Chasing Charter Rumors
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
Thanks BJ…a second source said it was “Vote Yes” on local charter stuff. Steve Vancore
Longboat Key
Breaking News from the Tennis Court Wire
To: Steve Vancore
I will get it from the person who said this to me on the tennis court this morning.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
The Search for the Elusive “Vote Yes” Mailer
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
We had our folks who are connected to the Sarasota DEC say they saw the card and it says to Vote no on A3. Perhaps someone is faking it? Do you have a photo of the card?
Steve Vancore
Longboat Key
Party Lines Crossed (and Jaws Dropped) Over Amendment 3
To: Steve Vancore
The Sarasota County Democrats have just put a mail piece on who and what to vote for on the November 3 ballot and they have said YES on Amendment 3. I was floored. I have sent a note to the LBK Democratic Committee Chair to see what we can do to undo this. Any other ideas? BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Less Revenue, More Headaches
To: Longboat Key Citizens
Amendment 3, the Governor’s initiative, modified by the Legislature appears on all statewide ballots in November. It requires a 60 percent statewide approval for adoption. The description appearing on the ballot is brief as required by Statute, but does not accurately define the proposal.
The intent is a real estate tax decrease for Floridians who have homestead their residence. This wording does not clarify that public school taxes are exempt from this proposal, thus property taxes will not be completely eliminated for anyone. The bill does offer an increase in the Homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and to $250,000 in 2028, with the possibility of future Legislators eliminating all non-school taxes for some properties.
Constitutional amendments should not be addressed hastily. Many outstanding issues if Amendment 3 passes have not been addressed by the State Legislature, and those will create problems and unintended consequences for citizens and municipalities.
Like every citizen in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, cities, towns and counties have not been immune to the effects of inflation and rising costs. In many cases, additional revenue from property value increases has not kept pace with the costs of providing basic services. Police, fire, rescue personnel salaries have not remained flat for the past decade, and costs for the vehicles they use and the gasoline that operates them have gone up dramatically.
Every municipality in Manatee and Sarasota County was impacted by numerous hurricanes. Properties damaged and destroyed have dropped in value and severely reduced what is paid in property taxes. No municipality in our region has been reimbursed for recovery expenses that FEMA promised to repay. For my town, Longboat Key, we are due $28 million. Other communities have similar funds due to them. Many communities had to remove tons of sand and tree and housing debris from the roads to get residents home after Hurricane Helene. Imagine if the towns no longer have the funds to do that. Every town and city in our two counties is still rebuilding reserves that were wiped out from the hurricanes.
Many citizens are renters. Your rental property is not homesteaded and will face significant increases in those tax bills. Most landlords will have to pass those increases to their tenants. And, rents, already high, will only increase, making affordable housing more elusive.
Cities with lost tax revenue may establish new fees to offset the losses which could result in a less equitable means of spreading the costs of city services. Services such as public works, stormwater improvements, parks maintenance and future wetland purchases may be curtailed in order to balance budgets. Public safety, road maintenance and other improvements could also be affected. Statewide, Public Safety represents 56% of cities general fund spending.
The State Legislature stated that were only a few municipalities that “they felt” were not being responsible with tax dollars. The penalty for every municipality is that the most basic statement in Florida’s Constitution is being violated – Home Rule. Who makes better decisions for your community? Local officials who are in the community every day seeing the needs and hearing the needs of its residents or a group of legislators in Tallahassee who may not even know where the community is located.
The State Legislature has the opportunity during their 2027 legislative session to review these issues at the Florida Taxation & Budget Reform Commission that meets once every twenty years. It is a perfect venue to thoroughly evaluate and make recommendations to the Florida tax structure and tax law. A much better solution than a constitutional amendment.
Are you willing to sacrifice libraries, parks and programs developed in your community? These will be some of the first casualties if this Amendment passes.
Pay attention to organizations in our State who have come out opposed to Amendment 3. The Fraternal Order of Police, the Florida Education Association, local Library Boards and Foundations, League of Women Voters, the Florida League of Cities and the Florida Association of Counties. We want essential services in our communities and those decisions should be made at the local level.
BJ Bishop
President
ManaSota League of Cities/
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Holding Out for a Lower Span
To: Richard Abuza
Richard, thank you so much for following up. I’m holding on to all of the many valid concerns our residents have regarding FDOT’s current plan. The wheels turn slowly with FDOT, so the Town is committed to stay engaged with state officials and not give up on a lower option. The bascule option would be my preference, but FDOT is not currently entertaining the thought. Hopefully our community will find a way to shift that obstacle.
