Clueless in South County?

A recent Venice Gondolier editorial suggested all three District 1 County Commission candidates (Jono Miller, Carolyn Mason, and John Mullarkey) were all equally clueless about South County. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to believe that the writer of the editorial was actually at the Southwest County Alliance candidate’s forum held at Boca Royale. Here is my response:

Yes, I marched in the North Port Fourth of July Parade and the Englewood Pioneer Days Parade. When I asked where the Englewood Parade would end and was told Englewood Elementary  I must have looked clueless, so the person helping me said: " So you want to run for the County Commission, but you don't know where the elementary school is?" 

I flashed him a "give me a break" look and said: "I'm not running for the dang School Board!" So maybe not knowing Englewood Elementary marks me as a hopeless south county wannabe. (At least I made the scene.) And, I’ll admit, I didn’t have a ready answer about the 776 Corridor Plan when asked about it at the Southwest County Alliance candidates forum. I chose to confess my ignorance instead of winging it.

But the fact is I have a long, rich history with south county, the Cape Haze Peninsula, Charlotte Harbor and North Port. And I suspect I am the only one of us District One candidates that can say that.

I first cruised down 776 as a teenager in the fall of 1970. I was part of a New College Environmental Biology class headed to Placida to paddle out to Devilfish Key. Since then I have paddled through all of Lemon Bay, and from Snook Haven to Sanibel (and from Ft. Meade to Chockoloskee). I’ve walked the beaches from the Charlotte County line north to Tampa Bay. Those early Charlotte Harbor forays led to my serving on the Charlotte Harbor Task Force and compiling a review of what was known about flows in the Peace River. My knowledge doesn’t stop at the County Line. I know Cape Haze, Bull Bay, Boggess Hole, and, of course, Devilfish Key.

I’ve been more than an engaged explorer of South County and Cape Haze. With my wife, Julie Morris, and Jean Huffman I undertook a major study of the habitats of North Port back in 1983. [The changing landscape of North Port, Florida as related to wildlife habitat and burning] That is one of the few documents that characterize the history of North Port before Mackles and GDC. Julie and I also worked on a major assessment of Gasparilla Island for the Conservation Foundation [Preserving the Heritage of Gasparilla Island, 1978, John Clark].

Map we produced of the Vegetation of North Port in 1948

But I’ve done more than study south county. I provided more than 15 years of leadership that led to the purchase of Manasota Scrub Preserve. That program went on to protect many key parcels along the Myakka. We should all be proud that it is now theoretically possible to park on the east side of the Myakka on 41 and walk 15 miles due north never leaving public property. I was also involved in protecting what was called the France Property – now Lemon Bay Park. Then I helped conceive and find funding for the County’s Neighborhood Parkland Program. I currently serve on the County’s Parks Advisory and Recreation Council that (successfully) recommended purchases on the waterfront in Englewood and is currently searching for non-motorized water access for the public along the Myakka at US 41. I also serve on a county group that is trying to protect scrub jays and I am arguing for approaches that do not unfairly penalize lot owners who happen to have scrub jay habitat.

I didn’t mention that I married my wife, Julie, at the Eagle Point Club in Venice or that my in-laws lived in Bird Bay Village for a while or the Curry Creek Preserve or working to keep a spring-training facility off the banks of the Myakka. But the fact is, for a guy who can walk to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport in 25 minutes, I have a long-standing, deep relationship with South County, not merely as a spectator, or researcher, but as someone fighting for the bays, rivers, public lands, etc. I just didn’t feel it was appropriate to BS an answer about 776 Corridor Plan (although I now have a copy here on my desk).

And I can make the same promise Paul Mercier made when he ran from the First District: You’ll be seeing me in South County, engaged on South County issues; and not just when the Commission is meeting there.

I've asked the Sun-Herald papers if I can provide a guest column answering the eleven specific questions raised by the editorial. As of Saturday September 20th, I am awaiting a response.

And instead of asking shibboleth questions to separate South County sheep from North County goats, perhaps South County voters should be asking: What have you done for South County before you started running for office? 

That's one I can answer.

Fresh Lies Served on a Bed of Tossed Data: The Politics of Desperation

Well, here we are 51 days from November 4th and the politics of desperation have started.  I guess they couldn't wait. This morning local Republicans released poll results they contend show me behind in the District One Sarasota County Commission contest. Concerned supporters have sent me copies of the press release and this blog is my reaction.

