Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/124273
Sarasota News Leader April 26, 2013 OPINION Both candidates have made enemies for various reasons. As the only incumbent in the race, Atwell takes all the arrows for bad commission decisions in the past. Parking meters, the Bartolotta witch hunt, a seeming (but not actual) flip-flop on Walmart: Four years is enough time in office to irritate everybody about something. Page 70 ing controversial projects. Her "department stores not allowed there" opposition to the Walmart at Ringling Plaza is but one example. The City Commission found her argument persuasive enough that it overturned the Planning Board's approval of the Walmart proposal. Both Atwell and Chapman — because of their service to the city — are extremely knowledgeable about civic affairs. They should be able to "hit the ground running" to tackle existing and Sarasota is very hard on incumbents, and Both Atwell and Chapman — the landscape is lit- because of their service to the city — are tered with one-term extremely knowledgeable about commissioners — civic affairs. which is all the more reason to vote for Atwell. She has made appropriate decisions, but more importantly, looming troubles. she brings consensus building to City Hall. We We have less good to say about the third need that more than ever before. candidate in the race, Richard Dorfman. His Chapman does not carry the burden of offi- knowledge of — and involvement in — civic cial incumbency, but her efforts on behalf of affairs is thin and sketchy. And he has yet to neighborhoods and citizens have been polar- master his "ready-fire-aim" method of problem izing. After the Alta Vista neighborhood failed solving. While he purports to be the candidate to stop a proposed School Avenue high-rise of business, his recent business history has alproject before the recession, Chapman helped legedly had many failures. He is considerably to craft the appeal to the Department of Community Affairs that brought harmony back to less qualified on many levels to serve as a city the development and neighbors. And after commissioner. multiple complaints of police misconduct, When voters take up their ballots, they can Chapman led a city advisory group, which re- vote for two of the three candidates. While sulted in the creation of two civilian oversight you will hear people urge that you vote for boards. only one, because that purportedly gives some Chapman's service on the Planning Board statistical edge, do not heed their advice. We has been another source of controversy. need two qualified and eager commissioners. Even though the huge majority of decisions While their traits may differ, their commitment are unanimous, Chapman has been in the mi- to Sarasota is both deep and strong. Vote for nority at times, finding legal basis for oppos- Suzanne Atwell and Susan Chapman. %