, Democrats, and independents hashing it all out together just might be all right.

Florida primary elections wrap up on Tuesday, August 18. You must be registered as a member of the Democratic or Republican parties to vote in either of those respective primary elections, and the deadline to change your party affiliation for that purpose is Monday, July 20. Any voter can vote in nonpartisan primary elections such as school board.

Today Manatee Tiger Bay held a debate for Florida State Representative candidates in districts 70, 71, and 72. Three GOP candidates were able to attend: Melton Little, Jordan Varnadore, and John “Captain” Phillips III. Manatee Tiger Bay president Xtavia Bailey moderated. The hottest issues were on growth and development, with Phillips and Varnadore taking on the role of insurgents against the fast-paced pro-growth status quo.

Melton Little and Jordan Varnadore are running in a contested primary for HD 71, an open seat due to term limits on Rep. Will Robinson’s service. An additional GOP candidate, Dylan Modarelli, just filed for the HD 71 seat today, according to the Florida Division of Elections website; Modarelli had previously filed to run for Congressional District 19 in the Fort Myers-Naples area in this election cycle. John “Captain” Phillips III is running in a contested primary for HD 72 against incumbent Rep. Bill Conerly.

The incumbents for HD 70 & HD 71, Rep. Michael Owen and Rep. Bill Conerly, were in Tallahassee for the special session on property taxes that just started. Conerly submitted video responses to questions that had been pre-recorded.

Democratic candidates were invited, but HD 70 candidate Luther Wilkins and HD 72 candidate Harvey Shifrin were not able to attend. Wilkins is a military veteran and business leader who has served as former head of the Manatee NAACP. Shifrin previously appeared at a Manatee Tiger Bay debate as a Manatee School Board District 5 candidate, but subsequently switched to the HD 72 state house seat where he thought he could better respond to state-level educational issues with his background as an attorney and CPA. HD 71 candidate Marie Masferrer recently exited the race. The Manatee County Democratic Party has identified a new candidate for HD 71, but that person has not filed yet.

The early debate falls before the candidate qualifying period in early June, so the candidates still need to pay a fee and file paperwork to get on the ballot. Additional candidates could still file for any of the seats.

Melton Little introduced himself as a Manatee County native who grew up here, attended Bayshore High School, went away to law school, and then came back. He’s a Palmetto lawyer, real estate agent with Wagner Realty, and owns 47% of a plumbing company. In the debate, Little mentioned how his Christian faith “defines” him and that he will soon be turning 65 years old and is not be beholden to anyone at this point in his life.

Jordan Varnadore opened by saying he was born and raised in Manatee County, and a graduate of Manatee public schools in Palmetto. He has worked in insurance, broadcast production for kids, marketing, and has moonlighted as a dueling pianist. He emphasized in the debate that with him, “what you see is what you get.” He says that he lives in the same home as his parents and grandparents did, has always belonged to the same political party, and he is a “consistent guy” you can therefore trust. The latter point seems to be a nod of contrast to his opponent Melton Little’s history as a former Manatee County Democratic Party chair and Democratic candidate for Manatee County Commission District 4 in 2018.

John “Captain” Phillips III said he grew up in Pinellas County and after his 30+ year career in the Coast Guard, he moved back to Florida in 2012 and established residence in Manatee County. He worries that what’s happening here is similar to what happened in Pinellas and Sarasota Counties; Manatee County, he believes, has “sold out to developers” and special interests. He worries about erosion of home rule. To combat these influences, he would like stricter campaign finance regulations and to curb the influence of lobbyists.

Bill Conerly appeared by pre-recorded video and introduced himself as a veteran and civil engineer who was born in South Florida and grew up in the Florida Keys and Arcadia, where he lived on a ranch. He enlisted in the Navy after high school and served active duty for six years. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in engineering. His technical background includes infrastructure projects and utilities. He is serving his first term as a representative after being elected in 2024.

HOT TOPIC #1: PROPERTY TAX REFORM

Late Wednesday evening, Gov. Ron DeSantis submitted a property tax reform plan for a special session of the state legislature. For nearly a year, DeSantis touted that he would offer a constitutional ballot amendment proposal to bring property taxes to zero. The plan offers expansive property tax reductions, but would not eliminate them, as promised.

According to an analysis by Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel, the written bill “calls for a $150,000 exemption on all homesteaded property in 2027, and then a second-year reduction of all properties valued up to $250,000, not $500,000 as DeSantis said Wednesday [at his press conference].” According to Schweers, “the exemption will apply only to residents who have owned their home for at least five years.”

DeSantis’s idea is to shift more of the property tax burden on to wealthier homeowners, especially those that only live here a few months a year. If that happens, one consequence is that only places with many homes valued above $500,000 will be able to maintain more revenue. Rural communities, in contrast, will have a harder time maintaining a tax base. For this reason, DeSantis also proposes a state trust fund to help local communities in need maintain services.

The Florida League of Cities and Florida Association of Counties have expressed deep concern about the proposal. The Orlando Sentinel finds that the plan doesn’t protect either school districts or law enforcement from the loss of revenue due to property tax cuts and it “ties officials’ hands on how they can spend [tax revenue].” They also find that the plan does not address how constitutional offices such as county clerk, supervisor of elections, and tax collector would get enough revenue for their functions. Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse was quoted by Bloomberg saying, “We can make anything work, we’ll just have to charge a fee for everything.”

DeSantis hopes the legislature will place it on the November ballot as a constitutional amendment, at which point 60% of voters would need to approve it for the proposal to become law. State Senate President Ben Albritton endorsed the plan sight unseen. Speaker of the House Danny Perez, whose chamber passed a more expansive property tax proposal in the regular legislative session, has only commented so far that he would review the governor’s proposal. The June 1-3 special session seems likely to produce something that will end up on voter’s ballots in the fall.

The proposal raises questions about the continued viability of home rule, if local governments are strictly limited in how much revenue they can raise and spend. The state government would further consolidate control over local counties and municipal governments if the proposal passes.

Florida state representative candidates the Manatee Tiger Bay debate were split on the merits of the proposal, but all agreed that it should be on the ballot in November.

• Rep. Bill Conerly (HD 72) explained that he recently sat on a select committee for property taxes and “it was an education.” He supports bringing the property tax proposal to citizens for a vote and seems to favor the proposal. He says the impact will be “not as significant as you might think” and cited the opportunity for local governments to “be more efficient and narrow their focuses.” He said that some communities may choose to pay for extra services, but in our community “we need to be more cost-effective.”

• John “Captain” Phillips III (HD 72) agreed that citizens should vote on the proposal and says that “Florida citizens are entitled to tax relief.” He agrees that the exemption is not that significant. He says he likes the five-year increment and plan. He says we need to be sure the money is there for what’s needed because abuse and waste are happening and we need to know our money won’t be misused.

• Melton Little (HD 71) echoed the idea that citizens should vote on property tax reform, but expressed more caution about the specific proposal. He wonders what other taxes we might be looking at down the road if we eliminate property taxes. He says it’s possible we could end up with a higher sales tax, a regressive tax, if we eliminate property taxes. Little thinks Manatee County is “not particularly wasteful” and has “pretty good reserves.” Little touted his experience as a real-estate agent and offered what sounded like an alternative proposal to reduce property taxes. He wants to make it easier for people who are over 50 years old to sell their home and downsize, which he says could trigger a “silver tsunami.” From what I could tell, though, it sounds like he doesn’t want to substantially reduce the overall property tax base.

• Jordan Varnadore (HD 71), responding to a specific question about who would be the winners and losers of the proposal, said winners would be young people starting out or moving to Florida. He cited people like his own children who would benefit, because it’s getting harder to afford to live in Florida. He also cited benefits of the proposal for retirees living on a fixed income. He said losers would include municipalities and anyone dependent on their services. He said there was “some waste locally.” Later in the debate, Varnadore cautioned that Tallahassee lawmakers don’t have it all figured out, though property tax reform politically “sounds awesome.”

During the audience Q&A portion, Lisa Gonzalez Moore, a Bradenton City Council member, asked a question about property tax reform, expressing concern about potential revenue gaps and the impact on small businesses, a couple notable local ones of which have recently announced closure or financial trouble. All candidates present said they wouldn’t want any problems with the property tax proposal to be fixed on the backs of small-business or commercial building owners. Varnadore and Little both self-identified as owners of commercial buildings.

HOT TOPIC #2: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Candidates were asked several questions about state legislative priorities, land-use policy, growth and development, conservation and environmental protection, affordable housing, and home rule. These topics evoked the sharpest stances by the candidates. Rep. Bill Conerly and Melton Little seemed to be the most “pro-growth” candidates, while affirming the importance of environmental conservation. Jordan Varnadore and John “Captain” Phillips advocated slower growth and support for the “old Florida” way of life and agricultural communities.