BACKGROUND

Back last year when I was thinking about running, I asked a trusted local politician with lots of of experience how much I needed worry about some youthful statement I might have made years ago. He told me not to worry about people taking the time to do deep research about what might have been said 30 years ago – “ They don’t bother taking the time to do that nowadays – they just make (expletive deleted) up.”

He was right. The recent “press release” is a work of misdirection or sleight of hand worthy of any amateur magician. The reader is supposedly focused on the polling data, which is quite suspect (see analysis below) but the real message is the spin they put on the data – an assertion that voters are reacting to my “anti-business/anti-jobs message”.

Huh?

There is a term for deliberately mis-representing an opposing candidate’s position and that term is “lying”.

The Republican press release is deliberately lying about my position on jobs and business. I have consistently argued for strengthening the local economy through businesses that are interwoven with Sarasota’s special strengths. Our educational resources (some of the best in the state) combined with our growing reputation for sustainability and our environmental assets give us a leg up on attracting “knowledge workers” committed to solving some of the crises our neighborhoods, county, state and nation face.

For example, I support 1) finding ways to create more trade and green collar jobs remodeling homes to be more sustainable and hurricane resistant, 2) transit-oriented mixed-use redevelopment of aging strip malls, 3) new centers of innovation for alternative energy (particularly solar) and studies of aging, and 4) a more business-friendly climate that emphasizes creating (or re-creating) quality jobs and one that  supports our existing local businesses. Too many people have told me the local business climate is too hostile. We need to change that. Sarasota’s voters need to know it is possible for someone to be serious about both the environment and the economy. I'm that candidate and have been from the start. 

And, just for the record, I don't only support green business -- I just think of all our possible avenues to a local economy other Florida counties can't match, the sustainability angle has the best chance for helping us build out of the slump we're in. 

Needless to say, I’m waiting to see the evidence for their spurious accusations. I’ll probably have a long wait. Instead of anti-business/anti-jobs message they’ll find I hammer at least one of the following themes every time I speak:

When an environmentalist tells you the economy is where we need to focus attention, you better believe the economy is where we need to focus attention.

Despite our leadership in other fields, we (Sarasota County) are not one of the leading counties when it comes to creating or attracting quality jobs or supporting local business, and we need to be.

Our neighborhoods are suffering with too many vacant homes, a sobering reality that is draining our neighborhoods. These homes need to be filled with people, yes, retirees; but more importantly, working people.

And if they took time to read my blog entries here is a sample of what they would have found:

Sept 10 •  Letter to Sen. Martinez: "In particular, I hope you will emphasize the need to invest in solar and other clean renewable technologies. That is especially crucial here in Florida and could be even more important for Sarasota, a county with a growing reputation for, and investment in, sustainability.I'm very concerned that solar and wind tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year— and that would be a disaster for those small businesses investing in an alternative energy future."

Sept 2 • On recycling campaign yard signs: "Jim is willing to take all the political campaign signs we can get him. They will undergo a transformation and re-appear as useful products. Here's a way to address a waste problem and support local green business and reduce transportation costs for finished products."

August 28 • "Known for his common sense and reasonable approach, Miller has made an effort to reach out to other major constituencies and has received significant, but not unanimous, support from local development and business interests, raising some eyebrows among some green supporters." 

and

"Sam and Jono lost the outdoor thread for a while, brainstorming instead about the economic potential of additional photovoltaic investment in Sarasota County."

July 27th • "As Commissioner then, I believe there is a tie for the top two priorities: 1) supporting the recovery of the tax base/economy and 2) supporting the recovery of our neighborhoods, while 3) charting a course that does not drop us back into overdependence on any brittle, narrow economic sectors. Filling homes and the tax base will involve creating new (and re-creating lost) jobs, a challenging task that will require a mix of proven job generators and new initiatives."

June 2 • "Our local economy is suffering and we need come together and revive it -- not going back to old patterns that made our economy brittle, but forwards towards economic solutions that facilitate watching out for each other: buying locally, building on local strengths, investing locally, and moving towards resilience and sustainability." 

One interesting factoid: On September 9th the Sarasota Economic Development Council (EDC) announced an awareness campaign to encourage business and government to buy locally when possible. This theme of buying locally was an important part of my first You Tube video released exactly eight months earlier on January 9th!

And if my opponents have been focused on the economy and jobs since January as well, I’m waiting to see the evidence.

BOTTOM LINE:

I’ve been clear about my focus on the economy and jobs since January. People that tell you otherwise are lying to you. Call them on it.

