Sarasota County Commission

Local officials, attorneys and community leaders gathered in Venice to warn that state preemption and developer influence have eroded meaningful local control over growth, citing laws like SB 180 that limit regulation and weaken environmental protections.

After floods ravaged the county last year, commissioners said there seems to be enough already in the coffers, and from hurricane relief aid.

County commissioners voted to explore a plan to demolish just the jail’s west wing and build an eight-story addition in its place. The $401 million project would create 725 beds, lifting operational capacity to 1,237 by 2033

They're warning of a looming budget crisis after efforts to trim spending fell far short, with constitutional officers offering just $2.2 million in concessions toward a gap of more than $20 million.

Sarasota County commissioners ended their final budget workshop Tuesday with little progress on curbing spending, despite earlier vows to rein in ballooning budgets.

Stormwater activities are currently managed under a division within the Public Works Department.

For Jon Mast, CEO of the Building Industry Institute, this isn’t the first time his role in the accountability of public expenditures has been criticized.

If approved by county commissioners, the Smith Farm, near Celery Fields, would be rezoned from its current limit of five homes across 50 acres to more than 120.

The county commission voted 4-1 to approve rezoning for 3H Ranch but stalled a smaller proposal to build 46 homes near Fruitville Road.

Public records show Mike Moran, who's running for Sarasota County Tax Collector, used taxpayer money to spend thousands of dollars on dinners and other expenses.

The donation comes in the wake of the Sarasota County Commission's recent decision to eliminate funding for the exhibit for the first time in 15 years.

The cuts amount to several thousand dollars in savings for Sarasota County, where libraries are well-regarded and funded with a $17 million annual budget.