• Jordan Varnadore (HD 71) wants strong protections for home rule and says SB 180 has “got to go.” SB 180 was developer-backed legislation passed last session that limits local planning requirements. He said he was pleased to see the way the community came together to express opposition to a cruise port in Terra Ceia, and how Gov. DeSantis came down to Manatee and responded to that. He wants to “protect your unique Florida way of life” and expressed appreciation for the “rustic beauty of Florida,” amidst the unfortunate loss of citrus and beef industries in the state. He says his opponent (Little) has the attitude of “if you build it, they will come.” His view, instead, is “let’s stop the growth.” Later in the debate, however, he also expressed that “growth is inevitable.” Varnadore voiced disappointment with the Community Planning Act of 2011 that replaced the Growth Management Act. He would bring back the latter if he could. Varnadore supports bigger wetland buffers and prefers revitalizing older developed areas rather than supporting new growth. He advocates “deregulating farms” to make it easier for them to stay profitable rather than selling their land to developers.

• Melton Little (HD 71) echoed support for home rule, saying that the government that governs best is the one “closest to the people.” He agreed with Varnadore that SB 180 is a “one-size-fits-all” rule that “doesn’t work.” Little expressed wonder about the growth he’s seen from living in Manatee County most of his life; he says he wants a “balance.” He wants to look at these issues in Tallahassee and call people he trusts to help make decisions and find a path for the next two to three decades. In response to a question about conservation, Little urged the purchase of Rattlesnake Key and emphasized how “essential” green space is. Little shared his wonder at the number of parks in Moscow, Russia, which he apparently once visited; he says that we should be able to do better than “communist Russia.” Little says that clean water protection is overall his #1 issue. He says that if you live on a waterway, you shouldn’t be able to use pesticides, for example. He also says the state needs to do a better job of managing wastewater in a proactive way so that municipalities don’t end up dumping sewage in the bay, creating environmental emergencies.

• Bill Conerly (HD 72) explains that he has three top priorities as he runs for reelection: 1) housing affordability; 2) infrastructure (e.g., storm water, sewage, and energy); he mentioned that he sponsored legislation on energy in Tallahassee; 3) water policy. He says the state underestimates what a 100-year storm looks like and what the impacts could be, so we need new legislation to do that. In response to a question about conservation, Conerly said that conservation easements were more important than land purchases. In response to a question about home rule, Conerly drew an analogy of the state as a parent to local governments who, like teenagers, occasionally overstepped their boundaries and needed to be reined in.

• John “Captain” Phillips (HD 72) says that his campaign slogan is “slow the growth” and pointed out that he is running against an incumbent (Rep. Conerly) who served on a planning commission that produced many effects that we are dealing with right now in Manatee County. He advocated that developers pay higher impact fees and expressed disappointment with what they were able to get away with calling “affordable housing.” Like Varnadore, he prefers a development strategy of revitalizing older areas rather than supporting new growth that eats up agricultural land. Phillips strongly objects to Conerly’s analogy of local governments as like “teenagers” in need of guidance by the state, in restriction of home rule. He says “developer rule is being abused, not home rule.”

HOT TOPIC #3: ABORTION

I took an opportunity in the Q&A portion to ask about the candidates’ views on abortion policy. I explained that Florida has a six-week abortion ban, one of the strictest in the country, which was especially limiting because many women do not even know they are pregnant at this point. I mentioned that while Florida voters did not reach the 60% threshold for a constitutional amendment to reverse the ban, it came really close, showing strong support for reduced restrictions. I asked about their vision for abortion policy in the state, whether that would be to keep the status quo, restrict it further, or make it more flexible.

All three candidates present expressed that they would not change the existing six-week abortion ban. Two prefaced their comments with the phrase, “I’m not a woman, but…”

• Melton Little had the clearest answer, saying that as a recent father of a four-month-old, he had heard his daughter’s heartbeat at six weeks. He favors exceptions only for the life of the mother, which is more restrictive than current legislation which also allows exceptions for rape, incest, and human trafficking, as well as fatal fetal abnormalities.

• Jordan Varnadore explained that he is Southern Baptist and believes life begins at conception, which guides his moral compass. He says the six-week ban is a “happy compromise.” He says voters have spoken and therefore he would not change anything about the policy.

• John “Captain” Phillips says it’s not his decision and he supports what the majority of the people support. He’s not running on the issue and would leave it to the people of Florida (who rejected the constitutional amendment).

Deborah Chapman of the Women’s Resource Center asked a follow-up question, because the candidates had said they support what the voters want, but seemed confused on what that meant. Chapman clarified that a majority of Manatee County voters supported Amendment 4 when it was on the ballot, demonstrating that most voters locally actually want to drop the six-week ban. She asked if knowing that would change the viewpoint they expressed. They all said it didn’t change anything, yet they still continued to use the talking point about “respecting the voters.”

STATE OF THE FUNDRAISING RACE

As of the end of March 2026, according to campaign contributions reported on the Florida Division of Elections website, Rep. Michael Owen (HD 70), Melton Little (HD 71), and Rep. Bill Conerly (HD 72) led in fundraising in their respective races.

• Rep. Michael Owen raised over $171,000 in monetary contributions, compared to $50 for Democrat Luther Wilkins.

• Melton Little raised over $311,000 in monetary contributions, with well over a third of it self-funded, compared to over $51,000 for Jordan Varnadore. Fellow Republican Dylan Modarelli just entered the race today and has not yet faced a fundraising reporting deadline.

• Rep. Bill Conerly raised over $112,000 in monetary contributions, with many from statewide industry PACs, compared to $895 for John “Captain” Phillips. Phillips notably qualified for the ballot already by petition. Democrat Harvey Shifrin recently entered the race and has not yet faced a fundraising reporting deadline.

It’s major surgery to the region’s institutions of higher education after the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus consolidated with the preeminent University of South Florida in Tampa just six years ago.

USF Sarasota-Manatee carved out an important role in the region as a driver of workforce education with programs in nursing, teacher education, hospitality, and risk management that New College does not offer — and will not, for the foreseeable future, anyway.

Four local chambers of commerce opposed the merger.

New College of Florida underwent a “hostile takeover” on January 6, 2023 when Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed a slate of right-wing trustees known for their ties to national conservative think tanks.

At the time, then-DeSantis Chief of Staff James Uthmeier spoke of a new mission for the state-designated Honors college to become a “classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South,” referencing the conservative Christian college in Michigan.

WHY NOW?

Discussions about a potential merger have been in the works since at least December 2025.

The reality is that the “new” New College of Florida has been failing from the start of the takeover. The college is struggling with enrollment and they have only barely kept the numbers afloat by giving big athletic scholarships to entice students to come. Over a third of faculty fled the college in just the first year after the takeover, often landing better jobs at other universities. My own husband was one of them.

DeSantis has strangely, and against political common sense, made conservative higher education reform — a niche topic, at best — a centerpiece of his political brand. He’s a lame-duck governor presiding over his last legislative session, and the “new” New College of Florida is his ugly baby.

If DeSantis didn’t make a big move to “protect” his new creation, it’s entirely possible that a future governor and legislature — even Republican ones — might throw the New College baby out with the bathwater of conservative higher education reform.

The backlash against DEI in Florida institutions of higher education has always been, at least in Florida, a fight among conservatives, even more than a fight between left and right. For nearly 30 years, beginning with Governor Jeb Bush’s consolidation of conservative control over higher education in the executive branch, Republicans have dominated state university system boards of governors and appointed university boards of trustees. DeSantis’s moves were like a primal scream by national conservatives against a higher system built by “chamber of commerce” conservative Republican Governors Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, and Rick Scott.

Yet it’s Trump’s party now. And even if the national conservative backlash to higher education continues, New College could become an orphan without DeSantis as patron. The fiscal-minded conservative Florida DOGE recently pointed out New College’s inefficiencies, which have only grown since the DeSantis takeover.

WHAT’S NEXT?

My heart goes out to the faculty, staff, students, and alums of USF Sarasota-Manatee. They had their campus stripped out from underneath them and face an uncertain future.

USF Sarasota-Manatee posted an FAQ on its website yesterday offering vague assurances that everything will be magically fine for faculty, staff, and students, floating promises of protection. But when legislation is made behind closed doors late Sunday night over a holiday weekend, without university leaders taking part in open discussions, it’s easy to imagine how this could go sideways any number of ways.

New College will get needed dormitory space for its student population, after older facilities on campus fell into disrepair and couldn’t be used anymore. They will also get additional offices and classroom space on USF Sarasota-Manatee campus.