Don’t be thrown off by the poll. I’m not. I don’t need polling to tell me there's a built-in mountain for me to climb, a mountain that reflects the discrepancy in local party registration. I’ve been climbing that mountain since January when I announced I was running against a two-term incumbent. I expect to be on the other side of that mountain on November 5th. And I don’t intend to lie to get there.

Do manipulation, lying, and other forms of distortion work? Yes, to a certain extent they do. That’s why some campaigns resort to them. It is what I call the politics of desperation and I hope voters are getting tired of it.

Perhaps the next time they poll they should ask how people feel about deliberately lying about another candidate. 

Now those are some numbers I would like to see.

••••••••••••••

WHY THE POLL RESULTS SHOULDN’T BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY

The press release is a case study in political maneuvering. First of all, campaigns and political parties don’t release polling data unless they believe it is to their advantage. After all, polling data is supposed to give one side an unequal advantage in knowing the likely behavior of the electorate. You don’t show another player your ace, unless you think it will benefit your game somehow.

Secondly, they are not releasing any data on the questions that preceded the “ if the election were held today. . .” question. Without seeing what, if anything, came before, there is no way of knowing how much bias was front-loaded.

Third, they conveniently seem to have forgotten the other candidate, John Mullarkey, which makes about as much sense as ignoring Ralph Nader in 2000. John should not be ignored. John will draw votes and those votes could easily play a role in who wins.

Then there is the problem with the poll itself -- did they reach representative likely voters? One of the factors that is haunting political polling this year is the inability to poll people who lack land lines and who only use cell phones. “In recent Pew Research Center surveys, only about 10% of respondents in landline samples are under age 30, which is roughly half of what it should be according to the U.S. Census” Unless the polling group compensated for that, their results will be off.

Finally, more than a fifth of likely voters are undecided in the poll.

Of course, the press release is not intended to impress me, but rather potential donors who need some reason to believe that a donation at this point is not wasted money. For those people reluctant to contribute to a campaign that is unlikely to be successful, it is necessary to craft a story of possible success. Hence the press release, such as it is.

Clean Energy Tax Credits Set to Expire

Earlier this evening I heard a knock at the door and discovered an earnest young man, a canvasser for Clean Water Action. He wanted three things: my name on a petition (the main value of which is probably providing a way for the organization to get back in touch with me), 2) a donation (I declined, citing my need for campaign funds of my own combined with going half a year without a salary) and 3) for me to write a letter to Senator Mel Martinez about renewing the clean energy tax credits and opposing offshore oil drilling. 

I wasn't sure that was a great use of my time, but he knew how to close and I agreed to write a letter for him to pick up later. The text of that letter follows:

Dear Senator Martinez

I don’t need to tell you the recent spike in oil and gasoline prices has created tremendous public pressure to move forward on long deferred solutions to our dependence on fossil fuels, fuels that have made us unduly dependent on other regions of the world and which are apparently jeopardizing the planet’s climate.

Many have seized on additional oil exploration and development as either a solution or a stopgap measure, despite the fact that almost everyone acknowledges that drilling now has no short-term connection to gas prices. To me it seems a little like an addict looking for one more fix before checking into rehab. But the Drill-Baby-Drill chorus seems to have broad public appeal and one thing about our system of government is our right to make bad choices that defy logic and common sense.

The only thing standing between us and such bad choices is leadership and I am writing to hope you can provide some of that leadership.

In particular, I hope you will emphasize the need to invest in solar and other clean renewable technologies. That is especially crucial here in Florida and could be even more important for Sarasota, a county with a growing reputation for, and investment in, sustainability. I am very concerned that solar and wind tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year— and that would be a disaster for those small businesses investing in an alternative energy future.

Please do what you can to extend and possibly expand the clean energy tax credits and resist any energy strategies that could place Florida at greater risk.

County Budget ::yawn:: Hearing [Plain Speak Version]

For those of you who missed tonight's (September 8th) County Budget Hearing in Venice, here's a brief recap. Neither of my District One opponents made the scene, not even the one who seems to have a lot of pointed and critical questions about the budget.

First of all it is a very structured (stilted) form of meeting, with a prescribed script and parts read almost like a responsive reading. The language is some form of legal/technical and the sum total of the requirements renders the process relatively opaque. 

The Chair made it clear that this was not the meeting to contest the appraised value of property or discuss Grant-in-Aid awards. I think that clarification reduced the number of likely speakers.

While there appeared to be at least a couple of dozen citizens in the audience, only one spoke to question the cost of a water line extension on Shore Road. A county staff member attempted to explain the relative roles of parcels versus equivalent dwelling units (EDU's) in establishing the appropriate fees and the Chairman encouraged them to discuss the matter further outside in the hall. 

