6A | Island Visitor June 2012 Siesta Sand ‡ JUNE 2012 ‡ 941.539.0205 ‡ www.siestakeyislander.com
Sarasota Up & Down the Trail
Longboat Police Chief and former Sarasota Mayor Killed Al Hogle died after a motorcycle crash in the Blue Ridge Mountains on May 14. Hogle was police chief of Longboat Key, former chief of the Bradenton Police Department, and retired as a captain from the Sarasota Police Department. Hogle was an active motorcyclist, and would often put his Ducati on a trailer and drive to North Carolina with friends to cruise the back roads. He was motorcycling with three friends when the Ducati went down at low speed in a corner. Hogle struck an obstacle and was killed. ,Q WKH V DQG V +RJOH ZRUNHG DV DQ XQGHUFRYHU QDUFRWLFV RIĂ€FHU LQ 6DUDVRWD +H RQFH quipped, “I bet you’ve never talked to somebody who’s bought pounds of cocaine.â€? $IWHU UHWLULQJ IURP WKH 63' +RJOH ZDV DSSRLQWHG WR Ă€OO D YDFDQF\ RQ WKH 6DUDVRWD &LW\ Commission, and later won the seat outright. He served a term as mayor before quitting to become the Bradenton Police chief. Hogle was born in Gulfport, Miss, and is a 1966 graduate of Sarasota High School. After graduation, he served a hitch in the U.S. Air Force before joining the Sarasota Police Department in 1970. Charter Board examines by-elections, signature sunsets and more The Sarasota County Charter Review Board moved ahead a proposal to eliminate special elections for citizen-petition proposed changes to the county’s home-rule charter. The charter today says once the required signatures are validated, the county has 60 days to hold an election on the question. County Assistant Attorney Kathleen Schneider said it takes the elections supervisor at least 8 weeks to prepare a ballot, with the special election costing $500,000. To get the question on the November ballot, the charter board moved up the required public hearing to June 6 at 7pm. The hearing will be held at the county administration building on 5LQJOLQJ %RXOHYDUG DFURVV WKH VWUHHW IURP WKH PDLQ SRVW RIĂ€FH The charter board meets infrequently. At the next regular meeting in October, it will consider a three-year maximum on petition signature validity, and the expansion of the county commission WR VHYHQ PHPEHUV XS IURP Ă€YH ZLWK HDFK UHSUHVHQWLQJ D VLQJOH PHPEHU GLVWULFW Three city commissioners hint at tax increase If you’re counting votes, it looks like there are at least three for a City of Sarasota tax increase this fall. Speaking before the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Government Issues Group, Commissioners Paul Caragiulo and Shannon Snyder telegraphed the coming hike. “If we start raising taxes, which we’re going to eventually do, there will be a taxpayer revolt,â€?
By Stan Zimmerma
said Snyder. “And most of our voters live in the high-rent district.â€? Caragiulo followed up Snyder’s comment by saying, “You’ve got to be willing to fall on your sword over this.â€? Later that day Suzanne Atwell was re-elected mayor of Sarasota. She said during her “State of the Cityâ€? address, “We need a balanced approach to balance the budget. A combination of VSHQGLQJ UHGXFWLRQV HYDOXDWLQJ DGGLWLRQDO PRGLĂ€FDWLRQV WR WKH SHQVLRQ SURJUDPV XWLOL]LQJ revenue stabilization funds, as well as a millage increase.â€? Caragiulo showed chamber representatives a chart indicating Sarasota has the third-lowest property tax rate for the 50 most populous cities. And when the county’s millage rate is added, the combined levy for the city is the lowest in the state.
Thaxton knocked from county commission race The Florida Supreme court ruled May 10 in favor of term limits approved by voters in charter counties. County Commissioner Jon Thaxton was planning on running for his fourth term. County voters in 1998 approved a two-term limit as part of an amendment to the county’s charter. However a circuit court judge struck down the election. A Broward County case on WHUP OLPLWV ZDV VHQW WR WKH )ORULGD 6XSUHPHV ODVW \HDU DQG D 6DUDVRWD FLWL]HQV JURXS Ă€OHG D similar challenge. 7ZR 5HSXEOLFDQV Ă€OHG WR FKDOOHQJH 7KD[WRQ IRU UHHOHFWLRQ 9DQHVVD &DUXVRQH D IRUPHU 1RUWK Port city commissioner, and businessman William Slider have announced they are running. &DQGLGDWHV IRU FRXQW\ RIĂ€FH PXVW Ă€OH LQ WKH Ă€UVW ZHHN LQ -XQH 7KD[WRQ FRXOG VWLOO Ă€OH IRU D FRXQW\ FRQVWLWXWLRQDO RIĂ€FH ² OLNH VXSHUYLVRU RU HOHFWLRQV RU WD[ FROOHFWRU ² RU DV D FDQGLGDWH IRU the state legislature. Pressure grows on Rep. Buchanan /RFDO 8 6 &RQJUHVVPDQ 9HUQ %XFKDQDQ 5 /RQJERDW .H\ FDPH XQGHU LQFUHDVLQJ SUHVVXUH on May 9 when the U.S. House Committee on Ethics said it will “further reviewâ€? allegations %XFKDQDQ SUHVVXUHG D IRUPHU EXVLQHVV SDUWQHU WR VLJQ D IDOVH DIĂ€GDYLW 7KH DFWLRQ ´PD\ KDYH violatedâ€? federal law, the committee said in a statement. 7KH FRPPLWWHH UHOHDVHG D OHQJWK\ UHSRUW IURP WKH 2IĂ€FH RI &RQJUHVVLRQDO (WKLFV VXSSRUWLQJ the charges against Buchanan. Citing witnesses, the report says, “Buchanan intended to have individuals reimbursed for campaign contributionsâ€? since 2005. The report said there is “substantial reason to believeâ€? Buchanan broke federal laws against bribing witnesses, obstructing proceedings and tampering with witnesses. %XFKDQDQ LV WKH Ă€QDQFH YLFH FKDLUPDQ IRU WKH 1DWLRQDO 5HSXEOLFDQ &RQJUHVVLRQDO &RPPLWWHH which raises and disburses money for candidates.