Sarasota city voters approve election reforms

RICHARD DROUIN

SARASOTA -- Sarasota voters today approved several changes that could make the city a model for election reform nationwide.

The sweeping changes are intended to keep big money out of local races, ban hidden last-minute campaign contributions and narrowing the influence of businesses in local elections.

“This will definitely put us in the forefront in the state,” City Clerk Billy Robinson said after learning results of the overwhelming approval.

Supporters of the measures hope the changes take the focus off which candidates can collect the most checks, said Stan Zimmerman, president of Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations.

“So now we don’t have the big bucks running the election,” Zimmerman said about the collective change. Zimmerman pins his hope on a measure limiting campaign contributions for City Commission candidates to individual donations of $200. But he acknowledges that special interest groups will find other ways to funnel money to candidates, including political action committees.

The outcome will be tested in March, 2009, when candidates vie for two open City Commission seats. All the measures take effect next month.

Voters also approved requiring businesses with at least 50 local employees who get $100,000 or more in city funds to pay a minimum wage several dollars higher than the federal minimum.

And voters approved requiring four out of five commission votes for some land use changes.

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