Debbie Trice Runs For Sarasota City Commission At-Large Seat

SARASOTA, FL — Sarasota voters will choose two city commission members in the upcoming elections.

The following three candidates, the top vote-getters in the August election, are vying for two at-large commission seats on Nov. 8:

• Jen Ahearn-Koch
• Dan Lobeck
• Debbie Trice

Patch has asked all candidates to complete a questionnaire about their campaign and their priorities.

Trice responded to our survey and her responses are posted below:

Campaign website

https://debbieforthecity.com/

City or town of residence

Sarasota

Office sought

Sarasota City Commissioner At Large

Education

BA, Hofstra University, N.Y.; MBA, New York University, N.Y.

Occupation

Retired from career with IBM in marketing and management, and subsequent entrepreneurial ventures

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Elected to Sarasota County Charter Review Board in 2006

Why are you seeking this office?
The demand for housing for Sarasota's working families is much greater than the supply, and that drives the costs beyond what these families can afford. But local developers continue to build homes for the wealthy and almost nothing for working families. So far, action by our city government has been ineffective. I seek to change that. I also seek to make sure current residents have a voice in plans for their neighborhoods.

My goal is to make Sarasota a city that works for everyone — where everyone has a voice and a place to live.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The housing issue is not merely one of some families not able to afford homes in Sarasota, and it won’t be solved by building more homes for a small subset of our population. We have a housing market that is out of balance and, if it isn’t corrected, will have a local economy out of balance. As more and more housing is built for the upper end of the market without also building housing for the middle and lower end of the market, employers will have even more difficulty filling job openings to address the needs of our growing population. We must address the problem with a master plan that considers the income distribution of our job market, our actual housing needs, job locations, transportation needs and neighborhood impacts. A simplistic approach is inadequate.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Matters related to health and safety are critical. Sarasota city government should not permit toxic dust to continue to pollute North Sarasota neighborhoods. We must also address the need for cooling centers during dangerous heat waves. Expanding our tree canopy and green spaces will help with cooling at other times. Safety in neighborhoods can be improved with community policing and enforcement of traffic laws.

Financial issues are important also. We must not commit to projects unless we know we can pay for them without jeopardizing other priorities.

Strengthening communities within the city, keeping residents informed and soliciting their input will help Sarasota become a city that works for everyone.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I could point to awards but having earned the respect of my co-workers in every job I’ve held is probably the best evidence. I treasure a thank you note I received in 2012 from Cathy Layton, the chair of the Charter Review Board. Although we held opposing positions on many issues, she wrote, “You’ve done more for the CRB in (four) years on and two off than almost anyone.”

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

“Always do what you think is right.”

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

We’re all in this together.