My Solution:

Stop the urban sprawl! Low-density residential housing, excessive re-zoning, increased energy use, pollution, traffic congestion, a loss of community distinctiveness and cohesiveness, the destruction of wildlife habitat and wetlands, and the fragmentation of the remaining natural areas are characteristics of the County's rapid expansion.

We must protect Florida’s natural beauty and heritage including our wetlands and wildlife habitats. I'll fight to restore (not mitigate for) the 50-foot wetland buffer that the previous Boards took away! Wetlands are important because they protect and improve water quality, provide fish and wildlife habitats, store floodwater and maintain surface water flow during dry periods. Natural water quality improvement, flood protection, shoreline erosion control, opportunities for recreation and aesthetic appreciation, and natural products for our use are provided at no cost. Wetlands recharge our drinking water supply, protect our property from flooding, filter pollutants from stormwater, and offer habitat for important species.

The Manatee County government will have a dedicated Water Department exclusively for water and sewage systems management, storm drainage, and potable water.

My Solution:

Before authorizing any additional construction or development that impacts roads, we must invest in essential infrastructure and technology to optimize traffic flow and reduce stop-and-go traffic. State, federal, and public-private partnership financing, as well as fully financed impact fees on any new developments already authorized, will cover these initiatives. Congested roads cause potholes, longer commutes, health and safety problems, accidents, and road rage.

My Solution:

Simplify the government. The government should only hire and retain people who are absolutely necessary to meet the requirements of the community.

Taxes should only be sufficient to pay for community services. The millage rate needs to be lowered. Reserves are bloated and should be used for their intended purposes. Instead of the government keeping your money in a "reserve," I will fight to let you keep it.

My Solution:

A community's inventory of workforce housing can be expanded by renovating or upgrading existing housing units rather than by developing new housing. Rehab and redevelopment of abandoned and underutilized sites present substantial prospects. Older housing stock is preserved and improved through redevelopment and rehabilitation, which also offers the benefit of effectively utilizing existing infrastructure to save long-term public service delivery costs.

I will be accountable to our whole community and consider its future by encouraging public meetings and opposing any changes that do not fit into the neighborhoods. In order to maintain cohesive and attractive neighborhoods, affordable housing and infill should only be taken into consideration once roads and storm drainage have been installed. Unfortunately, when the buildings are being constructed, the infrastructure is not in place.

My Solution:

Let’s do a 180 on SB180! SB180 prevents any county or city from imposing new construction limits, adopting temporary building moratoriums, or enforcing rules deemed “more restrictive or burdensome” than state standards, regardless of whether a storm has impacted the area. This has forced Manatee County to shelve significant plans, including efforts to strengthen wetlands protections and reinforce the Future Development Area Boundary, which limits development in rural regions by stripping the BOCC of their ability to make decisions on environmental protection, infrastructure planning, and quality of life.

We need public mobilization and a growing resistance to state preemption, particularly on issues of environmental protection, development control, and community self-governance.