Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/88739
INTO THE MINEFIELD Participants in a stakeholders group meeting on the City of Sarasota's noise ordinance listen to a speaker. Photo by Stan Zimmerman SARASOTA CITY COMMISSIONER PAUL CARAGIULO CRACKS OPEN THE 'NOISE-ORDINANCE BOX' By Stan Zimmerman City Editor The noise ordinance is one of several "third rails" in Sarasota city politics. The people re- sponsible for it are older, wealthier and far more likely to vote than the people who hate it — who are younger, less affluent and far less likely to vote in city elections. Voters with money versus youngsters with amplified guitars? For politicians, this is a no-brainer. Therefore, when city Commissioner Paul Caragiulo called for a town-hall-style meeting on Thursday evening, Oct. 17, to take testimo- ny on the decade-old noise ordinance, more than one eyebrow was arched in the down- town condos. "My purpose is to have an open discussion on the noise ordinance," said Caragiulo at the start of the meeting. "There is no information or any proposal on the table. I just want to hear from you." He got an earful for two hours. What he does with that earful is going to be anybody's guess. THE PLAYERS "Over the past 10 years, not that many ven- ues have live music anymore," said Shannon Fortner, a performer for the past decade. "It's