I’m cc-ing our new (highly experienced) LBK Town Manager George Lange here. The Town continues to enjoy a healthy working relationship with FDOT, and hopefully time is on our side to improve bridge plans. We will keep the dialog open with residents as well, so please stay in touch and stay tuned.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Physics, Wheelchairs, and Engine Strain
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Richard Abuza, here. I made a comment at the Longboat North meeting about the proposed bridge you asked me to follow up on.
First, I want to thank you so much for your dedication to Longboat and being willing to serve our Town. I serve on two City Boards up in Massachusetts, and I know it sometimes is a difficult task. I appreciate your support of Longboat North and your participation in our meetings.
FYI I am the Condo president of Northgate of Longboat Key. Northgate has the homes most affected by the proposed bridge.
My apologies. I rechecked the slope formulas and the proposed mid-level bridge is technically within ADA slope parameters.
However, just because something is technically in compliance does not mean it is practically in compliance. Just ask anyone who has pushed someone in a wheelchair up a 3% grade incline for a short distance–let alone nearly 1/5 of a mile. That can be incredibly exhausting–but what can be even scarier, is trying to hold back a wheelchair going down a slope gathering momentum for almost a quarter of a mile–with no level place to bring yourself to safety.
There are other pedestrian and bike safety issues with any high bridge design which we detailed in our comments to FDOT. I can provide them if you want.
On the ecological front, for the hundreds and hundreds of cars every day that cross this bridge, for every foot of elevation, an internal combustion engine has to strain to push thousands of pounds of steel up every foot of that incline. Very little of that energy is recouped on the slope down. In traffic the ecological cost is even worse, since the physics of motion is that starting a body (car) from a stop requires far more energy than keeping it moving. Every time every car stops, extra energy is used and pollution is created overcoming the inertia of a resting body. With each stop in traffic, that energy cost and increase in pollution is magnified by having to push a car up a hill. Even electric cars have to exert extra energy in this same situation, and that electricity comes at an ecological cost. Every bit of raising the bridge height is a hidden tax on the citizens who use the bridge in addition to taxing the environment.
No new bridge of any size or height will do anything to solve our fundamental problem–gridlocked traffic. If the bridge has to be replaced (which I am not sure is a valid assumption) at least the low bridge does not create safety, and ecological and visual disaster. Thank you for your consideration of this important issue.
Richard Abuza
Longboat Key
A Sailor’s Impending Eviction
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Sarah Karon
Thank you Sarah. I know there is a contingent that is concerned about the aesthetics of a tall fixed bridge, and one that is concerned about the effort to walk or bike across it.
I just wanted you to know that from a sail boater’s perspective, this is not a “it would be nice if” kind of issue. If a 65′ fixed bridge were to be erected, some sailors would have no alternative and would need to find a different place to dock and boat. I appreciate you taking my viewpoint into consideration.
Mark Fishman
Longboat Key
Navigating the Low-Bridge Waters with Town Hall
To: Mark Fishman
Thank you for reaching out. It’s great to hear bridge feedback from a sailor familiar with these issues. All of us in LBK town government are paying close attention to the tall, fixed-span issue, as are so many of your North End neighbors. The bridge project as currently designed will speak to the needs of sailors like yourself, and the Town’s efforts to refine that plan will take all voices into account. As you know, resident preferences run the gamut at this time, and FDOT may not be open to a bascule option. Project timing is likely several years down the road. I will give you a call next week to discuss further.
Sarah Karon
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Why a 65-Foot Bridge Sinks My Lifestyle
To: Longboat Key Town Commission
I just finished reading the minutes from the recent meeting of LBK North Representatives and Manatee County.
I would like to express my deep concern about the comment in the minutes concerning the proposed replacement of the Longboat Pass Bridge. I am aware that FDOT has proposed a 78′ fixed bridge, and that there are some LBK residents who oppose it. I am also aware that there has been a movement to convince FDOT that a bascule (drawbridge) that is taller than the one currently in place would be a better alternative. However, this is the first time I have read that the Town of LBK is pushing for a shorter fixed bridge! I am very much opposed to that proposal.
