Unleashing the Letter on Country Club Shores
To: Longboat Key Assistant to Town Manager Savannah Cobb
Looks great let’s send it to the 1,2,3,4, and 5 Country Club Shores Association presidents. They will see that their homeowners receive a copy.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
By George, We’ve Got Edits!
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Gary Coffin
I have attached updated version. I already had George review it and included his edits in it.
Thank you!
Savannah Cobb
Assistant to Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Wait, One More Edit (and a Meet-and-Greet Offer)
To: Longboat Key Assistant to Town Manager Savannah Cobb
Thanks, Savannah that looks great. I also want to include George’s review before we send it out and also include in the letter that I am available to meet with the associations at their convenience prior to the election November 3rd.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Hot Off the Bureaucratic Press
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Gary Coffin
I have attached the requested letter. Let me know your thoughts and if you want any changes or need me to do anything further. Thank you!
Savannah Cobb
Assistant to Town Manager
Town of Longboat Key
Groundhog Day: Yes, Still Include George’s Edits
To: Longboat Key Assistant to Town Manager Savannah Cobb
Thanks, Savannah that looks great. I also want to include George’s review before we send it out and also include in the letter that I am available to meet with the associations at their convenience prior to the election November 3rd.
Gary Coffin
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Amendment 3: A Tale of Taxes, Storms, and Tight Belts
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
From Beer Distributors to Documentary Dreams
To: Longboat Key Commissioner Steve Branham
Hugh Shields at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing recommended that I connect with you.
My name is Nick Perez, and I run a non-profit for disabled Veterans. I am currently creating a documentary centered on holistic and integrative healing that gives Veterans an alternative to living in pain or ending their lives. I am looking for partners and sponsors to support this venture, and would love to connect to discuss possibilities.
Nick Perez
Ronin Legacy Group LLC
Show Me the Money: The $28 Million FEMA Mystery
To: James Buchanan
It was great to see you last week. I am sure you will be sitting in the State Senate chair in January, so I wanted to give you a heads up on issues. 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 at our League meeting 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 you would like to provide would be greatly appreciated. We are planning a Tallahassee trip early in the session for the Manasota League, hoping it will be a little less crowded and we can provide more information.
Happy to chat on the phone if that is easier on any of these issues.
BJ Bishop
Commissioner
Town of Longboat Key
Still Waiting for the Waters (and the Meeting) to Recede
To: Longboat Key Mayor Debra Williams
Wanted to follow-up on the meeting request back in June to discuss street flooding.
There has not been any outreach to the group from the Town since the memo below – but also recognize many were out of town for the summer. We would love to take you up on helping to facilitate the meeting/discussion with the 5 neighborhood leaders below.
Maureen Merrigan
Longboat Key
Assembling the Avengers of North Key Flooding
To: Longboat Key Mayor Debra Williams
Below and copied above are, as requested, the LBK north reps who should attend your community leader and Town staff meeting related to street flooding.
Most all of them are also their HOA President.
Hideaway Bay: Robert Hanna
Sleepy Lagoon: Blythe Jeffers
St Judes/ Tarawit: Paul Cacioppo
Village: Madeleine Stewart
Whitney Beach: Wynn El-Hindi
I believe Dave Bishop is the president of Buttonwood so he needs to be added (I do not have his email).
Robert Hanna can take the lead for LBK North and provide an update at our next meeting.
Madeleine – feel free assign someone from the village in your place if you prefer.
It is an important issue and it is a great opportunity for the Town to get community leadership input on potential solutions/ next steps. Thank you again for your insights.
Maureen Merrigan
LBK North Board
