The Sarasota Herald Tribune has an article in today’s paper about landlords and the trouble they’re having in the housing market. The culprit is high taxes. Local governments spent too much money (no, really) during the economic expansion and now people who can’t afford homes are the ones paying the price.
Taxes on Rutkowski’s four-unit rental property on Eighth Street in Sarasota, for example, went up from $1,537 a year in 1998 to $13,373 in 2006 — a 770 percent increase.
That means Rutkowski now has to collect about $250 per month in rent from each of the four units on the property to pay taxes compared with $33 per month 10 years ago.
A 770% increase in property taxes! What did the local governments do with all of the money? They squandered on stupid pet projects and other various nonsense. Now the poor are paying the price for the government’s lack of foresight. How anyone believes that any kind of government intervention is going to solve the nation’s problems is beyond me.
I got up bright and early Tuesday morning to participate in the Sarasota city elections. I braved a long line to vote… I jest, there was no one at the voting precinct when I voted. Many citizens of the city were likely just trying to get to work on time. This is the season where the morning traffic is nearly impossible to navigate. It seems as if every retired snowbird east of the Mississippi is cramming the roads to spend their child’s inheritence at the local breakfast place. I digress… the results are in and the city of Sarasota is still backwards. For whatever reason the city refuses to join the rest of civilization by electing a mayor. Word is that the remaining city commissioners will start holding tribal councils. They might as well go to the beach gather around the fire and throw sticks into the air. That would be an improvement over the status quo. The measure lost 4,406 to 6,799. Clearly turnout was an issue.
In other news there’s going to be a runoff for city council between pedestrian utopianist Suzaane Atwell, closet Democrat Terry Turner, and Paul Caragiulo whose platform is anyone’s guess. There are two spots up for grabs. A runoff election will be held on April 14 and I’ll be sitting at home for that one. Atwell and Turner are just more of the same. Turner can’t figure out what party he belongs to and Atwell believes in some kind of fantasy pedestrian world. Just think, at least one of these people will have a chance to be our rotating mayor.
Overall a sad night for Sarasota. A city that is run poorly, with citizens too apathetic to do anything about it, a newspaper in favor of the status quo, and with leaders who are completely inept. Sound familiar?
The more I learn about pedestrian utopianist Suzaane Atwell the less I care for her political beliefs. Atwell, who is running for Sarasota City Commissioner has no business running a city. Here’s an answer to a question from the SRQ Journal.
Q: Are the restrictions for development in Sarasota too burdensome? If changes are warranted, what should they be?
A: Neighborhoods, both east and west of the Trail, are lying in the weeds. We need to look more boldly at opportunities for smart development–especially in the downtown core. A city is only as good as its core. There are many cities losing their cores to suburban sprawl and the malls.
Huh? That doesn’t answer the question. Well, it does answer it in politician speak. Here’s a translation of Atwell’s answer.
A: Neighborhoods, both east and west of the Trail, are lying in the weeds but it’s not because of growth restrictions. We need to restrict growth and promote a utopian pedestrian fantasyland in the center of Sarasota. We’re going to follow the lead of the other cities who are losing their core to sprawl. I believe that implementing the same policies as other cities will not have the same result.
Yes that’s the definition of insanity. Pedestrian utopianist never seem to understand. Unfortunately this kind of backward thinking disguised as smooth intelligent policy speak is good enough to win. I can’t leave out Pete Theisen. The retired acupuncturist turned deranged politician is inadvertently entertaining. Check out his answer to this question.
Q: What regional identity needs to be broadcast for Sarasota? How can we maintain a world-class brand here?
A: Broadcast? Look at the tourist brochures. Make sure the girls in our advertisements wear fashionable clothing, since the wife typically chooses the vacation destination. Maintain? I think we need Urban Rail, a silent movie venue with theater pipe organ and a Seminole Casino.
A silent movie venue? Theisen’s best idea to broadcast Sarasota is for women to wear more fashionable clothing in advertisements? The best part of Theisen is that his opinions aren’t too far from Atwell. She’s just too smart to sound like a comlete crazy person. Her policy ideas however, are just as bad.
The debate on having an elected Mayor in Sarasota is heating up. It seems like the racism card is only conceivable argument against the amendment. Some community leaders are worried that the Newtown area will not be adequately represented. Fight for the statue quo is puzzling since the current arrangement doesn’t seem to be helping that community. The fight to stop Wal-Mart from coming into Northern Sarasota is a landmark example of stupid city planners. Instead of having a few hundred low paying jobs the planners fought successfully to make sure that Wal-Mart couldn’t afford to open a store in that area. That’s real great. So now there’s an empty lot collecting trash and no new jobs. This is progress!
Much of the debate has focused on how a strong mayor would affect the predominantly black Newtown neighborhood. Residents there say that because the change would also add two at-large City Commission seats, it would weaken their representation in city matters. To show their opposition, many Newtown residents are putting out door hangers urging neighbors to vote against the proposal.
“They are going to dilute our voice,” said Ed James, chairman of the Coalition of African American Leadership. “Every time you introduce another player, we get the ball a lot less.”
