Sarasota County · Fiscal Audit
Local Government Accountability Institute · Independent Fiscal Research · Nonpartisan
Survey Complete
Thank You
Your answers have been recorded.
The Verdict
It's time for new leadership that will actually scrutinize spending100%
Give the incumbents another chance to course-correct0%
I'm satisfied with the current direction0%
Unsure0%
Awareness Gaps
Percentage of voters who had no prior knowledge of each fact
Right now, before any facts — how likely are you to re-elect Commissioner Joe Neunder (District 4) on August 18?0%
Right now, before any facts — how likely are you to re-elect Commissioner Mark Smith (District 2) on August 18?0%
Is Sarasota County government headed in the right direction or the wrong direction?0%
FACT: County spending grew from $823M to $1.22 BILLION (+48%) in three years — 6x faster than the population. Both voted YES on every budget. ZERO no votes. Did you know?0%
FACT: Bonded debt more than DOUBLED — $484M to $1.11B — 30-year debt your grandchildren inherit. Both voted YES on every bond. Did you know?0%
FACT: Smith warned "We're spending money we won't have" — then voted YES on the record $2.524 BILLION budget. Did you know?0%
FACT: They approved a nearly $100M administration building by the Celery Fields — bond-financed, no public discussion — while the average worker earns $45,229. Did you know?0%
FACT: "Small government" Sarasota ranks #6 of 67 Florida counties for administrative bureaucracy — $4,688 per resident, more than Palm Beach, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. Did you know?0%
FACT: $18.1 MILLION for a 2-acre boatyard — the seller had paid $8.9M two years earlier, a 103% profit on your dime. Did you know?0%
FACT: Population grew about 8%. Inflation accounts for roughly another 12–15%. Together that justifies a spending increase of about 20%. Instead spending rose 48% and debt rose 76% — leaving roughly $200 MILLION in spending that growth and inflation cannot explain. Were you aware?0%
NOW KNOWING THE FACTS: How likely are you to re-elect Joe Neunder (District 4)?0%
NOW KNOWING THE FACTS: How likely are you to re-elect Mark Smith (District 2)?0%
Two challengers — Jim DeNiro, a 30-year Sarasota PD sergeant endorsed by the Florida PBA, and Kristina Sargent, a U.S. Army and Army National Guard veteran and former prosecutor — are running on written commitments to audit the spending, restore reserves, and stop the debt. Would you consider a reform challenger?0%
Institute Analysis
What the Record Shows
The Institute’s live analytical findings on the Sarasota County fiscal record and the August 18 primary.
See the Live Analysis →