We need jobs in Sarasota – BUT we have to be careful that what we support with public money to create jobs, actually WILL create jobs. Most of the proposals only create one job, the usually lush job created for the person proposing the proposal! OK, sometimes the proposal will include a receptionist and maybe even an assistant – but the rest will be temps from out of town who never actually live here. That and a lawyer or two.

I favor attracting diverse industry to Sarasota, NOT more empty real estate projects! We have a two year backlog of unsold real estate. But the overwhelming number of proposals are for more unsold real estate. These are a problem in several ways. For one thing, hardly anyone local benefits from the project until it is finally sold IF it is sold and the availability of yet another vacant property deflates the value of other properties disastrously.

We should not overlook the job possibilities in transportation. We have a dire problem in the viability of Public Transit within the city. This problem could even be solved by entrepreneurs. I am thinking of the first and last mile problem, and also the unbuilt transit shelters. This is not to mention the disgracefully few and far between public restrooms for people needing these while using “multi-modal” transportation.

I see a huge issue looming in the proposed axing of the Police Pensions. The trouble being that the Police do NOT have Social Security.