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right-wing political bomb-thrower Richard Swier Sr., saying that Lourdes Ramirez is somehow less qualified for the seat of a county commissioner because she at one time owned a "new age" boutique. The implication has been that her belief in astrology and psy- chics makes her undesirable to Republicans. Yet, the great Republican "god" Ronald Reagan had a wife who referred to psychics for advice during his entire term in office, and Nancy Reagan regularly counseled her hus- band based on the guidance she received. Why is it acceptable for the First Lady of the United States to influence the actions of the President based on the advice of psychics, but it is not acceptable for someone who operated a legitimate small business here that contributed to the health of the county econ- omy? Such hypocrisy indicates the depths to which those in league with developers will go to saddle county taxpayers with a financial burden for decades. There have also been aspersions cast on Ramirez because she is a volunteer in organi- zations that seek to protect the quality of life in the county, while her opponent, Maio, has had a career in business. The assertion is that he is more qualified to oversee a billion-dol- lar county budget. Yet, current Commissioner Carolyn Mason has no extensive business career — in fact, not as extensive as that of Ramirez — and Mason has capably handled the demands of her office and the oversight of that billion-dollar budget, even serving as chairwoman of the County Commission. Perhaps, then, those who oppose Ramirez might have some misogynistic motives, which should be of concern to all women in the county. Shannon Snyder is better known to county voters. As a member of the Sheriff's Office for decades, he has shown his dedication to the welfare of the people of the community. And while we have not always agreed with his positions as a Sarasota city commissioner, we have frequently found common cause with him. We are confident that he will give careful consideration to important issues that come before him on the County Commission and that he will work to protect the interests of county taxpayers. The most significant issue to come up in an election campaign in more than a decade makes the choices in the race to fill two County Commission seats stark indeed. Maio and Caragiulo, regardless of their motives, have expressed sympathy with rich develop- ers who do not share the same risks and fears of other Sarasota County taxpayers. Ramirez and Snyder have been clear in their support for preserving the 2050 Plan and protecting the environmental and fiscal health of our county. It really is not a difficult choice for any rational person. We urge voters in the Republican pri- mary to vote for Lourdes Ramirez for the District 4 County Commission seat and Shannon Snyder for the District 2 County Commission seat. % OPINION Sarasota News Leader August 8 & 15, 2014 Page 95