But this doesn’t fix any of New College’s enrollment problems and it only adds to the college’s debt. Nathan Allen, a New College alum and former vice president of strategy and special projects under the new administration, notes that New College was already in dire financial straits with tuition revenue near zero, shutting it out of private credit markets. Now, after assuming USF Sarasota-Manatee’s liabilities, it will become the “13th most-indebted public college per FTE [full-time enrollment] in America.” Of small public colleges, it will have the second highest debt burden, after University of Puerto Rico-Utuado, explains Allen.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MANATEE-SARASOTA’S DEVELOPMENT?

Behind all the backroom political drama, Sarasota power players have called the shots, at the expense of Manatee community interests. Sydney Gruters, wife of Sarasota-based Florida State Senator and RNC Chair Joe Gruters (and former Trump campaign co-chair for Florida), was appointed head of the New College of Florida Foundation but has resigned to run for Congress. Joe Gruters talked up the potential merger early over a year ago, and the merger was approved via the budget bill by Florida State Rep. Fiona McFarland of Sarasota and developer darling Rep. Bill Conerly of Lakewood Ranch, a Sarasota suburb in Manatee County. Bradenton lawmakers Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd nominally opposed the merger, but only quietly and belatedly. USF Sarasota-Manatee lies in Manatee County, close to the border with Sarasota County.

One Manatee man, however, may be smiling. Days before the merger was approved by the Florida legislature’s conference committee, real estate magnate Carlos Beruff penned a bizarre op-ed that read like an early victory lap, urging approval of a tie-up between New College of Florida and USF Sarasota-Manatee while citing his string of hard-won controversial land development projects such as Aqua by the Bay. Could Beruff be eyeing waterfront land held by New College near the airport for a future project? Or a piece of the 23 acres that New College will inherit from USF Sarasota-Manatee?

Allen, the New College alum and former VP, foresees a potential auction of New College’s real estate under the scenario of its mounting liabilities: “New College defaults in 3-5 years; historically, default is usually 5-10 years after such a deal closes, but this one is unusually bad. USF assumes the property. Tallahassee approves closure. The real estate is auctioned.”

From the beginning of the New College takeover, one right-wing trustee noted that the project was “high-risk, high-reward.”

But, really, what is a little risk among political friends?

Maybe an expanded New College can gleam with a fresh coat of paint until DeSantis completes his second doomed bid for the presidency. But if not? There are options.

Heads, DeSantis wins. Tails, Carlos Beruff wins.

Who loses? In the Manatee-Sarasota community, we all lose. We lose a local university with workforce development programs that New College of Florida, as an Honors liberal arts college, cannot replace. We lose an engine of upward mobility at a time the region is growing and needs to help people into higher-paying jobs amidst an affordability crisis. We lose a beloved institution that has nurtured student dreams and faculty and staff careers.

The midnight massacre of Manatee higher education is a reminder that, even amidst a national right-wing culture war over education, all politics is local.

The stage was crowded with seven candidates. The debate featured District 2 candidates Dr. Sharon Jefferson, Margi Nanney, incumbent Cindy Spray, and JT White; Rev. James Golden did not appear. District 5 candidates Dr. Jonathan Mullis, Harvey Shifrin, and Chantal Wilford attended, but Camden Bedinghaus did not.

The debate was an unusual early one ahead of the candidate qualifying period. More candidates may still enter the races, and candidates that appeared today will still need to submit the required paperwork and either pay a fee or collect enough valid signed petitions to appear on the ballot in August. Manatee Tiger Bay President Xtavia Bailey moderated the debate, asking all questions in lieu of typical Tiger Bay audience participation. Emblematic of the insular, clubby world of Manatee politics, District 5 candidate Jonathan Mullis and current District 2 incumbent Cindy Spray are both notably current Manatee Tiger Bay Board Members.

The opening statements of the candidates were the most revealing, so I will introduce the candidates here the way they introduced themselves here, mixed with other comments made throughout the debate.

DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES

Dr. Jonathan Mullis offered his breadth of community experience and partnerships. Mullis owns his own physical therapy medical practice in Bradenton and has two teenagers in Manatee Schools, where they have attended both traditional and charter schools. Mullis has served on many boards in the community, and currently is President of Bradenton Kiwanis and serves on the Manatee School Board Strategic Plan Steering Committee. He stressed his ability to bring stakeholders together from the Manatee Chamber business community to nonprofit organizations to support the current direction of the schools.

Chantal Wilford lives in east county toward Myakka and has four kids, three grown, who have attended traditional public schools in the district, and one who is a freshman in a District 5 school. She ran four years ago and since that time has become involved in education groups, including with the League of Women Voters of Manatee County and Little Free Libraries. She has also previously homeschooled her children and worked as a birth doula to support mothers with their own needs and goals. Wilford started an influential Facebook page, Education Matters in Manatee County, that tracks school board issues at the state and local levels because she saw a greater need for information and communication about the schools. She has also worked as a substitute teacher to see how things are going in the school district herself. She says she wants to support students and teachers, as well as improve communication and transparency in the district.

Harvey Shifrin touted his skillset as an attorney and CPA who can review budgets and parse legal language in interpreting state law and crafting policies that are clear and provide solid guidance for district personnel. He cited, for example, the unfortunate way that district language about book bans sparked teacher fears about being charged with felonies for content on their classroom shelves. Shifrin spent 27 years involved with programs such as Destination Imagination and Odyssey of the Mind, working with students from elementary to high school levels on their creative problem-solving skills. He sums up his platform with the acronym FAST: Fiscal responsibility, Academic improvement, STEAM (STEM + Arts) education, and Teacher retention.

Camden Bedinghaus was a no-show, but for the sake of reader education, I’ll point out that he is the young ideological conservative in the race. He grew up in a large family in Manatee County, graduated from USF, and serves as Director of Turning Point USA Manatee County Hub, a branch of the organization founded by conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk, according to his candidate biography on the Manatee Supervisor of Elections website.

DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATES

Cindy Spray is the District 2 incumbent and current chair of the Manatee School Board. She cited the unique characteristics of D2 such as having the most charter schools and Title 1 schools. She says that too many kids have been left behind and she wants to instill in them a drive to thrive. She touted school district gains in reading levels and graduation rates to call for continuing support for the progress in the district. She also cited her record on student safety issues, including a program that allows students to disclose information securely and secretly to principals and other trusted persons if they know of a potential threat to students or schools in the district. She established a program that privately and discreetly recognizes students who come forward to disclose safety-related information with a commemorative safety coin.

J.T. White grew up attending public schools in Manatee County and worked in several positions in the county, including as an EBD specialist at Palmetto Elementary and in computer tech work with Rogers Community School and Freedom Elementary School. White declared a “tech tirade” against educational technology programs such as iReady, IXL, and Lexia, citing their lack of effectiveness and negative impact on student attention spans. White pointed out that Silicon Valley elites now often send their kids to fully tech-free schools, and Manatee should similarly focus on “people over programs.” It wasn’t clear to me what his current work status is, but his candidate website mentions that he also studied radio broadcasting at Hillsborough Community College, worked as a radio personality, and became part-owner of WRBA radio station. I don’t know if it’s the same station, but a Facebook page for a WRBA 107.5 station in Sarasota indicates that it’s now closed.

Margi Nanney described her life experiences growing up in the Sarasota-Manatee area and raising her children who attended Oneco Elementary, Harllee Middle, and Southeast High Schools. She says she was the first art teacher at Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, worked in advertising and public relations, and served in related capacities for the DeSoto Speedway, an automobile dealership, and as public information officer for Manatee schools. She helped advised a STEM competition, Formula 1 in Schools, in which the district has often excelled, placing third in the world in Singapore in recent years. She has also served on many community boards. Nanney says she wants to support the vision and strategic plan of the superintendent and that she will be an informed decision-maker, not a rubber-stamp. She wants to spark student passion for learning and bring her communication skills and institutional knowledge to bear on behalf of the district again.

Dr. Sharon Jefferson is a Manatee public school educator with over 25 years of experience including team leader, department chair, and leader of various initiatives in her schools and through nonprofit work and community engagement in the urban core of the district. She is a Title 1 and No Child Left Behind Specialist who says she knows how to make a difference in the lives of people who are marginalized and struggling because she has been “doing the work” for years in the community directly in partnership with the schools. Jefferson emphasizes that we need to understand the real-life stories behind the students and test scores, particularly the many students in District 2 who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). As a nonprofit leader, she has been involved in developing resources for and advocating on behalf of ACE students. She notes that disparity in educational outcomes can be traced back directly to differences in opportunity, access, and support. She says student success starts at home and in the community and she wants to strengthen the community around the students to support them.