Someone should tell James it would be easier to pay for a ball at the local Wal-Mart if city leaders would have just gotten out of the way. Just read this website. It would be great if ignorance like this could be squashed but it’s everywhere. If the best argument against having an elected Mayor is this nonsense then I’m all for it.
I’ve been getting quite a bit of mail for the upcoming Sarasota commissioners election. Today’s best hit piece is on Terry Turner. I haven’t written about Turner because there isn’t much on his website other than he’s endorsed by the Sierra Club. Citizens for a Better Sarasota have sent out a mail advertisement that questions why Terry Turner is a registered Republican. They make a compelling case. Since 2003 Turner has donated $36,600 to Democrat candidates and causes. In that same period he donated $250 Republicans. It kind of makes you wonder why he’s registered as a Republican? He’s given money to John Kerry, Christine Jennings, and Hillary Clinton. I’m surprised he didn’t change his party affiliation before running for commissioner. Turner has also got in trouble for donating to an anti-development group in 2007. It’s not clear this will have any effect on the race. Despite the fact Sarasota is mainly Republican, the city limits favor Democrats.
In 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain won just three of the city’s 27 voting precincts. And Democrat Christine Jennings may have lost her bid for Congress against Rep. Vern Buchanan, but she carried the city of Sarasota. And in 2006, Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, easily carried Sarasota over Katherine Harris, though it is her home city.
That sums up the same problem facing most cities in the United States. Democrat city planners run all these towns. Is it any wonder urban areas are in such sad shape? Is it really that surprising then that Sarasota is run by clowns?
Following up on my breakdown on the Sarasota commissioners race the Sarasota Herald Tribune gave their recommendations. Unfortunately they picked the pedestrian utopianist Suzanne Atwell and the issueless Paul Caragiulo. Here is the meat of their endorsement.
Atwell and Caragiulo lack the depth of experience offered by Shelin and Turner, who also have huge advantages in campaign fund raising. But Atwell and Caragiulo don’t have political baggage, either.
The City Commission needs leaders, but it also needs at-large members who will help create a new dynamic, rather than be trapped by the divisions that inhibit consensus and progress. To that end, we recommend Suzanne Atwell and Paul Caragiulo for the Sarasota City Commission.
Let me translate that journalist speak. Atwell and Caragiulo aren’t as experienced as the other candidates; however, they have less political baggage because they don’t take any particular stand on any issue. That’s not leadership it’s cowardice. A leader without a purpose is a piece of driftwood in the middle of the ocean. The city already has too many pieces of driftwood. In the specific case of Atwell her tired ideas have been tried all over the country will ill effect. A leader with bad ideas still has bad ideas.
The election for Sarasota city commissions is coming up on March 10. Elections like this are difficult for the normal citizens because information is scarce. Fortunately the Sarasota Herald Tribune asked the candidates some questions. Some of the answers are astounding. Elections like this are important, especially when city planning is at the heart of many of America’s problems. That’s why it’s very important the citizens learn what these people think about simple issues.
Pete Theisen
The only reason I mention Pete Theisen is for comedic value. Mr. Theisen is a retired acupuncturist who can be dismissed quickly. He’s running for city commission because “growth is out of control.” This kind of backward thinking is how problems begin. Growth isn’t out of control. Restrictions on growth have caused housing to become unaffordable all over the country. Unless there’s a huge change in population trends growth is here to stay. Theisen’s answer to every problem is getting money from Washington. Not only does he want no one to move here (Tom Harkin), he wants the people who can’t afford to live here to pay for more city staff. That’s not creative thinking, it’s bizarro wealth redistribution brought to you by an acupuncturist. When pressed about “bayfront connectivity” which is perhaps the biggest non-problem the city faces Theisen suggests the city should buy a golf-cart shuttle to ferry people back and forth. Seriously… how stupid is that?
Here’s my favorite quote:
Q: Can you identify two specific ways to increase revenue?
A: Obviously, Hope and Change. President Obama let it be believed that he was going to get federal help coming our way and we have to pursue that very aggressively.
This person has no business running for office let alone being elected. Next please… There are two spots open for city commissioner. After considering the options my first choice is Jay Berman.
Jay W. Berman
Mr. Berman’s answer to the questions were straight forward. A lot of the questions lend themselves to non-specific answers. His answer to the “bayfront connectivity” issue is to build a bridge over the road. That makes sense and the least puzzling answer given by the candidates. Again it would be awesome if there was something worthwhile to do at the bayfront. Berman’s answer about reducing costs are exactly correct. We shouldn’t be looking for new ways to generate revenue for the city government. Now is the time to cut back.
There isn’t a clear choice for my number two spot. Paul Caragiulo’s didn’t offer much in terms of specifics when answering questions. I visited his website to get more information. Unforately the website doesn’t fill in the blanks.
Paul is dedicated to diversifying our economy and creating more opportunities. Everyone who wants to live in Sarasota should be able to have a good job, affordable housing and a safe neighborhood in which to live.
