CONA-Sarasota

10/09/2026

C**A SUPPORTS SARASOTA COUNTY'S ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS AND PARKLAND REFERENDUMS!

These programs have helped Sarasota County preserve natural habitats, protect wildlife, provide public recreational opportunities, and conserve land for future generations.

The two questions on the November ballot are:

Continue Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Parkland Program — Would continue the county's existing land conservation and parkland program. - Vote YES

County Bond Referendum — Would authorize up to $250 million in bonds to help purchase, protect, and maintain environmentally sensitive lands and parklands. Vote YES

C**A has long advocated for responsible land-use planning, environmental protection, and the preservation of our neighborhoods and natural resources.

These two ballot questions are located at the end of the ballot, on the back page.

www.ConaSarasota.org

10/06/2026

Confused about the ballot amendments and referendums?

Join C**A for an informative discussion about the questions Sarasota County voters will see on the November ballot—what they mean and what you’re being asked to decide.

Tuesday, October 13 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Jacaranda Library, Venice

Guest speakers: Commissioner Tom Knight and former Commissioner Jon Thaxton.

Free and open to the public. Bring your questions!
C**ASarasota.org

09/28/2026

What’s on the back of your November ballot?

Join us October 13 at Jacaranda Library as we take a closer look at important state and local ballot questions, including the property tax amendment and Sarasota County’s Environmentally Sensitive Lands referendums.

Come learn what the questions mean before you enter the voting booth.

Tuesday, October 13 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Jacaranda Library, Venice
Free and open to the public. Bring your questions!

08/31/2026

Coming Up at C**A: Understanding the November Ballot
Join us Tuesday, September 8 starting at 6 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library for a discussion of important issues voters will see on the November ballot.

Guest speakers:
• Jon Thaxton — Land Conservation / Environmentally Sensitive Lands Referendum
• Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop — Property Tax Amendment

C**A Board Member Susan Schoettle will also provide an overview of the state amendments and local initiatives appearing on the November ballot.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Come learn what will be on your ballot and bring your questions!

08/17/2026

Sarasota County Facts Now Calls Its negative attack Ads “Parody.” Were You Fooled?

For weeks, Sarasota County Facts (Local Government Accountability Institute) presented themselves as legitimate government watchdogs while repeatedly attacking County Commissioners Joe Neunder and Mark Smith.

Now that the Florida Trident has exposed what they were really doing, they call it “parody.”

They used AI-generated political content to falsely portray candidates as saying or doing things that never happened.
That's not accountability. That's political manipulation disguised as a watchdog organization.

Voters deserved to know who was really behind these attacks and that what they were seeing wasn't real.

Developers depend on voters to believe their lies. Hope you were not fooled by these 'organizations'.

Read the Florida Trident investigation.

The Florida Trident archived LGAI's open "war room" before 153 files vanished - brochures, memes and AI images backing two Sarasota County Commission challengers.

08/14/2026

Has a Live Local Developer Gone Too Far by Subpoenaing Commissioner Tom Knight’s Wife?

Sarasota County is being sued by developers seeking to use the Live Local Act to build higher-density, taller apartment projects in areas currently zoned rural, residential single-family, and Open Use. There are 18 proposed Live Local projects across the county that could potentially add thousands of housing units—approved administratively by staff rather than through a public hearing and vote by the County Commission.

One of these developers has taken the unusual step of suing not only Sarasota County, but individual County Commissioners, including Tom Knight, Joe Neunder, and Mark Smith, over actions taken as elected officials at public meetings.

The County and Commissioner Knight are fighting that. Motions have been filed seeking to dismiss the commissioners individually from the lawsuit, arguing that the proper defendant is the County—not individual commissioners performing their official duties.

Commissioner Knight retained his own attorney, and the legal battle has already taken some interesting turns. The developer sought to disqualify Knight's attorney and later backed away from that effort.

Now the developer has subpoenaed Tom Knight's wife, Tracy Knight.

For me, that crosses a line.

The court has not yet decided whether these commissioners should even remain individual defendants. Why subpoena a commissioner's spouse before that fundamental issue is resolved?

The motions seeking to dismiss the individual commissioners are expected to be addressed soon. At the very least, I believe the developer should have waited for the court to rule before dragging a commissioner's wife into this litigation.

I don't know the developer's motive, but from where I sit, it feels more like intimidation than a legitimate land-use dispute.

Commissioners should be able to cast votes at public meetings without wondering whether their spouses will be pulled into litigation because a developer doesn't like the outcome.

This is going too far.

07/30/2026

Could the Live Local Act affect your neighborhood?

There are now 18 proposed Live Local Act projects in Sarasota County, including Siesta Key, Venice, and other communities.

Learn how this state law could allow increased density and height, along with administrative approvals that may bypass the traditional public hearing process.

Tuesday, August 11
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Jacaranda Library – Youth Activity Room, 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd. Venice

Join C**A for a community briefing and get the facts.

07/10/2026

Join C**A next Tuesday at 6:00 PM at the Gulf Gate Library for our Emergency Preparedness meeting.

Hear from Sarasota County Emergency Management on how to prepare before, during, and after a disaster. I'll also share the lessons I learned firsthand navigating insurance claims, FEMA, and working with contractors after the 2024 hurricanes.

The preparedness skills you'll learn aren't just for hurricanes—they can help you respond to tornadoes, severe storms, flooding, and other emergencies.

Everyone is welcome!

06/21/2026

Many people have heard that Sarasota County Commissioners are being sued over the Live Local Act. But few understand what the dispute is really about.

The Live Local Act was intended to allow affordable housing projects in areas zoned for commercial, industrial, and mixed-use development. Developers can receive significant benefits, including higher density, greater height, administrative (staff) approval, and no public hearing.

The disagreement is over the developer's interpretation of the law. Developers argue that the Live Local Act should also apply to rural, residential, and Open Use districts, while the County Commission concluded that it applies only to commercial, industrial, and mixed-use districts.

The Smith Farm property near the Celery Fields illustrates why this issue matters. Current Open Use zoning allows just 5 homes on the property. In 2025, the developer proposed 85 homes, but the County Commission denied the request as incompatible with the surrounding area. The developer now argues that the Live Local Act could allow approximately 864 apartments on the same property. The County Commission's position is that the Live Local Act does not apply to Open Use properties including Smith Farm.

The developers' lawsuits over the Live Local Act are about more than one property. The court's decision could determine whether rural, residential, and Open Use properties throughout Sarasota County become eligible for Live Local projects.

I encourage everyone to learn more about the Live Local Act and stay informed as this case moves forward.

06/16/2026

When it comes to elections, I look at the whole picture. No single endorsement, donation, mailer, or issue determines my vote.

I consider a candidate’s background, public statements, community involvement, voting record, supporters, endorsements, and overall track record. I want to understand not just what they say, but what they have done and who they associate with.

I also recognize that no candidate is perfect. The question is not whether someone is flawless, but whether they are the best choice to serve and represent our community.

Ultimately, voting is about gathering information, asking questions, and making the best decision based on the full picture. I want to support the candidate I believe is best for our community.

Make sure your vote counts on August 18 Primary!