Rev. James Golden was a no-show but is an attorney and figure well-known in Manatee politics as a former Manatee School Board member who was elected for one term in District 5 in 2018, as well as a former Bradenton City Council member. After school board redistricting, he now resides in District 2.

DEBATE ISSUES

Candidates were asked different questions in the debate, so they did not all comment on the same topics.

The candidates were asked a range of questions about budget priorities, accountability to taxpayers, and what should happen in the event of a sudden, steep budget shortfall.

• Wilford expressed concern about the impact of state-sponsored school vouchers on the school budget, but expected to receive valuable training on budgetary affairs from the Florida School Boards Association (FSBA). She noted that previous candidates have said they knew where and how to cut funds, but it often never turned out that way. So, she will watch and learn.

• Nanney echoed the importance of FSBA training and expressed appreciation for the millage which has supported the schools. She suggested looking at IT programs and contracts with outside vendors and consultants for possible cuts.

• Jefferson commented that the budget should prioritize serving the poorest and most vulnerable populations to reduce opportunity gaps. She also stressed the need to retain qualified teachers to support student success.

• White advocated for greater public review of budgetary expenses made by the Manatee School Board and that the community should have an “itemized list” and opportunity to say they don’t want their tax dollars directed to certain expenses, rather than having five school board members determine everything.

• Spray noted that the budget is massive almost beyond understanding and that so many dollars were reserved for specific buckets of expenses. She also noted the board is constantly audited by both a citizens’ financial audit committee and their own auditor who comes in. She urges people to go to meetings and dig into it all for themselves. She hopes money will be used in classrooms more than anything else.

• Shifrin offered, in response to a hypothetical situation of a sharp rise in unexpected costs, that he would be willing to go to the public, use facts, and put a positive face on a campaign to support greater revenue to maintain the high standards and support that the district currently offers.

The second set of questions to members related to how they saw the primary role of school board members, and how they would ensure that the board would be collaborative and productive.

• Mullis commented that they hire a superintendent to be financially responsible but that they also want to oversee a robust volunteer program in our county. He wants to make sure students get the tutors they need. He cited that District 5 is not struggling the same way as District 2, and so manpower needed to be moved into those areas. He wants to get the business community, retirees, and parents involved.

• Wilford noted that the school board has one employee, the superintendent, and their success should be the focus of the board. The board should stay in their lane and not get into political, non-student-focused issues. Manatee County has been doing a good job, she said, of “staying boring” and focusing on priorities.

• Shifrin likened the school board to the board of directors of a company. He says they employ the superintendent but they indirectly affect all under that person’s purview, including the administration, teachers, students, physical plant, etc. He said that to be collaborative, the board needs to allow a free exchange of ideas and board members need to be able to work with people who have different views. He cited his experience as a trained mediator and the importance of talking to your neighbors, people on the school board, and everyone around to try to come to a consensus.

• White commented that school board members need to be present in the community and circulate among people, many of whom don’t know who to talk to because they don’t know who are their representatives.

• Nanney affirmed that she would be a cheerleader for the district, visit all D2 schools on a regular basis, and use workshops as a place for the board to work collaboratively. She wants everyone to “sing from the same page of music” to support the superintendent.

• Jefferson emphasized the importance of building relationships of trust first in the community. She also noted that we need to improve the systems we already have in place, explaining that there have been many cycles of various ideas of how to improve the schools, but we need to take the time to evaluate what is actually working. The board can get off track into political things, but kids haven’t made the increases needed in literacy and other areas.

• Spray said the board controls the budget and policies, but being a school board member is a lot more than that. She mentioned working with foster care organizations in the community and recently traveling to Washington DC to support the district.

THE AUGUST PRIMARY

The August school board primary elections to be held on August 18, 2026 are nonpartisan elections in which all voters can vote regardless of party affiliation.

Nonetheless, voters often know the partisan voter registration status of candidates or their ideological leanings. As the Manatee Muse is a progressive blog, we question the motivations of anyone who would choose to affiliate with a Republican Party in thrall to Donald Trump, a corrupt, morally unfit degenerate who is launching our country into dubious foreign wars and leading our country off an economic cliff. More to the point for the school board race, Trump is also systematically dismantling the federal Department of Education through executive orders and without congressional legislative approval.

The four registered Democrats among the candidates in these two races are Rev. James Golden and Dr. Sharon Jefferson in District 2, and Harvey Shifrin and Chantal Wilford in District 5. The others are all registered Republicans.

Dr. Jonathan Mullis leads the pack in fundraising, with over $11,000 in monetary contributions reported so far, including personal loans to his campaign and contributions from a number of Republican officeholders and candidates in the county. In the same race, Camden Bedinghaus received a campaign contribution over $300 from the far-right Tea Party Manatee group (also known as Manatee Patriots), according to his most recent financial report.

Jefferson, Shifrin, and Wilford all performed admirably in the debate and showed deep knowledge of educational issues and commitment to the Manatee County school community and taxpayers. We look forward to hearing more from all three.

Today Manatee Tiger Bay hosted a panel of six Manatee County political, civic, and business leaders to discuss “Growth in Manatee County,” the first in a two-part series. Panelists spoke of new business developments such as the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa near the Bradenton Area Convention Center, as well as challenges in eastern Manatee County to the local watershed that need careful protection and planning as development proceeds.

Intriguingly, the panel was held on the same floor of the Manatee Performing Arts Center’s Kiwanis Hall at the same time as Gov. Ron DeSantis’s press conference to announce a DOGE audit of Manatee County government finances. The DOGE audit represents a noteworthy turn after a new board majority elected in 2024 on the all-Republican Manatee County Commission spurned powerful development interests in the county.

Development has brought benefits and challenges to the region. Three Tiger Bay panelists highlighted the “upside” as they spoke of business opportunities to revitalize downtown Palmetto and Bradenton, in addition to infrastructure challenges.

“Why Palmetto?” asked Tony DeRusso, Managing Director of the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa. DeRusso said he was initially skeptical about the site for development but the local beaches enchanted him during a visit. He made a business case for it to his company based on GPS tracking of where local tourists and visitors went. He ended up loving the area so much he relocated his family here. He hopes the hotel will be an economic stimulus to the region with job creation and an expanded tax base.

Karon Dixon, Executive Director of the nonprofit Palmetto Downtown Main Street, spoke of revitalization efforts to bring more people downtown. Dixon touted 18 new businesses in downtown Palmetto, a Saturday Sundown Concert Series, and their official recognition by Florida Main Street and Main Street America.

Lisa Gonzalez Moore, Councilwoman for Bradenton City Council, Ward 4, one of the oldest parts of the city, discussed “revitalization with smart growth,” including corridors connecting Bradenton and Palmetto. She explained infrastructure upgrade needs in her ward and across the city, especially for water drainage and stormwater runoff. The city is expanding some lift stations, while they work to remove lift stations on the water in accordance with state law. Gonzalez Moore added that the financial costs of these projects are enormous and she hoped the legislature and governor would work together to help provide funding.

Three panelists discussed development challenges in high-growth East Manatee. In that area, local fights over preservation of critical watersheds and maintaining the character of the existing community amidst high growth have animated heated discussions in the chambers of the Manatee County Commission and Manatee School Board.

Norma Kennedy, president of the Parrish Civic Association, spoke of the Parrish area as “a bit rural” and community-focused, noting how the community successfully rallied to retain their identity by getting the new high school named Parrish Community High School. She pointed out that the 80,000 annual visitors to the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish provide an incredible opportunity for local businesses, yet the visitors don’t have anywhere to go. So long as Parrish Village lacks water and sewer hookups, the area can’t attract significant commercial development such as restaurants. They hope to develop a town center there in the future.

Yet residential and commercial development of eastern Manatee County farmland and watersheds that flow into Lake Manatee, the source of water for Manatee County, also potentially brings serious costs, noted Dr. Abbey Tyrna, Executive Director of Suncoast Waterkeeper. Her organization provides scientific research, education, advocacy, and “responsible legal action, when necessary” to protect our local bays, estuaries, and watersheds.

Tyrna noted that the flooding after Hurricane Debby exposed our need to improve capacity in the region to absorb water after intense rain events, and our headwater wetlands are naturally well-suited for this job. The headwater wetlands run dry during the dry season, however, which she explains makes them unfortunately vulnerable to development. The wetlands are not protected by the Clean Water Act, so the only way to protect them, then, is to get help at the local level. What the County Commission can do toward that end , Tyrna suggested, is stop rezoning of land for development when there is a significant potential for flooding.

