Just because a candidate is good at hanging all of the bells and whistles on the campaign trail, it doesn’t mean they are the best choice for your vote. Here is a quick, down-and-dirty way to size up the candidates. It’s very much like plotting your fantasy football team.

  I woke up on Tuesday feeling like a kid on Christmas morning because it was Election Day. As a citizen, I love elections because voting is the most powerful voice we the citizens have in terms of how our cities, states and nation are governed. As a member of the media, I love elections because they are a blast to cover and analyze.   My big takeaway from Election Day 2012 was that while I may live in a Republican county, I also live in a Democratic nation — [...]

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, during the one week of early voting in Sarasota, I cast my vote for President Barack Obama. I voted for President Obama because I believe he is an honest and decent man who makes policy decisions based on what he believes is best for the United States of America—as opposed to what’s best for Big Business America, as is the case with Mitt Romney. I also admire Mr. Obama’s intelligence, sense of humor and sense of grace under pressure. Last week, the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine [...]

Raising awareness of Sarasota’s sound regulations has been quite an experience. Initially, I hadn’t expected to receive such an outpour of emotion, whether positive or negative. But in the last five months, I’ve been called everything from a muckraker to a phony to a progressive to a snotty kid. I’ve navigated aggressive phone calls, outcries from business owners and verbal threats. Whereas I thought most downtown merchants would support change, I learned many are afraid to publicly admit it. There is a tumultuous history regarding “sound” in Sarasota. In the [...]

Yet another public debate is taking place where a degree in Early Childhood Education would be more useful than a Masters in Public Administration. The strong mayor-or-manager question is incredibly important, but one that is already mired in antics rather than substance. So SRiQ is taking a different approach. Clearly, each form of local government has its merits and drawbacks. So we decided to step back and look at what’s happening. What’s the Difference? – Small towns and really big cities usually have mayors, while middle-sized cities and counties have a [...]

Three area powerhouse organizations held a joint legislative update at the Polo Grill on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch on Thursday: the Home Builder’s Association, the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and the Gulf Coast Builder’s Exchange. But first things first—let’s talk about the delicious lunch provided by Tommy Klauber, proprietor of the fabulous Polo Grill. We were served perfectly roasted chicken atop Asian noodles and mixed greens, with mouthwatering and enormous chocolate, peanut butter and marshmallow cookies. Ok, so now on to the update. Sitting on the panel were Representative [...]