OPINION: Stop the weak games, and let Sarasota's voters decide on a strong mayor

Sarasota Herald-Tribune Editorial Board
·3 min read
Should Sarasota have an elected strong mayor - with real powers - roaming the halls of its City Hall (pictured above)? That's open for discussion, but what can't be debated is that Sarasota's citizens should have a right to vote on the strong mayor issue.
Should Sarasota have an elected strong mayor - with real powers - roaming the halls of its City Hall (pictured above)? That's open for discussion, but what can't be debated is that Sarasota's citizens should have a right to vote on the strong mayor issue.

Should Sarasota have a mayor who is actually elected by citizens? And if Sarasota did have one, should that elected mayor possess the actual strength to make a real difference in the lives of citizens?

It’s time to allow Sarasotans to answer those questions for themselves. And it's well past time to remove any obstacles that are keeping Sarasotans from being able to do so.

That’s why the Sarasota Charter Review Commission, which is now considering possible revisions to the city charter, should call for a November vote to decide whether Sarasota should be led by an elected “strong mayor” who effectively runs the municipal government on a day-to-day basis.

Weak mayor? What's the point of electing a weak mayor in Sarasota?

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That’s why once the charter review panel makes such a recommendation, the five-member Sarasota City Commission should support it and green-light a fall election.

And it's why factions in the current City Hall bureaucracy that are actively working to prevent the above two developments from happening should instead adopt a two-step process of their own:

The first step is to just knock it off. The second step is to just get out of the way.

Look, it may be that Sarasota’s citizens like the present model of having a city manager – such as the much-respected current City Manager Marlon Brown – run the government operations with close oversight by the city commission.

It may be that Sarasota's citizens like the present ritual of city commissioners annually appointing one of their colleagues to hold the unelected mayor’s role, which is largely token and ceremonial in nature.

Sure, that’s all possible.

Or it may be that Sarasota's citizens have become keenly aware – as they slog bumper-to-bumper down Fruitville Road – that their city is rapidly growing and evolving; after all, Sarasota's population grew 5.6% between 2010 and 2020, according to Sarasota County's official data.

It may be that Sarasota's citizens now think it’s time to have an elected mayor with meaningful authority to serve as the city government's driving force.

And it may be that Sarasota's citizens now believe it's vital for the city to emulate Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and other large Florida cities that are run by elected strong mayors who wield considerable power – yet who are constantly held accountable by a citizenry armed with the equally weighty power to kick them out when it sees fit.

Yes, that’s all possible, too.

Either way, however, the citizens of Sarasota must be the ones who have the final say on the strong mayor concept – and they must be the ones who are able to offer that last word through their votes.

The Charter Review Commission should start that process by recommending a fall election – and the City Hall machinery should stop any machinations to block such a vote from happening.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Give Sarasota voters a chance to decide if city needs a powerful mayor