Tyrna encouraged the audience to sign a Suncoast Waterkeeper petition to urge the Manatee County Commission to adopt a stormwater utility fee to improve drainage and prevent flooding in the area.

The first speaker for the panel, yet the last I am introducing here, was Carol Ann Felts, Manatee County Commissioner for District 1, who was allowed to speak early so that she could attend Gov. DeSantis’s press conference. Felts encouraged the audience to think of the importance of water in our lives and where it comes from, pick a cause, and “do one thing a day” to improve our quality of life. Felts represents the largest district in the county, as well as the areas with the threatened critical watersheds. The area was hit badly by flooding from Gamble Creek and other areas during Hurricane Debby last year.

Felts was part of the new board majority that attempted to restore wetlands buffer protections that were dismantled by the previous Manatee County Commission. She has also worked with fellow commissioners to firm up the Future Development Area Boundary (FDAB) to preserve the rural heritage and character of that part of East Manatee from encroaching development.

Yet those development interests, newly threatened, have allied themselves with the governor and threatened legal action against Manatee County. Four Florida state agencies questioned the Manatee County Commission’s legal capacity to restore wetlands buffers. Then during the last session, the Florida state legislature passed, and Gov. DeSantis signed, Senate Bill 180, which blocks local communities from altering development codes after hurricane damage, another in a series of state preemptions of local government.

Environmental journalist Craig Pittman described SB 180 as the handiwork of Manatee County real-estate developer and former State Senator Pat Neal, a “Wizard of Oz”-like character who mostly operates behind the scenes out of public view. After the legislation passed, the Manatee County Commission recently voted down one of Pat Neal’s company’s requests for rezoning Pope Ranch in East Manatee to redevelop an agricultural area at risk for flooding.

I used my Manatee Tiger Bay member prerogative to ask Commissioner Felts a question about what she would hypothetically ask of Gov. Ron DeSantis at the press conference next door if she had a chance. If she could ask for any change at the state level that would make her life easier as a County Commissioner to manage growth and protect critical watersheds, what would that be?

Felts responded that she would approach the issue with kindness, with a basis in law and with evidence at hand. But she made clear she would “challenge” Gov. DeSantis on the parts of SB 180 that aren’t working, as well as on SB 250, which was passed in 2023 and also cited by state officials who have sought to block Manatee County’s reinstatement of protections. The audience applauded.

Next door, Gov. DeSantis delivered his press conference with new Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announcing a DOGE investigation of waste in Manatee County. DeSantis claims that property tax receipts have risen 86% over the previous six years, despite attempts to keep millage rates low. DeSantis sees DOGE as building a case for reforms to eliminate property taxes in the state.

To this date, DeSantis had targeted only the City of Gainesville and Broward County, two “blue” areas, with DOGE-style audits.

Earlier this year, the Manatee County Commission unanimously approved a Manatee DOGE task force of citizen representatives.

The Manatee Tiger Bay panel today was the first of two to address growth and development issues in the county. The next session, set for September, will include representatives from Neal Communities and Medallion Homes, two real-estate development corporations, as well as citizen activists who are fighting for “slow growth” and “smart growth.”

As I mingled outside the Manatee Performing Arts Center after the event, Commissioner Felts exited outside after the governor’s press conference and stopped to say hello, in her charming, breezy way.

She said she was the only Manatee County Commissioner who attended the governor’s event. With her business background, she’s not afraid of an audit, she explained.

It’s a tax giveaway to billionaires at the expense of the least among us, guts clean energy, and builds a new police state by funneling $170 billion to ICE.

See how a NYT analyst depicts the impact in pictures here (gift link).

WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK

We have no time to waste in mobilizing our communities to stop the Trump administration from wreaking further damage. We need to support to each other in the spirit of solidarity. And we need to get organized for the 2026 midterms as well.

How can Manatee County residents take action? Here are some links below. Please share with others as well who might be interested.

Get Involved with Indivisible Manatee

Join the Indivisible Manatee email newsletter list by filling out the online form here. Indivisible is a local pro-democracy and pro-civil rights organizing group under a national umbrella. The email newsletter is a great resource for learning about local events, calls to action, and organizing protest trips to Rep. Vern Buchanan's office.

Join the upcoming demonstration, Good Trouble Lives On in Manatee County, in memory of civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis on Thursday, July 17 from 5:30-7:30 pm outside the Historic Manatee County Courthouse in downtown Bradenton. This event is cosponsored by Indivisible Manatee and the Manatee Democratic Black Caucus.

Get Involved with the Manatee County Democratic Party

Your local Manatee County Democratic Party organization is an all-volunteer group that supports voter registration, outreach, and education; holds regular meetings; and supports Democratic candidates in local, state, and federal campaigns. Sign up for the Manatee Democrats’ email newsletter here.

Get involved with one of the many MCDP Clubs and Caucuses such as the Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, Women’s Club, LGBT Caucus, Environmental Caucus, Progressive Caucus, Lakewood Ranch Democratic Club, North River Club, Longboat Key Club, and many more. You can find info on the Manatee Dems page here about their meetings and events, or sign up for further information here.

Join the Manatee County Democratic Party Phone Bank team to call voters to remind them to re-enroll in Vote-By-Mail. You can do this from your home or from the Manatee Dems’ office; register here.

Request your own vote-by-mail ballot via the Manatee Supervisor of Elections website here. The legislature recently changed the law to cancel all existing VBM requests; now voters have to re-enroll in VBM after every election cycle.

Join the League of Women Voters of Manatee County

The League of Women Voters of Manatee County is open to women and men alike. They provide excellent email newsletter summaries of local county commission and school board meetings. They provide wonderful nonpartisan public service information about elections, voter registration, and more. You can also connect with them on Facebook here.

Follow social media pages for local activism groups on Facebook:

Voices of Florida (formerly Women’s Voices of Southwest Florida) https://www.facebook.com/wvswfl

El Pueblo Unido Tampa Bay, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572637213753

Florida Valkyries, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576659448859

Action Together Suncoast - Indivisible Bradenton / Manatee, https://www.facebook.com/indivisiblebradentonprogressive

Support and lift up local residents with your favorite local charities and nonprofits as well.

Community residents will be needing the support. Include your favorite local community support organizations in the comment section at the bottom.

Finally, support your local news outlets that are holding elected officials accountable by subscribing.

Please join this open letter from Dr. Liv Coleman to Rep. Vern Buchanan, Vice Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee.

February 4, 2025

Dear Rep. Buchanan:

We are writing and visiting your office today to express our deep alarm and concern over Mr. Elon Musk’s hostile government takeover of our U.S. federal administrative agencies under the auspices of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

We are asking you to use your oversight powers as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee to ensure that all payments to social security, veterans, Medicare, and Medicaid payees will flow uninterrupted and that the security of their personally identifiable information will never be compromised. We are also asking you to ensure that the federal government will always make timely payments on its debts and all other financial obligations to citizens and contractors.

Mr. Musk is the richest man in the world, a South Africa-born centibillionaire who does not have a government security clearance or other formal vetting by the U.S. Congress to serve in such an important administrative position in the U.S. government. He should not be handling our most sensitive information, processes, and computerized systems. Mr. Musk has many conflicts of interest due to his wide-ranging business interests, large contracts with the federal government, and relationships with foreign actors from Russia’s Vladimir Putin to his extensive business interests in China.

The New York Times noted in a February 3, 2025 article (“Inside Musk’s Aggressive Incursion into the Federal Government”) that Trump officials said that “Mr. Musk was widely seen as operating with a level of autonomy that almost no one can control.” The reporters also found that a number of “former and current senior government officials – even those who like what he is doing – expressed a sense of helplessness about how to handle Mr. Musk’s level of unaccountability. At one point after another, Trump officials have generally relented rather than try to slow him down. Some hoped Congress would choose to reassert itself.”

The stakes of Mr. Musk’s control over the U.S. Treasury Department could not be higher. As the New York Times article noted, the Treasury Department payment system is typically operated by a group of core civil servants with “deep technical expertise.” Current and former officials from the Treasury Department reported that “a mishap could lead to critical government obligations going unpaid, with consequences ranging from missed benefits payments to a federal default.”

We know from reporting from Wired magazine that Mr. Musk is receiving assistance from a group of young men who are in college or who recently graduated from college, usually with no government experience (“The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk’s Government Takeover,” Feb. 2, 2025.) Sources told Wired that Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran are six young men working with Musk on the DOGE project. Bobba, Coristine, Farritor, and Shaotran “all currently have working GSA emails and A-suite level clearance at the GSA, which means they work out of the agency’s top floor and have access to all physical spaces and IT systems, according to a source with knowledge of the GSA’s clearance protocols.”