I have a sailboat that I currently dock at LBK Club Moorings marina, in Sarasota Bay. I have had a cruising sailboat in Sarasota Bay for 10 years. I am not the only large sailboat in that marina. My boat has a mast height over water of 71′ and requires 6′ minimum water depth. Once the Cortez bridge is replaced with a 65′ tall fixed bridge, and in the event that Longboat Pass bridge is replaced with a 65′ fixed bridge, then my boat will be permanently trapped in Sarasota Bay, or will never again be able to gain entry to it. That is probably true for many of the other sailboats in LBK Club Moorings.
Consider that:
Cortez bridge will soon be 65′ fixed
John Ringling bridge is already 65′ fixed
New Pass is not reliably more than 6′ deep, which eliminates it as an option to enter/exit Sarasota Bay.
The only reliable entry/exit from the Gulf to Sarasota Bay is Longboat Pass Bridge.
I would support either the proposed 78′ fixed bridge at Longboat Pass, or the alternatively proposed taller bascule bridge there. I do not at all support the idea of any fixed bridge at Longboat Pass that is lower than 72′.
Please consider the needs of sailors like me. I have had a cruising sailboat docked in Sarasota Bay for 10 years already. I am a permanent year-round resident of Longboat Key. Since sailing is a major part of my lifestyle, if a lower fixed bridge is installed, I will likely have to sell my house and move elsewhere. Thank you for your consideration and understanding.
Mark Fishman
Longboat Key
Operation Book the Politician
To: Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop
Yes ma’am we are on it!
George Landry
Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Our Calendar Is Politically Unavailable
To: Longboat Keyt Commissioner BJ Bishop
There are no appointment slots available until late November. Please resend a request at that time as some roles may change after the election.
Kathy Galea
Office of Greg Steuebe
Florida Senate
Congressional Recess and Washington Waiting Games
To: Florida Senate Rep. Greg Stuebe’s Office Kathy Galea
Yes and Steube’s as well as Ashley Moody. With Congress on recess we are not expecting any action now until new year. Our DC lobbyist has also worked diligently on this. Good news is weather is cooperating so far this season.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
The $28 Million Question for Tallahassee and D.C.
To: Florida Senator Greg Steube’s Office Kathy Galea
As President of the Manasota League of Cities we are starting to discuss our legislative priorities for 2027. Much will depend on our ability to defeat Amendment 3 in November, but other issues we will discuss this Thursday include:
Home Rule
State grant funding (resilient FL, water quality improvement, state aid to libraries, FL Recreation Development assistance, local government cybersecurity, beach management, etc.) Housing/SHIP/Live Local Sovereign Immunity Visit FL funding Public Safety Economic
Development Short-term vacation rentals State Appropriations. None of our municipalities have been paid by FEMA for the 2022 and 2024 hurricanes. LBK is owed over $28 million and we are not seeing any movement from Washington to deal with these issues. If DC is going to hand FEMA funds to the State, will we be able to have some resolution of these long outstanding debts to our towns?
Any insight Jim would like to provide would be greatly appreciated. We are planning a Tallahassee trip early in the session for the Manasota League, but we realize Senator Boyd’s calendar will be even more packed with his new responsibilities. Happy to chat on the phone if that is easier.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
The $1.4 Million Catch to Your Homestead Exemption
To: Longboat Key Homeowners
As we approach the November 2026 election, I want to share some information and my perspective regarding Amendment 3 and what it could mean for Longboat Key.
Amendment 3 was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature and will require approval from at least 60% of voters to pass. If approved, it would significantly increase the homestead exemption for Florida residents who use their property as their primary residence. The exemption would increase to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflationary adjustments beginning in 2029. While this would reduce the taxable value of qualifying homesteaded properties, I believe it is equally important to understand the potential impact on the local services that property taxes support.
Property taxes are the primary source of funding for many essential local government services, including police and fire rescue, emergency management, roads and stormwater infrastructure, parks, libraries, and other community services. Local governments are required to balance their budgets, so when revenues decline, services and expenditures must be reduced or other sources of revenue must be identified.
For Longboat Key, the Town anticipates approximately $1.4 million in reduced annual General Fund revenue once the higher exemption is fully implemented. A loss of this size could affect the Town’s ability to maintain current service levels and fund future priorities.
Our experience with Hurricanes Helene and Milton is an important example of why maintaining adequate local resources matters. The 2024 storms resulted in nearly $30 million in costs to the Town, including beach-related expenses. With continued uncertainty surrounding future federal disaster assistance and FEMA reimbursements, communities may be required to assume a greater share of recovery costs in the future.
There may also be impacts to services provided by Sarasota County. County representatives have advised the Town that significant reductions could affect parks and libraries, including the Sarasota County Longboat Key Branch Library.
