I sat down last week-end and took a long hard look at my upcoming property tax bill for 2026. In this notice, the County Assessor compares the assessed value of your property, assessment rate (or …
At the intersection of Cortez Road and 75th Street West, whoever is in charge of the design for the north and south lane alignment gets a failing grade. Instead of the bike lane being on the far …
When we hear “midterms,” we think of U.S. congressional elections halfway through a president's term. But for students in academia, it’s something entirely different. Midterms are a …
Two candidates for the Manatee County School Board offer differing views for public education: Dr. Sharon Jefferson, a lifelong educator, and Ms. Cindy Spray, a former corporate accountant. In a …
The residents of Little Manatee South in Hillsborough County are disappointed, confused, and deeply concerned by recent news that Manatee County leaders have requested and received millions of …
In this time of greater heat in the summer in Florida, it's startling that school buses often have no air conditioning. The article states that children are more vulnerable to heat effects, heating …
Throughout history, the relationship between employers and workers has often been marked by tension. Labor unions emerged because many workers found themselves with little bargaining power against …
Congress should pass a law with heavy fines, sanctions, and confiscation of equipment to stop the incessant robocalls that are more than just a nuisance; they are harassment. Friends of mine received …
Prolonged exposure to Temperatures above 84 degrees Fahrenheit spells disaster for any surviving corals in the Gulf of Mexico, but especially all along the Texas and Florida coasts. I always …
Having just celebrated 250 years of “government for the people, by the people,” unfavorable comparisons to our Manatee County officials are unavoidable. Those early Americans —who resisted …
In response to Executive Order 14399, which is already being challenged, the United States Postal Service has proposed a new rule that would allow USPS to decide who may receive and cast a mail …
As many of our county residents, my family has been blessed to reside adjacent to one of the most beautiful and vital County waterbodies, Palma Sola Bay, since 2000. Since 2016, north of the Manatee …
Let’s talk about political endorsements for a minute. Before you assume this is about any one candidate or group, just sit with the idea. Pick your least favorite elected official—any level. Now …
The following chart shows the current social security percent of earnings payments made by those whose earnings are at or below the social security tax cap and those whose earnings are above the cap. …
Having failed to secure Manatee County voter approval for ad valorem taxing rights in March, WMFRD did the next best thing. The five member elected Commission voted themselves a 7.9% increase for tax …
Jon Mast’s defense of the building industry (“ Regarding Commissioner McCann’s Guest Op/E d”) appropriately highlights the hard-working local tradespeople who live and work in Manatee County. …
A very insightful quote from a recent Barron’s letter to the editor observed that the dollar is useful to facilitate transactions on a worldwide basis, but terrible as a store of value. I decided …
Commissioner McCann’s op-ed reflects a narrative that paints builders and developers as adversaries rather than contributors to Manatee County’s economic survival. While responsible growth is …
If ever a headline screamed for yours (and the governor’s attention), this would be it. Whether the Commissioners like it or not, the record number of Manatee County surpluses stretching back to …
Some of you may have heard of the Giving Challenge, a two-day matching gift program supported by the Patterson Foundation that takes place on April 15 and 16 this year. Essentially, any contribution …