The New York Times article referenced earlier mentioned that “Mr. Musk’s aides, including Mr. Farritor, have requested access to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services systems that control contracts and the more than $1 trillion in payments that go out annually, according to a document seen by The Times.”

We also know from Wired magazine reporting that a “25-year-old engineer named Marko Elez, who previously worked for two Elon Musk companies, has direct access to Treasury Department systems responsible for nearly all payments made by the U.S. government” (“A 25-Year-Old with Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System,” February 4, 2025). They found that Mr. “Elez’s privileges include the ability not just to read but to write code on two of the most sensitive systems in the U.S. government. The Payment Automation Manager (PAM) and Secure Payment System (SPS) at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS). Housed on a top-secret mainframe, these systems control, on a granular level, government payments that in their totality amount to more than a fifth of the U.S. economy.”

Rep. Buchanan, as Vice Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, we call on you to use your oversight powers to examine the unprecedented happenings in the Treasury Department. We ask you to promptly investigate the activities of Mr. Elon Musk and his DOGE representatives who have assumed control over the critical financial payment systems of our federal government. We ask you to ensure that Mr. Musk and DOGE representatives do not tamper with the computer code for the critical processing of our federal payments; do not halt payments to individual payees, government contractors, or U.S. debt-holders; and that you take all necessary steps to protect the privacy and security of personal information including social security numbers and far beyond.

We ask you to hold a Town Hall so that constituents in your community who depend on veterans benefits, social security, and Medicare and Medicaid payments can get answers about what is happening and learn about what steps you are taking, if any, to protect them.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Best,

Dr. Liv Coleman

Bradenton, FL

Click here to sign the Change.org petition.

FALLING DEMOCRATIC REGISTRATIONS STATEWIDE LEAVE VOTE TOTALS LAGGING

First, this year Manatee County had 83% voter turnout of the nearly 282,000 total eligible voters. Turnout was a bit higher than the 79% turnout of 2020. 

About 51% of the total turnout was by registered Republicans, about 25% by registered Democrats, and about 24% by those registered as NPA/Other. That’s roughly similar to the overall distribution of party registrations in the county, but Republican turnout was a bit higher than Democratic, which was a bit higher than the NPA/Other turnout.

Republican Donald Trump won the presidential vote in Manatee County with 61% of the vote, compared to Democrat Kamala Harris’s 38% of the vote. Third party or write-in candidates got just over 1% of the total vote for president.  The difference between Trump and Harris is about 23 percentage points. Harris’s share of the vote (38%) lagged both Biden’s in 2020 (41%) and Clinton’s in 2016 (39%).

One likely explanation for the smaller percentage of votes for Harris this time is that there are many fewer registered Democrats in Manatee County today in 2024 compared to 2020. In 2020, there were 83,891 registered Democrats around election time. As of about a week ago, in 2024, there were only 71,732 registered Democrats, a decrease of 12,159 registered Democrats, despite the massive growth happening in our county.

NPA/Other registered voters have risen since that time from 71,908 to 76,154. And Republican registered voters have risen since 2020 from 119,127 to 136,779 voters today in 2024; that’s an increase of 17,607 voters in four years. So, the cumulative gap between Democratic and Republican registrations in Manatee County has widened by about 30,000 voters. Some of the Republican registration gain is undoubtedly due to in-migration or a handful of hyper-aware party-switchers who want to vote in GOP primaries, but there’s a larger story happening with parallels in counties across the state.

Democratic voter registrations have fallen noticeably as the Florida state legislature has passed new laws dramatically changing voter registration procedures that have led third-party groups that registered voters such as the League of Women Voters or Rock the Vote to cease or radically modify their activities for fear of fines and penalties. New laws also canceled mail-in ballot requests favored by Democratic voters and required supervisors of elections to pursue aggressive voter list maintenance and push people onto the “inactive” list of voters after only two election cycles of not voting; thereafter, “inactive” voters can be purged and forced to re-register to vote. For a variety of reasons, all of these changes disfavor Democratic Party voter registrations. At bottom, it’s voter suppression.

And nota bene: even if you voted by mail in the November 2024 election, your vote-by-mail (VBM) ballot request has already been deleted and you need to re-register.

Congress is now in full control of the Republican Party. Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Vern Buchanan cruised to victory again. Republicans have a trifecta now but it rests on thin electoral margins.  Trump’s lead in the popular vote nationwide is less than 2% and shrinking by the minute as they continue to count ballots nationwide, so you can’t say the Republicans have a sweeping mandate for change. It’s a deeply divided country and nothing has changed that. As you may remember, after the 2016 election, Republicans got a trifecta then, too, and they were able to pass only one significant piece of legislation, the Trump tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthiest Americans which Vern Buchanan helped author.

But with the populist turn of the Republican party, Rep. Buchanan has been further sidelined, declining to run for House Ways & Means Chair after a failed bid last session. He has been reduced to showing signs of fealty to Trump through photo ops with conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as Buchanan pledges to use his Health Subcommittee Chair to advance RFK Jr.’s agenda. The party has changed and so has Buchanan.

REPUBLICANS DOMINATE STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES

Statewide, the Florida Democratic Party remains in super-minority status going into the next legislative session. The FDP needed to flip five state legislative seats across Florida to get out of super-minority status, but won only one of them, against a sitting incumbent in Central Florida under felony indictment. Several races had extremely thin margins of victory for the Republican candidate of less than a percentage point, so they could easily swing the other way in 2026, especially when Trump is not on the ballot bringing out low-propensity voters.

Locally, Republican State House candidates Michael Owen in District 70, Rep. Will Robinson, Jr. in District 71, and Bill Conerly in District 72 easily won their races even in a year that saw strong anti-developer sentiment in the August 2024 Manatee County primary elections. Local smart growth advocates should watch the state legislature closely to see how these results affect their interests locally, especially with State Senator Jim Boyd of Bradenton positioned to take the Senate President position in 2026 if he gets reelected at that time.

REPUBLICANS DOMINATED MANATEE COUNTY COMMISSION RACES, BUT NOT SCHOOL BOARD RACES

Republicans George Kruse (District 7, countywide), Carol Ann Felts (District 1), Tal Siddique (District 3), and Robert McCann (District 5) won all four county commission seats up for election, despite strong challenges by Democratic & NPA candidates in a year of strong anti-development and anti-incumbent sentiment that knocked off sitting commissioners in the August 2024 GOP primary. George Kruse got more votes in Manatee County than either Donald Trump or Vern Buchanan, making him arguably the most popular politician in the county.

The District 1 race is useful for evaluating popular local arguments about whether it is more effective to challenge Republicans in Manatee County as a Democrat or NPA candidate on the ballot. Jen Hamey is a prominent local attorney and president of the Parrish Civic Association, but as an NPA candidate she was not able to crack 10% of the vote, while Democrat Glenn Pearson, a former news broadcaster and Vice-Chair of the Manatee County Democratic Party, got nearly three times more support, likely due to his Democratic partisan affiliation, a stronger brand than the NPA brand or personal brand of any individual candidate who is not a TV celebrity.

For Manatee County School Board District 1, former Manatee public school teacher Heather Felton defeated retired business executive Mark Stanoch, 58% to 42%. The race is nonpartisan but Felton was openly affiliated with the Democratic Party and Stanoch was openly affiliated with the Republican Party. This district is very conservative, so it’s a rare flip for a Democratic-aligned school board candidate in Manatee County. To put it even more starkly, the same District 1 that voted to reelect Donald Trump by nearly a two-to-one margin also voted overwhelmingly to support the school board candidate who publicly quit her teaching job in protest of the DeSantis book bans and erasure of LGBTQ students.

Apparently, voters like teachers this election cycle. For Manatee County School Board District 3, former school board member and Manatee public school teacher Charlie Kennedy, running in a new district, beat Jon Lynch by a 58% to 42% margin. Kennedy has had no party affiliation for most of his political career but has registered Republican in the past to vote in those primaries while expressing left-leaning positions. Lynch was known to be a registered Republican close to former Manatee GOP leadership. Statewide, the Amendment 1 vote that would have turned school board races into partisan elections failed to reach the 60% threshold, so this will continue to be an avenue for non-Republican candidates to get elected to nonpartisan seats in Manatee County.

TRUMP LOOKS TO MAKE AMERICA FLORIDA, WHILE MANATEE COUNTY BRACES FOR TRUMP IMPACTS

The Trump administration is tapping many Florida politicians for his administration, fulfilling the campaign pledge of his GOP presidential primary rival Gov. Ron DeSantis to “Make America Florida.” Trump continues to adopt the strategy pioneered by former Florida Gov. Rick Scott of appointing foxes to the hen houses of departments and agencies to erode their capabilities to govern. Expect the aim of advancing the “deconstruction of the administrative state” to proceed at full speed this term. Beware, anyone who cares about food safety, water quality, environmental protection, consumer safety, and legal standards of justice.

