This was not a "Debate" as the agenda was to promote one candidate and deprive another of an open discussion. We were lead to believe the audience were real voters while the video showed not one white haired person in attendance. The audience was hand selected and were mentioned by one of the candidates as low paid campaign workers - but of whose campaign?
Shame on WSLR NEWS for such a biased, well paid for, presentation...
Anyone who watches this will come away knowing the true colors of those involved...
How many dollars were involved? This question is so obvious I read the piece two times looking for this. What journalism school did the writer go to and doesn't anyone review this?
I loved going to Cypress Gardens with my family. Sunken Gardens wasn't as much fun, however, the wonder of the botanical gardens always soothed me in troubled times. Fantastic article. Thank you for the memory of the magic.
Let me put this in perspective. The 22 acres of prime Real estate were paid by the citizens of Manatee County.
Yet in one swoop from the tourist development board, they want to come in and confiscate those 22 acres with basically no compensation.
They want to give the developer a 60 year sweetheart lease and put in $10 million of tourist development funds for a parking lot.
Since when is the government in business to subsidize private industry and quite frankly try to run the other ice rink out of business who has had no subsidies for years and pays hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate taxes and wages
This was a scam from the get-go. And the numbers don’t work despite all the bloviating from the tourist development board and the developer..
Good call by the Commissioner spearheaded by Dr. Bob McCann
The answer is in your letter. The developers want to build in that area and this interchange is needed to attract customers. The fact that Manatee County funds are being used in another County needs serious questioning.
Citizens want a seat at the table in the short-term rental decision-making process, yet we are not included. If staff genuinely wants stakeholder input, why aren't citizen advocates and community groups being contacted? A citizen who spoke at the end of the meeting showed how they are paying for enforcement on the island. The short term rental business is costing taxpayers because MCSO and residents are paying the price for enforcement, while the businesses in these neighborhoods are raking in the profits. They need to be responsible for the cost incurred to manage, regulate, and enforce the problems they are creating in our neighborhoods, because we did not have these issues prior to STR arrival.
OMG, so much DARK money, and much is hidden under names not associated with the actual donors. Guess who is behind and funding big money in many local pacts: Pat Neal, Carlos Beruff, Benderson, Schroeder-Manatee, John Cannon and others. Now many pacts are hiding their identities with fictitious names. The bottom line is, those glossy mailers cost tens of thousands of dollars to mail out. The more you get in your mailbox is an indication of who is benefiting from trying to sway your vote for their return on investment. Ruth Lawler
This will be important for voters to support this referendum in order to have more Manatee environmental lands purchased and protected, instead of developed. On average, it will be an additional $47 a year for property owners in additional tax, which equates to about $4 a month. When last voted on in 2020 with a similar referendum, it was approved by 71% of the voters. As a member of the ELMAC Board over this past year, I have been very impressed on the evaluation and vetting process for acquisition and protection environmental lands. Please vote YES, to protect lands and keep them out of the hands of developers. Ruth Lawler
First glad to hear all the residents were removed without any injuries. A job well done by ALL 1st responder agencies in Manatee County and outside resources from neighboring counties that were called. A special shout out of kudos goes to the leadership and each Manatee County EMS employee for handling this local MCI. Summoning additional transports resources shows the community that MCEMS is a well prepared and equipped to handle incidents of this nature. Speaking on equipped, many in our community were raising questions when MCEMS purchased units called RAPTOR (Rapid Activation Patient Treatment or Rehab). These units have been used on many structure fires, haz-mat and other prolonged incidents for Rehab of staff. These units were designed for MCIs of this natured and were used to assist the relocationof the patients. Glad our community and MCEMS is so well prepared, equipped and trained for these types of calls.
@Support Manatee EMS
Very good letter Sabine. The cost of electricity is a component of a much larger problem that we need to address for the welfare of the younger generations and generations to come. Data center huge use of electricity, global warming etc. will increase the need for electric power. We need to seriously address renewable energy sources and steps to combat global warming. If we don't future generations will suffer and rightly point the finger at us for our poor stewardship. We as a collective are like the frog in the slowly heating water that will eventually cook us. Serious action now needs to taken or else our frog is cooked.
