County commissioner Sara Baxter started fundraising for 2026 before she was even sworn in
A week before Republican County Commissioner Sara Baxter was sworn into office in late November, she had already begun soliciting campaign contributions for an election four years away.
In November, she raised more than $25,000, another $38,000 in December and $10,000 in January, bringing the total amount to $73,779. Reports filed with the state showed that she paid a fitness company for “financial consulting” and reimbursed herself more than $7,000 for food and beverage from a fundraising event in December.
Efforts to obtain comment from Baxter to explain the expenditures and the payment to herself for $7,000 were unsuccessful. She and her husband opened an automotive repair shop, Foreign Auto Specialists in 2011. On her election web site from 2022, she complained about the difficulties of obtaining permits from county building and zoning divisions. While working on finding a location for their business, she said she confronted difficult planning and zoning requirements for auto repair shops.
Most of the money donated to the “Friends of Sara Baxter” political action committee came from land-use lawyers and planners who regularly appear before the county commission. Other contributors included developers and landscapers looking to change the county’s zoning code.
It is common for such contributions to be made in Palm Beach County. Other states, such as New Jersey, have adopted “pay-to-play” laws that bar political contributions by entities doing business on a state, local or county level.
Florida has no such laws, so it is legal for Baxter and other county commissioners to accept and solicit such donations. But what is unusual is seeking campaign contributions for a reelection campaign before a candidate has even been sworn into office.
“It is unheard of,” said Rick Asnani of Cornerstone Solutions, a political consulting firm that represented Democrat Michele McGovern, Baxter's opponent in the election for the District 6 seat last November. Baxter defeated McGovern by 4 percentage points.
“I have never seen someone solicit contributions so soon after winning an election, especially someone who never before held public office,” said Asnani. “What it shows is that she is focused more on politicking than governing. It is like the campaign never ended.”
“Candidates I represent routinely wait until we are two years away from a reelection campaign,” said Asnani. “This really does look like pay to play.”
Sara Baxter's first five months in office have been eventful
During her first five months in office, Baxter has railed against code enforcement, claiming the division has unfairly targeted truckers operating in The Acreage area. She has also called for the zoning code to be amended to permit landscape services to operate in some residential areas.
More: Palm Beach County official plans pro-trucker meeting over code enforcement in The Acreage
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The election was on Nov. 8; Baxter created her PAC on Nov. 15. On Nov. 22, she was sworn into office for a four-year term. The district includes an area from the Glades east to Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and parts of Greenacres.
Her campaign contributors include:
BBX Capital Real Estate of Fort Lauderdale, $15,000. BBX is a real estate holding company that has been involved in a number of South Florida real estate projects.
Attorney Alan Ciklin of Palm Beach, $2,000.
KW Holdings of West Palm Beach, $2,000. The company is land-use planner.
Lobbyist Ronald Book of Aventura, $10,000.
JMorton Planning & Landscape Architecture of Palm Beach Gardens, $5,000.
Bedner Farms' affiliates, $6,000.
Firefighter PAC, Palm Beach County, $2,500
Channing Butter of Boynton Beach, $5,000 (The company is looking to build a project in the Ag Reserve)
ACR Acquisition LLC of Delray Beach, $5,000 (One of its principals is involved another company that recently received approval to build an apartment project adjacent to Valencia Shores.)
Reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections show that Baxter reimbursed herself $7,017 for food and beverage for a campaign fund-raising event on Dec. 22. It is not clear why the vendor was not directly paid.
And $2,000 was paid to “Fit Unfiltered” for “finance consulting.” Its website describes the company as being "all about discovering ways to stay fit in all aspects life.”
With expenditures of $16,807, Baxter’s PAC has a balance of $56,972.
Two residents opposed to policies Baxter is pursuing both complained to The Palm Beach Post that Baxter has refused to meet with them.
Mark Hawkins, who lives in The Acreage, is concerned about allowing large semi-tractor trailers to be stored on residential lots there. He wrote an email to Baxter, a copy of which he sent to The Post, complaining that some homeowners are operating commercial truck-repair businesses, filling their lots with big rigs and trailers, RVs and boats.
"When is enough enough?" he asked.
Hawkins said Baxter has yet to reply to his email. And Risa McCarraher, a resident of Heritage Farms concerned about the possibility of landscape-service companies returning to the residential-rural enclave, said Baxter canceled a meeting with her after she requested that someone from the zoning division sit in on the session.
District 3 County Commissioner Michael Barnett was sworn into office Jan. 10. Barnett was appointed to the position by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replaced Dave Kerner, who resigned to take a position in the DeSantis administration. Barnett created his PAC, Friends of Michael Barnett, six days after assuming office but has yet to raise any money, according to the most recent filings with the state. He will be seeking reelection in 2024.
District 4 Commissioner Marci Woodward, who ran at the same time as Baxter, has not created a PAC. Her term will be up in four years.
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: County Commissioner Sara Baxter already fundraising for next election