Trump’s agenda is likely to adversely affect the residents of Manatee County in a variety of ways. Trump tariffs will be tax increases that all Manatee consumers will pay through higher prices on imported goods they buy, but they are likely to weigh especially heavily on seniors who are living on a fixed income. Trump’s program for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants could adversely affect local growers and construction companies that depend on that labor, increasing costs for local residents looking to buy a house or move. Mass deportation also stands to break up local mixed-status families of legal residents and undocumented persons.

The Manatee County Commission and Manatee Sheriff’s office, in particular, will all be tested in how they respond to national initiatives. These elected Republican officials campaigned openly and strongly for support for Trump’s election, and they may be called upon to remove fluoride from the Manatee County water supply; open up new lands for development; redirect local law enforcement resources away from supporting emergency services with the growth of the county to cracking down on undocumented workers or the spread of medication abortion pills or emergency contraception by mail; and much more.

Why do I think November is going to be HOT HOT HOT?

Because fringe MAGA candidates and Gov. Ron DeSantis-backed candidates lost badly in some very interesting places, making me question the enthusiasm for the MAGA movement right now & in perpetuity – especially when Trump is not on the ballot.

• DeSantis-backed & Moms for Liberty school board candidates lost in Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Seminole, Orange, and Indian River Counties, and maybe more! They have sometimes lost BADLY. Moms for Liberty is going to be DUST – EVEN IN FLORIDA.

• The DeSantis-backed Manatee SOE candidate James Satcher, a MAGA preacher man, lost as well in favor of Republican Scott Farrington, who is an actual certified elections professional with a lot of experience.

• The Sarasota MAGA “medical freedom” hospital board candidates ALL LOST -- BADLY.

• Two Democrats won their nonpartisan school board races in MAGA central Sarasota – Tom Edwards, the incumbent, held on to his seat; Liz Barker defeated the DeSantis-endorsed incumbent Karen Rose.

For Manatee County school board, Heather Felton, a former Manatee public school teacher supported by the Democratic Party, placed first in the three-person District 1 nonpartisan primary. She will face far-right Republican Mark Stanoch, a retired business executive, in a November runoff.

Charlie Kennedy, a teacher and former Manatee school board member, placed first of three in the nonpartisan primary for District 3. He will face diesel mechanic and marina owner Jon Lynch in November. The “spiritual warfare”-peddling candidate overflowing with religiosity LOST.

These races are likely to be very tough and highly competitive in November. Felton and Kennedy are both highly qualified and need your continued support.

In Manatee County, the huge news is in the GOP primaries for Manatee County Commission, the NON-DEVELOPER-BACKED candidates won! I was genuinely surprised that they won and by such a large margin in most cases, though that might also just show that low turnout elections can lead to some interesting outcomes. These candidates were widely outspent and faced a lot of dirty tricks yet prevailed. All the Manatee county seats lean heavily Republican this cycle.

I do want to say a bit briefly now, and maybe a bit more later, about the GOP candidates that won for county commission. In District 1, Carol Ann Felts, a perennial GOP candidate from Myakka, defeated Steve Metallo. I genuinely like Felts and if she is elected in November, that would be the single biggest change to date in the GOP county commission representation. Felts will face NPA Jen Hamey, an attorney, and Democrat Glenn Pearson, a former newscaster who has also been Vice Chair of Manatee Democrats and the Manatee Democratic Black Caucus Chair.

In District 3, Tal Siddique beat April Culbreath in the GOP Primary. Culbreath is the Manatee GOP Chair and leader of the local Trump Train car caravan (!) who attended the Big Lie Stop the Steal protests on January 6 in Washington DC. That said, Tal also endorsed Trump (did he really have to?) and came out as a Christian nationalist who wants Ten Commandments in public places, opposes Amendment 4 abortion rights, etc. He will face Democrat Diana Shoemaker, the former CEO of Manatee Habitat for Humanity, in November. Diana has lived in Manatee County much, much longer than Tal, and has built many community partnerships over the years for affordable housing, so this could be interesting in November.

In District 5, Robert McCann beat DeSantis-appointee Ray Turner in the GOP primary. McCann is a retired physician and was endorsed by disgraced former general Mike Flynn. His long, bizarre defense of Mike Flynn shows he is mentally deep in MAGA land, so this is a “victory” against certain development interests, but it raises some questions about his overall discernment and judgment about political affairs and fidelity to the U.S. Constitution (and, honestly, you could ask that of any of the Trump-supporting GOP candidates). (Flynn pleaded the Fifth Amendment to whether he supported a peaceful transition of power between presidential administrations). McCann will face NPA candidate Joe DiBartolomeo, a longtime Manatee resident who opposes special interests, in November. Joe D is the only choice and should appeal broadly to the conservative and liberal groups he has been actively courting.

In District 7, incumbent George Kruse beat D3 incumbent Kevin Van Ostenbridge (KVO), who transferred to the new district for this GOP primary. KVO is one of the least civil, least responsive, developer boot-licking commissioners we’ve ever had, so it was nice to see him lose badly. Kruse has had a major shift since he was first elected in 2020 as Donald Trump’s man in Manatee County. He is now more outspoken about development and environmental issues, but his record still raises a lot of questions, to say the least. I presume he is still a MAGA man. If you look at his contribution record, it’s also not entirely developer-free this go-round, if you look carefully. Thank goodness for Democrat Sari Lindroos-Valimaki as a choice in November. She is a cybersecurity professional who lived in the evacuation zone of the Piney Point disaster and is the absolute surest choice for honesty, integrity, character, and change in the race.

The reality of development and home rule issues, though, is that the Florida GOP still controls the state legislature in Tallahassee and caters to those interests, having long ago dismantled all meaningful oversight over the industry. Until that changes, expect mega-developer Carlos Beruff to take his concerns straight up to Tallahassee to evade whatever any new Manatee County Commission regime tries to put in place that could affect him. The only way to change the dynamic of development and growth in Florida is to vote for Democrats for the state legislature. That means, in Manatee County, supporting Luther Wilkins for HD 70, Adriaan DeVilliers for HD 71, and Lesa Miller for HD 72. And then we need a Democratic governor in 2026.

In HD 72, an open seat, developer-backed candidate Bill Conerly won the GOP primary. He faced three challengers who basically split the vote among those opposing those interests. Realistically, however, whoever won, whether they were backed by developers or not, would be completely boxed in by the top-down GOP leadership in the legislature who count their votes carefully and don’t let anyone stray in any case that actually matters – or else they lose their committees, offices, etc. Conerly will face Democrat Lesa Miller of LWR in November. Miller is the only choice.

The FL-16 Congressional race will be a rematch this fall between GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan and Democrat Jan Schneider, a perennial Democratic candidate and environmental attorney. Buchanan faced a surprisingly strong challenge from Eddie Speir, a grassroots conservative so disliked by the GOP establishment that state lawmakers did not confirm his appointment as a New College of Florida trustee after the right-wing DeSantis takeover of that school. Speir still got 40% of the vote. Schneider defeated Trent Miller of Lakewood Ranch. Hope both Buchanan and Schneider will consider moving to Manatee County to be in the district, lol…

And, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell handily won her US Senate primary to face Sen. Rick Scott in November. That’s looking mighty good indeed!

Just as a final reminder to voters. If you want to take back your community from big-monied real-estate developers and special interests who want to plunder the lands for profit, you have to vote Democratic all up and down the ticket, from county commission to state legislature to Congress and president. Vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, NOT the washed-up former MAGA real-estate-developer-in-chief.

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Welcome to The Manatee Muse: By Liv Coleman

Have you been wondering when we would finally get a liberal voice in this region for public affairs commentary? I started a Substack to do just that for Southwest Florida politics, and no better time to start than with the Manatee Tiger Bay school board debate.

Manatee School Board District 1

Of the two Manatee School Board races up this year, District 1 should be the more competitive race with three school board candidates ready to get to work on Day One. To my surprise, all three candidates endorsed renewal of the millage rate that supports teacher salaries. The candidates offered differences more on experience and biography than on policy, so that’s what you’ll see in this writeup.

Heather Felton introduced herself as having a broad range of experience based in decades of living in Manatee County and getting to know the Manatee County public school system as a teacher and parent of two recent graduates. She moved to the area to take a job as a journalist for the Bradenton Herald, which is how she met her now-husband, a Manatee Sheriff’s lieutenant with years of service to the community. Felton’s oldest son just graduated from college and moved back to the area. Her youngest is starting at Manatee Technical College in a program in culinary arts.