Rahn and Ballard have to be voted out of office.
A strong yes to Glen Gibellina and Edward Bailey — it’s time to clear the path for real change.
Manatee County voters already proved in 2024 that we can come together across party lines to push back against a developer-dominated commission. That energy still matters. With four seats on the line and the temporary state preemption bills about to expire, this year’s Republican primaries are the decisive moment. Keeping the same voices who have been part of the old power structure will not deliver the home-rule, responsible-growth, and accountable government people voted for.
Mike Rahn and Amanda Ballard represent continuity with the approach that left residents feeling like afterthoughts in their own county’s growth. Replacing them with Glen Gibellina in District 4 and Edward Bailey in District 2 is the clearest way to protect the progress that was started and to keep special-interest influence from reclaiming a majority.
Glen has spent years showing up, speaking out, and holding the commission accountable. He is already doing the work of a commissioner from the podium and the community. Edward Bailey is a lifelong Manatee resident who understands that District 2 residents should not be treated as an afterthought while development decisions are made. Both candidates are running as people-first, non-developer-funded alternatives focused on home rule, smarter growth, water management, and putting residents ahead of quick payouts.
If we want anything to actually change once the preemption constraints lift, we need commissioners who will fight for it rather than manage the status quo. Throwing out these two incumbents in the primary is the practical, necessary step. Vote Gibellina in District 4 and Bailey in District 2 — and keep the momentum going with principled choices in the other open seats. The developers are counting on low turnout and fatigue. Let’s prove them wrong again.
For the Record
Glen GADFLY Gibellina
https://electglengibellina.com/
Yes I'm sure a 21 year old girl, the only one arrested, was the mastermind of this operation. Great job MCSO at rounding up this gambling ring and ensuring another casino doesn't just pop up again at this exact same location in a few months. /s
— The alums are the only ones who should determine their leadership and the nature of their organization, especially since the college foundation now has been turned from accepting donations intended to support protection of the college, into a corrupt source to pay this takeover president close to a million dollars a year when state law limits the salary to approximately $200,000. The alum organization cares about the college, not the pocketbook of the takeover president — and the alums will be left to pick up pieces left when the destructive takeover runs out of political support — if they haven't given the property away to the corrupt developers already staking claims to the valuable college real estate, Beruff, Neal, Famiglio, et al. The community needs to engage in this local front of the takeover 'culture war' and realize that it really is yet another financial scam bankrupting our institutions by destroying them.
Wow, and ugh. Thank you for this important information. If what my grandfather often said is true, “Pretty is as pretty does,” then it’s safe to say Beruff is one ugly dude.
As a vet myself that never was close to a war zone, but truly realized what that meant. I dreamed of a day when no one's child ever needed to wear a military uniform and kill another person's child in wars. So respect those who've served, yes, honor their memory... glorify death in war, NO!
The first person to be questioned is incumbent Senator Boyd (District 20 parts of Manatee & Hillsborough). Boyd is set to be the Senate President in the 2027 legislature! If you have time - take a look at his voting record - on how he voted for 2025 SB 180, for starters - then see how he voted in the 2026 legislature when asked to correct SB 180 with 2026 SB 218 - which still took authority away from
Local governments! I would say this elected official is a good place to start with when finding out what happened to “Home Rule”!
In 1960 the average hourly wage for non-farm workers was $1.96 today it is over $23 an hour. I agree with the principles stated in your letter. During my management career I found that if you paid a fair wage and treated your employees with respect you reduced costly turnover and didn't have a problem with any union. The number one reason for employee dissatisfaction is not feeling valued by their employer. The 1960 non-farm workers were in the same relative economic position as the current non-farm workers. Your economic status in a society is always economically relative to the value of your labor. As the cost of production rises the cost of goods also rises, it is a vicious cycle that keeps everyone in their relative economic status. The answer used to be higher education to move up the economic strata, that is shifting now and technology is changing the playing field.
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