Endorsement: Phil Anderson the best pick in Winter Park mayor’s race

Two experienced, ex-City Commission members are running for mayor in Winter Park.

We’re recommending voters choose Phil Anderson, partly because of his financial background but also because he seems more likely — despite his previous stint on the commission — to bring a fresh perspective.

In the past we’ve endorsed his opponent, Sarah Sprinkel, for office. But Sprinkel has been a close ally of the outgoing mayor, Steve Leary, and we think the city needs a change.

Anderson grew up the son of missionaries in the Philippines and came to Winter Park in 1998. He’s worked in senior executive positions for several companies and currently is a partner in a firm that invests in housing for seniors.

As Winter Park candidates for office often are, Anderson is involved in the community, including a term on the City Commission from 2008-11.

We found much to like in Anderson’s egalitarian belief that the city’s voters were right to take away the mayor’s exclusive power to appoint residents to city boards and spread it out among commissioners.

He supports letting voters decide on single-member voting districts.

He’s interested in the idea of Winter Park installing a fiber-optic system that would give residents better and faster internet access and an alternative to privately run, and often poorly run, providers. We’re all for more choice in this arena.

Anderson also sees a sensible balance between development and preservation, a subject that seems to dominate issues in Winter Park.

On that score, Sprinkel seemed too eager to go along with a recent hotel proposal that didn’t seem a good fit with the neighborhood. And when she was serving on the commission, Sprinkel sided with Leary against a proposal to make it easier for neighborhoods to become historic preservation districts.

In assessing Leary’s performance as mayor, she gave him an A, citing his transparency. This even though the mayor got in some deserved hot water for holding one-on-one meetings with other commissioners that, while not violating the letter of the Sunshine Law, didn’t live up to its spirit.

We have no question about Sprinkel’s devotion to her city, and we’re sure she wants the best for it.

But Anderson’s a better candidate, a sensible, experienced person who grasps the delicate balance of maintaining Winter Park’s charm, advancing its economic interests and doing what’s best for its residents.

We endorse Phil Anderson for Winter Park mayor.

Election endorsements are the opinion of the Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, which consists of Opinion Editor Mike Lafferty, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell participates in interviews and deliberations. Send emails to insight@orlandosentinel.com. Watch candidate interviews at OrlandoSentinel.com/interviews.