Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/110922
Sarasota News Leader February 22, 2013 Page 12 There is a big difference between run- If not, how will the city attract commisning for office and governing. sioners who are not retired people? Lumpkin: I���ll try to be very measured and so- Dorfman: I don���t know that should be a criber in my views, because I know should I get teria for the job. Ostensibly, you would want elected, the game is going to change. people who could work full-time in the position, which is obviously why you get a lot of ��������� retired folks going after the position. I don���t Your preference: a city manager or an see whether you���re retired or not retired elected mayor with management respon- makes any difference. What is the person���s exsibilities? perience? What is his depth of experience in Theisen: I think that the city manager sys- various disciplines? What do they know of the tem is my preference, in light of the fact that world? What can they bring from their expeall attempts at the electoral level have failed riences that could translate well to Sarasota? to change it. Like, you don���t push something I personally would rather ��� have someone down people���s throats. with experience in the outside world, who has You���ve run for election twice and failed business experience, who knows how other twice. The elected mayor thing has run communities and other countries work. I don���t for approval and failed three times. Does think that being retired has anything to do that mean you shouldn���t be running with it, quite frankly. now? If you get good candidates, retired or not, you Theisen: I run at my own expense. This elected mayor business costs thousands and thou- have good candidates. sands of dollars. Unless there���s a groundswell But they do have to eat and feed their of support [for me], this will be my last. family. We���re going to miss you. Dorfman: Again, it depends on the person. If Theisen: There���s a value in my running. ��������� the question is, if we paid a living wage would we get a broader spectrum of candidates? Possibly. But I don���t know that is an absolute. Today four of the five city commissioners Look at the people running now. [Candidate] are retired. Should city commissioners Susan Chapman: I assume she���s working fullbe paid a living wage? time. She sits on numerous boards. She���s Dorfman: I don���t think you go into elected found time to give back to the community. office as a moneymaking proposition. You go Look at [Candidate] Linda Holland: She���s into elected office because you want to serve. working full-time and found time to give back So it wouldn���t make any difference to me. It���s to the community. Again, I guess it depends a more-than-full-time job, in my opinion. But on the person. again, the wage has nothing to do with it, as far as I���m concerned. ���������