Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/118445
Sarasota News Leader March 29, 2013 "Four out of five commissioners are now lame ducks," she said. In four years, Commissioner Charles Hines — who was elected to his first term during the 2012 General Election — "will be your senior commissioner," she added. Page 42 creased to 7.8 percent in December before climbing again to 8.2 percent in January. (In releasing its most recent figures, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity revised that December rate to 7.7 percent.) "He's great!" Patterson told the audience of One impact of the recession, she said, "is about 100 people. something that will have a more permanent effect on this community: The County ComNonetheless, because of term limits, she conmission and, frankly, the community, is now tinued, "an awful lot of people without expemore permissive in land use issues than it rience" will be winning seats on the board. used to be." "You will have to work even harder than you While she agreed about the need to build up have" to make sure the county maintains a the county's tax base and put people back good reputation, she added. to work, Patterson continued, "we need to Although the county's unemployment rate had watch that we do not destroy neighborhoods risen as high as 13.3 percent during the Great or the functionality of the county with these Recession, Patterson pointed out, it had de- decisions." Russell Matthes (standing), president of the Siesta Key Village Association, talks with Sheriff Tom Knight (right) during the Siesta Key Association Annual Meeting on March 23. Photo by Rachel Hackney