That’s fantastic but it doesn’t tell us anything. Everyone believes that, it’s like endorsing oxygen. Caragiulo might have some great ideas, but there’s nothing on the website that promotes them. Also, he’s against having an elected mayor. That’s just the kind of status quo I’m against.
I wrote about Suzanne Atwell a few days ago. My guess is Atwell will be elected just because she’s received the most money. Her signs are everywhere and I guess she’s got a strong base of support. It doesn’t change the fact she shouldn’t be elected. Anyone that drones on about pedestrian utopia in Sarasota doesn’t have their priorities straight.
Given the fact that I can’t find another candidate to support I’m going to vote for Frederick Farmer. Farmer is a Ron Paul type of candidate. Many of his answers are to do nothing. In government that’s always a great idea. I’m not thrilled that he’s opposed to having an elected mayor, but that seems to be a common opinion among commissions. I’m not a huge fan of people who don’t have answers, but sometimes someone has to say no. Unfortunately the city commissions have been saying yes too often at the expense of Sarasota tax payers.
Sarasota is facing some of the same problems that’s facing cities all over the nation. City planners are intent on implementing their ignorant Utopian experiments. Take for example Suzanne Atwell. I don’t really know anything about Atwell. She’s running for city commissioner in Sarasota’s election on March 10. To get an idea about the issues she finds important I visited her website.
I support the US 41 Connectivity project which is a cultivation of many failed attempts at reconnecting not only our beautiful Bayfront with downtown, but with many other points along this gateway to our City. This project will accelerate alternative transportation, increase a pedestrian friendly atmosphere, reduce vehicle emission and create safer speed limits. This area is a major entrée into our community and it is integral in maintaining a sustainable as well as a competitive city. I support the implementation of roundabouts at strategic and appropriate locations.
For those who don’t know, the US 41 Connectivity project has several different facets. The biggest change would be to add roundabouts at certain intersections. The roundabouts are a great idea. They are proven to work; however, another part of the plan is to reduce the number of lanes. That would create traffic gridlock on US 41. Fortunately the state has control of the highway so it’s unlikely a lane reduction would be allowed. My main grip about Atwell’s stance on this issue is that fact changing the highway will not “accelerate alternative transportation.” There’s nothing at the bayfront for pedestrians to see. There’s a small park, O’Learys, and Marina Jacks. The bayfront area is easy to reach by foot already there’s just no reason to walk there. This idea of pedestrian friendly cities comes from New York and a handful of other cities who are the exception, not the rule. Sarasota could close the road and it wouldn’t make walking any more enticing.
City planners need to get in through their thick skulls that people use cars and will be using cars for the foreseeable future. Plans need to be built around current infrastructure, not some Utopian pedestrian society. Frankly people who hold these outdated beliefs should be urged to read the Best Laid Plans. In 2008 Sarasota city planners spent $4.9 million on a land purchase for a baseball stadium the city couldn’t afford. Now they want to meddle with reducing lanes on US 41.
Over the past year the city of Sarasota has wasted thousands of dollars on economic feasibility studies for baseball. In the end what does the city have to show for the investment? After all was said and done Sarasota is no better off than before and the city commissioners wasted the money. Now the city commissioners are opposing the idea of having an elected mayor. I know it’s a controversial issue, a city having a mayor. Why would anyone be opposed to having an elected mayor, especially in a town as large as Sarasota?
Commissioner Kelly Kirschner believes it would be bad for African-Americans. According to his flawed thinking black voters would be disenfranchised or have their votes diluted because right now the black district represents 1 out of 5 districts. The plan to have an elected mayor would add two more districts. I guess this thinking assumes the two new districts would be “white only.” I never knew that all these towns all over the United States were racist. I wonder what Mayor Willie Wonka in New Orleans thinks about all of this?
Disenfranchised voters are not Kirschner’s only concern. Creating an office of mayor would require around $350,000 in funds, and let’s face it, the city could use that money to finance more pointless studies. Robin Roy at the Sarasota Observer has more:
The city of Sarasota has spent $283,600 on a connectivity study, which concluded Mound Street’s three lanes should be reduced to two in between Paul and Osprey avenues. The consultant who created that study informed city commissioners of that recommendation Jan. 27.Two days later, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) informed commissioners that it was going to be widening Mound Street from two lands to three from Osprey Avenue through U.S. 41/U.S. 301 split.
Wow! Well, the cost of that pointless study would have helped pay for a mayor. Just think, if the five commissioners of this town are this bad with money just imagine how bad it is at the Federal Government level. But wait… it gets even better. Here’s what commissioner Kirschner had to say about the study:
“Maybe what I’m really reading between the lines is that our connectivity study we just paid for is useless.”
That’s an understatement. A more appropriate conclusions is that our city commissioners are useless. The only reason they’re opposed to having an elected mayor is because it takes power away from the commissioners. Having a mayor won’t solve the problem of commissioner incompetence, but it’s a step in the right direction. Unfortunately it won’t matter who’s in charge. City planners will continue to waste tax dollars because citizens are too busy to pay attention.
Recent Comments