The big news is a bump up from a $184,000 increase (from the draft budget) to half a million for grants in aid. These funds are distributed the various Human Services agencies in the county, and there is a demonstrated increased need, even though most agencies submitted flat (no increase) budget requests. Four Commissioners supported the increase, with Commissioner Mercier voting against. He seemed to argue that adding funds now would result in much more painful cuts next year.

The county also added $1.6 million to cover anticipated increases in the cost of energy next year. 

Blog readers may be pleasantly surprised to learn that the adopted net total budget per capita is lower than FY 2005, 2006 and 2007. In addition, the number of employees per citizen continues to drop. 

A local appraiser hired by the county reported that when everything is considered it is cheaper, or at least better value, to have central water than a well and septic tank. 

The meeting ended with a long list of rate changes for various lighting districts [Shadow Lakes Lighting District saw a decrease in millage rates, all the others went up, some by more than 50%.] That was followed by some ritualized roll call voting.

Chairman Staub expressed her dissatisfaction with the state-required format and noted that the Governor was advocating a move towards "plain speak", which apparently is supposed to be a more straightforward way to convey government actions. It was clear she didn't believe the budget adoption came close to meeting that goal.

A final hearing will be held September 22 at 7:00 p.m. in the County Administration Building on Ringling. 

About those plastic campaign signs...recyclable? reusable?

Are you tired yet of those roadside campaign signs? We all will be by November 4th and they are all supposed to disappear by November 25. But what exactly does "disappear" imply? Some politicians have ambiguous signs that can be collected, stored and re-used in another campaign. Yet for many of us they are basically a disposal problem.While some are coated cardboard and others are basically plastic bags stretched over a wire frame, the vast majority are now made of a tough, lightweight polypropylene plastic called Coroplast. I was initially leery of the stuff because it is plastic and rumored to be non-recyclable. But the manufacturer makes a case for its environmental credentials. It turns out it is recyclable -- its a number 5 polypropylene, but unfortunately most local recycling centers don't accept number 5 plastic. Arrgh. My efforts to find a place that takes it got complicated. At stake was a recyclable product that looked like it might not be recyclable after all.

First I called the manufacturer. No help. Then I called the State Department of Environmental Protection. Not much help until I noticed a pdf file about a pilot project from 1996 to recycle political yard signs. That led to a call to Pinellas County who directed me to Jim Chapin with Recycled Plastic Factory, which is actually in Englewood. Jim is willing to take all the political campaign signs we can get him. They will undergo a transformation and re-appear as useful products. Here's a way to address a waste problem and support local green business and reduce transportation costs for finished products.

Later Suzanne Boroff with DEP called and provided more information and insight. 

I will be talking with my 19 other local Democrats about strategies to collect leftover signs. Hopefully others (Republicans? County Solid Waste?) will join in and help make it easier to do something useful with the dang things. Suzanne gave me the number for a contact person with Sarasota County. I'll pursue that tomorrow.

That's the story on RECYCLING-- at least at this point. More detailed info will follow once a strategy emerges on collecting and transporting the signs. The other angle to consider is RE-USE.

Here are two ways I use old coroplast political signs: 1) When excavating a planting hole, I pile the soil on several old yard signs -- that makes it easy to keep the dirt out of the grass and slide it back in the hole when I am refilling, 2) I throw a few signs in the trunk, then if I have to change a tire or look under the vehicle the yard signs provide a clean surface to kneel or lie on. 

Now it is your chance to get creative. I've created an email address to collect alternative uses (re-uses) for those corrugated plastic signs. Send your suggestions to reusethatsign@gmail.com and I will post all the ideas in a blog before the general election. Please mention if you have actually used the signs in the manner you are proposing or yours is (at this point) a theoretical possibility.

And if you actually like coroplast yard signs, but not the self-promoting ones you see around town, you'll be please to know artists got involved (myyardourmessage) with yard signs and came up with some real, sometimes provocative, ones you can order online. 

Finally, if you have any great high visibility highway (commercial) locations where I can put up my 4'x4' highway signs (as seen above), please send an email to jonocampaign@gmail.com   I'm looking for sites that will be seen by a lot of people, but which aren't already crowded with other signs. Let me know. 