The need for essential services does not disappear when property tax revenue decreases. Local governments may have to consider service reductions, changes to property tax rates, non-ad valorem assessments, or other revenue sources to address funding shortfalls. For that reason, it is important to look not only at the immediate tax reduction but also at how the costs of providing local services may ultimately be funded.
Florida will also convene its constitutionally established Taxation and Budget Reform Commission in 2027. This commission meets every 20 years specifically to review Florida’s tax and budget structure and can recommend changes for consideration by voters.
As your Commissioner, I encourage you to learn as much as possible about Amendment 3 and consider both its impact on individual property owners and its potential effect on the services our community relies upon.
I will continue to gather and provide factual information regarding the amendment so residents can make their own informed decisions. I am available to speak with any association prior to the November 3 election and happy to answer any questions you may have.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Pickleball Perfectionists vs. The Concrete Patch Disaster
To: Mayor Debra Williams and Members of the Longboat Key Town Commission
Dear Mayor Williams and Members of the Longboat Key Town Commission:
I am writing on behalf of the Bayfront Park pickleball community on Longboat Key to respectfully request Town leadership’s immediate assistance regarding critical quality and configuration items currently underway at the court resurfacing project.
Our community is deeply appreciative of the Town’s investment in completely rehabilitating this pickleball courts at Bayfront Park. Because these courts previously suffered from persistent cracking, large blisters and bumps due to the original concrete base, our shared goal is to ensure this reconstruction delivers a safe, high-quality, and long-lasting asset.
Having served as a community liaison throughout planning, I have remained in communication and volunteered time with Mark Richardson to convey practical player needs. With the contractor actively mobilized on-site, a critical window exists to address three specific construction and layout items before final surface coatings are applied:
1. Usable Playing Space, Net Placement, and Perimeter Clearances
The newly installed perimeter fencing sits approximately 6 to 8 inches inward from the prior fence line along sections of the court perimeter. Furthermore, net post positions appear to have shifted, noticeably compressing the sideline safety buffers on the two outer courts. On a dedicated pickleball court, standard run-off margins of 5 feet outside the painted boundaries are critical for player safety—especially for our active senior population pursuing wide and deep shots. Maximizing clearance along the fences is essential to prevent collisions..
2. Substrate Patching Material and Long-Term Surface Integritysee photos attached
Our primary technical concern involves patching material recently placed within depressions and low spots across the new asphalt substrate. Visual inspection suggests conventional cementitious/concrete material was used. Because asphalt and concrete possess markedly different thermal expansion coefficients and moisture-transmission properties, using rigid concrete patches within flexible asphalt introduces a well-documented risk of reflective cracking, debonding, and blistering under Florida’s heat and humidity. Repairing failed acrylic over mismatched substrates requires repeated crack-filling, localized stripping, and premature complete resurfacing cycles. Leaving these patches in place will shift the cost of contractor shortcuts directly back to the Town and taxpayers.
3. Middle-Court Access Gate
During initial planning discussions, providing direct gate access to the middle court (centered between the other two entrance gates) was identified as an important operational and safety feature to prevent players from cutting across active courts. Resolving this now represents a minor logistical adjustment compared to retrofitting the enclosure later.
Constructive Next Steps
Our advocacy stems from a desire for sound stewardship. Correcting substrate and layout details during active construction avoids premature surface failure and protects the public capital already invested.
Before the project is accepted and final coatings are applied, we respectfully ask the Town to:
1. Verify Dimensions & Restore Run-off: Audit the as-built perimeter and net post locations against approved engineering plans and standard pickleball court safety clearances. Confirm whether the original run-off space has been compromised and restore fence panels and net alignments for maximum space and safety;
2. Pause Surface Application for Material Verification: Require written confirmation from the acrylic surface manufacturer (or an independent sports-court engineer) certifying that the patch material (concrete mix, see photo) is compliant, warrantied over flexible asphalt, and tested for drainage/water retention (“birdbaths”). If this is not confirmed, the patch material needs to be removed and replaced with manufacturer-approved asphalt leveling compounds.
3. Install the Middle Gate: Direct the fence contractor to add the planned middle-court access gate while crews and materials remain mobilized on-site.
I welcome the opportunity to meet on-site at Bayfront Park with Town staff and the contractor to review these items collaboratively. Thank you for your leadership, time, and continued commitment to our public recreational spaces.
Shawn Leven
Bayfront Park Pickleball Community
Longboat Key
