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covering the broader importance of citizen engagement and the rights and responsibil- ities that come with living in a democratic society. But he did mention the "challenging world" local governments are facing and the pressing need for "sustainability." "There needs to be a vision of how we're going to take care of this place," Reid said, a vision that emphasizes "wise development prac- tices." He denied that he was a "no-growther," but made the point that "home-building alone is not a sustainable economy" and that the region needs to "diversify." The Control Growth Now luncheon was the organization's 25th annual meeting, and Reid urged the 120 or so who attended the Marina Jack event to "continue for another 25 years of guarding the place, paying attention to the planning process. Otherwise, it will be left to others, and those others have influence." Reid said he's often asked, "Why did you choose to be fired?" He answered by refer- ring to a flyer outlining the International City/ County Management Association's code of ethics, a copy of which was provided to each table. "This is what I live by," he said. "This is where I stand." That led to conflict when it came to deciding whom to turn to in the county's reevaluation of Sarasota 2050 — in particular its fiscal neutrality policy. Reid originally proposed bringing in an academic team to evaluate fis- cal neutrality (the principle that new growth should pay its own way), but the commission, led by Commissioner Joe Barbetta, instead pushed the county to hire consultant Donna Arduin, a close ally of Gov. Rick Scott. Her partner, former Reagan administration offi- cial Arthur Laffer, calls himself the "father of supply-side economics." The resulting report called for the total elimination of fiscal neu- trality and lambasted the entire concept of smart growth, leading to criticism from both commission critics and commissioners. "We tried to have a deliberative process," Reid said. Arduin was originally intended to be part of the peer review team, "not to con- trol the process, not to do it simply to arrive at a supply-side solution." Reid wanted wide, inclusive input, he added. Gayle Reynolds, a former leader of the local Sierra Club chapter, echoed Lobeck in prais- ing Reid's openness. She told The Sarasota News Leader Reid's remarks were night and day compared to the attitude of longtime Administrator Jim Ley, who served for 14 years before resigning amid scandal in 2011. Ley's door was "not an open door" when it came to environmental issues, Reynolds said. Earlier this year, Reid accepted a posi- tion as the southeast regional director of the International City/County Management Association, the organization whose ethics he touted. He could live anywhere he'd like in the Southeastern U.S., but he's chosen to remain in Sarasota, which he's already calling his "hometown." Lobeck noted that Reid and his wife, Connie, live in the district of County Commissioner Carolyn Mason, and mock-suggested that he run for office, to much laughter and applause. "We'd love to have you sitting there making the decisions," Lobeck said. % Sarasota News Leader March 21, 2014 Page 63