Commission Candidate Jono Miller's Post-Primary Event in Venice Deemed a Success

In the wake of Tuesday’s primary that clarified his opposition, Democrat Jono Miller held a “green rally” in Venice Wednesday evening that attracted a crowd estimated at fifty to Sharky’s on the Pier. Miller’s remarks consisted of thanking the Sierra Club for a major campaign endorsement, and Miller’s thoughts on the previous night’s primary election results that finally fixed the names that will be on November’s ballot. Following the event, part of the group took a sunset beach walk to enjoy one of Sarasota County’s best beaches.

Sierra Political Chair, Lynn Nilssen, announced the endorsement from the country’s leading grassroots environmental organization, a nod that was not unexpected since Miller has been a well-known local environmental leader for three decades. Known for his common sense and reasonable approach,  Miller has made an effort to reach out to other major constituencies and has received significant, but not unanimous, support from local development and business interests, raising some eyebrows among some green supporters. 

Miller reflected upon not only the special importance of the Sierra Club endorsement, but also the history behind the fact that enabled the Club to make endorsements. During a bitter fight to save the Grand Canyon from a dam project, the Sierra Club lost its tax exempt status in the 60’s -- a politically-motivated move by the IRS that backfired and ultimately enabled the Sierra Club to be involved in lobbying and politics in ways most environmental organizations are prohibited from doing.  He also took time to thank the Sierra Club for all the training the Club had provided him over the past thirty years, stating that the skills learned had provided the basis for his run for the Commission.

Miller did not comment on his choice of shirts for the evening, a white guayabera with an embroidered Leadership Florida logo. Leadership Florida is the Florida Chamber of Commerce's statewide leadership training program. Miller is a graduate of Class XX. 

Miller went on to comment on Carolyn Mason’s success, wondering aloud why her long string of endorsements and prior record as an elected official had not resulted in a far wider margin of victory in the primary. He noted that more than two out of five primary voters preferred a candidate with no history of elective service and far fewer endorsements.

Acknowledging that he was ahead by many measures of campaigning, Miller pointed out that it was not success in fundraising or number of blog entries that determined who would be the next commissioner, but votes. He urged those present to get the word out about his candidacy.

Following his comments, a portion of the group went on a beach walk that featured some of the best naturalists in the county, among them noted botanist John Beckner, Ed Freeman, Wilma Katz, and Julie Morris. Florida House District 70 candidate Sam Rosenfeld and his wife Sacha went along as well. The group discovered several rare beach plants that might otherwise have been overlooked, commented on invasive exotic plants, discussed new techniques for protecting sea turtle nests, and speculated about beach dynamics in the area. Sam and Jono lost the outdoor thread for a while, brainstorming instead about the economic potential of additional photovoltaic investment in Sarasota County.

The event put Miller over the 750 contributor mark, raising $1,375 from roughly half the supporters present. Miller took time in his comments to recognize the importance of smaller contributions; stating that while he has many of the crucial $200 maximum contributions that fuel the campaign, he was especially proud of having the lowest average contribution in the District One contest, a fact he attributed to broader support from the entire community.

The event was organized by Ed Freeman, Jennifer Randolph, Gerry Swormstedt, Kelsey Hitchingham, and Julie K. Morris (not Jono's wife Julie K. Morris, the other Julie K. Morris). Special thanks are due the non-profit Wildlands Conservation team  and the staff of Sharkys.

Jono Miller Announces Green Rally in Venice this Wednesday

Sarasota County Commission Candidate Jono Miller has announced he will be holding a "green rally" starting at 5:30 p.m. this Wednesday (August 27th) at Sharky's On The Pier in Venice. Miller will comment on the results of Tuesday’s primary that will determine his Republican opponent, announce a major campaign endorsement, and, weather permitting, take a beach walk with the group.

Billed as a "Green Rally Fundraiser" focused on mid-county voters and environmental supporters, Miller said all supporters are welcome. 

"The focus of this event is to get like-minded people together, talk some about the campaign, and explore and enjoy the north end of one of Sarasota County's greatest beaches. Unlike some fundraising events, there is no minimum suggested donation amount, but people should bring their checkbooks."

Miller chose the date to follow the Tuesday primary elections and kick off the final 70 days of a campaign that started in January. Following the beach walk, supporters have the option of staying for dinner at Sharkys, one of the most popular beach dining locales in the County. It is not known yet if diners will be able to watch the Democratic Convention coverage at Sharkys, but the televised coverage does not start until 8:00 p.m. so there is no conflict for those who want to attend the rally and beach walk.

Supporters will also be able to pick up the distinctive "blue diamond" campaign yard signs at the event. For directions to Sharky's click on this link. For more information about the event call 366-9596.