After a number of years of service in ministry and religious education, Felton joined the Manatee public school system and taught in a Title 1 school. She said she wants to help all kids, as well as all parents, who sometimes have trouble navigating the school system, as she said knows from experience. Felton has been attending Manatee School Board and budget meetings regularly to familiarize herself with the processes and said she plans to quit her current job and devote herself to the school board full-time, “24-7” if elected.

Mark Stanoch offered his experience in business administration to the school board. Stanoch is retired from a career working for technology companies including IBM and Dell and is running for School Board because he “wants to give back.” He stressed his management expertise and interest in fiscal stewardship over the Manatee County School District. Stanoch is also a grandparent of two children in the Manatee County public school system. He was critical of the current school board’s direction and expressed dissatisfaction with the reading test scores in the school district. Despite his longstanding affiliation with the local far-right Manatee Patriots group, he largely eschewed culture war rhetoric, emphasizing his business perspective to running the schools instead.

The thing that gave me a bit of pause hearing Stanoch talk was that, for all his experience with technology and business administration, I wondered if he was over-generalizing how it could transfer to leadership of a democratically-elected school board. In particular, school boards need to comply with state laws in so many areas, including on budgeting, and are accountable to a diverse range of stakeholders with competing needs and perspectives. School board management involves not just aligning goals with others on the board, but also bringing the public along by listening and communicating with them.

The only thing in his comments that really raised my eyebrows, though, was his interest in using predictive analytics to improve school safety in response to an audience question. Private businesses often use personal data for product development and marketing, in sometimes quiet but troubling ways, given the lack of legal oversight in this area. But when it comes to children and the public schools, how student data is used needs to be a top concern. The Pasco County School District, for example, recently reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice over a predictive policing program that disproportionately and unfairly targeted students with disabilities.

I doubt Stanoch, if he learned about this issue in more depth, would push the district in this direction. But it was an example, in my mind, of how it’s easy for seasoned professionals to lean too much into what they already know and assume that it will transfer to new domains — in his case with the use of technology — rather than focus on listening and learning. That said, he did say he would need to learn more about the MCSD budgeting process before making definitive statements about the right way to move forward, in response to a question about outcomes-based versus zero-based budgeting. His response to this question showed both an understanding of the issue at stake as well as a refreshing reluctance to weigh in.

Alex Garner introduced himself as a 4th-generation Manatee County resident heavily involved in the community, particularly with the Kiwanis Club service organization. Garner’s family owned and operated the Star Fish Company in Cortez Village. He graduated from Manatee High School, SCF, and the University of South Florida, with a degree in business administration. He went into the private business sector after graduating. When the pandemic happened, his wife was a classroom teacher and he saw the dire need for substitute teachers, so he jumped in to help. He claims to have taught in just about every school in the county and at every level from elementary to high school. After that experience, he became a full-time teacher, which is primarily, as I understand, teaching business classes at Palmetto High School. He said it would be difficult to quit teaching, but he would do so if elected to the school board. He also mentioned his wife is expecting a baby girl due in September who he plans to send to Manatee public schools one day.

Comparison: While all three candidates agreed on the need to renew the millage, the two issues that came up where some policy differences emerged were on cell phones and book bans. Felton said she thought cell phones have a place, but do not belong every place. She said that working at a Title 1 school, they sometimes didn’t have enough technology in the classroom for everyone to access information needed in a timely way, so it could be helpful for people to look things up on their cell phones. She said we need to adapt to a world with technology, but also made clear that in many cases cell phones shouldn’t be around, lest students be tempted to shirk their schoolwork. Stanoch and Garner were more skeptical about the presence and use of cell phones, and Garner described different policies he had seen at different schools he had worked in.

In response to new laws from the Florida Legislature signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, the Manatee County School District implemented harsh book bans that involved teachers covering up their bookshelves and removing many books from classrooms and libraries. Garner and Stanoch expressed full support for the DeSantis process, while Felton, who publicly quit her job teaching literature partly in protest over the book banning process, said that beleaguered teachers need a lot more support in the classroom and that the process had gone too far, while acknowledging that not every book belongs in every classroom, library, or school.

Interestingly, Garner appears to be wary of going too far himself on this issue, judging by literature his team left at tables in the dining hall. An eagle eye at my table noticed that if you peeled away an adhesive strip at the bottom of the rack card, that you could see he had tried to cover up a line on the card that read “Make sure pornographic and age-inappropriate materials are banned from school libraries.” Maybe he’s worried about being portrayed as a book-banning culture warrior — well, he signaled alignment with the DeSantis agenda, so he’s going to be walking a very fine line there if he wants to go down another path.

The Manatee Muse’s Choice: Heather Felton has the most encompassing depth and breadth of experience relevant to the School Board as a teacher, parent, and community citizen already doing the work of showing up to the meetings to try to master the policy and budgeting process. We also need someone who will trust teachers and librarians to make the right decisions about books, while allowing for the challenge process that has always existed. You can count on Heather Felton to do that.

Manatee School Board District 3

I’m only going to do a brief write-up here because the contrast in experience between former school board member and Manatee schoolteacher Charlie Kennedy was so great compared to his two opponents. He was also the only one who voiced support for the millage renewal to support teacher and staff salaries and the only one in this race who expressed any concern about book bans or the seepage of overtly religious content into the schools.

Charlie Kennedy introduced himself as a former board member who applauded the trajectory of the school district since it almost got in trouble with the state back in 2012 and turned itself around into a “B” district with better finances, partly under his watch. He has also returned to classroom teaching now after two terms as a school board member and service as a school board chair, including under the politically contentious COVID years. Although Kennedy eschewed the label “politician,” saying he’s just a teacher like so many others up here, he was also the most natural politician on the stage, which is to his credit. To wit: He touted his experience and understanding of the give-and-take of making school board policy, the need to get support from other board members for priorities, and the importance of being a team player when on the losing side of a vote. He also expressed his interest and ability in fostering civil discussion. He said he aims to provide as much possible space for public comment, as long as it stays on school business, even if it is critical of him as a school board member.

Perri Ann Parkman is a yoga instructor and business owner who is married to a military veteran, as well as a more recent Manatee County resident. She has children who have attended charter and private schools, and also described the pain of losing a son to suicide after he experienced a sports injury. Her personal commitments seem to be mainly spiritual. She opened her introductory marks asking the audience to share with her a prayer she led in Jesus’s name. Parkman claimed she was called by God to run for the position, and that she saw “spiritual warfare” happening in the community, wittingly or unwittingly invoking the language commonly used by adherents of the New Apostolic Reformation movement of Christian dominionism over the “seven mountains” of society.

Yet in response to my audience question about whether she and other candidates would pledge to support the rights of parents and children of religious minorities in the public schools, Parkman affirmed that, yes, of course she would. In response to another audience question about whether candidates would be willing to compromise with fellow school board members, she also said that she would, of course, be willing to compromise, too. Some might say political candidates just use the earlier kind of “red-meat” culture-war rhetoric to get elected, but if she really believes she is called by God to the school board for a specific Christian mission to the schools, which I took to be sincere, I worry that she may find herself in many ordinary policy dilemmas which test her daily — and the community.

Jon Lynch offered himself in service to the school board as a parent in the community of two daughters, as a taxpayer, and as someone who came up through the Manatee public school system himself who went into a skilled trade rather than go to college. He found success as a diesel mechanic who now owns his own business and multiple properties in Manatee County. He became interested in the Manatee school board for the first time in 2020 during the pandemic, when he felt his parental rights were being trampled. During the pandemic his wife also started a Facebook community of 4,000 people to support teachers by helping them fund supplies for their classroom. He thinks Manatee schools need to find more money to make the salaries more competitive, so they don’t leave to go to other districts such as Sarasota. However, he wouldn’t commit support for the millage renewal, which will result in a teacher salary cut of $8,000 if they don’t pass it again, according to Heather Felton in the debate. Lynch seems inclined to follow culture-war priorities if elected as well.

The Manatee Muse’s Choice: Charlie Kennedy (the Kennedy “without brain worms,” according to his campaign signs) represents the only serious choice for this district. The other candidates bring up important issues and perspectives, but seemed disinterested or perhaps unaware of the political skills and approaches needed to interact with diverse groups of stakeholders to serve our exceptionally diverse body of Manatee school students.

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If you like what you’ve read here, or even if you don’t but want to stay informed, subscribe to my Substack by entering your email address below and hitting the yellow “Subscribe” button. It’s free! We’ll be offering commentary on other races including the Manatee Supervisor of Elections, Manatee County Commission, Florida State House and more, so stay tuned.

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