At forum, candidates propose different approaches in response to these challenges.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: June 19, 2026
Host: Candidate forums offer an opportunity for compare-and-contrast. Our reporter Ramon Lopez has a close look at one featuring five Sarasota County Commission candidates.
Moderator Vilia Johnson introduces Sargent, Smith, DeNiro, London and Neunder. | Photo: Lopez
Ramon Lopez: The League of Women Voters and Suncoast Searchlight conducted their Sarasota County Commission Primary Election Forum at Selby Library Thursday night. About 150-200 Sarasota County voters turned out to hear what the two District 2 and three District 4 contenders had to say. This, on critical issues facing area residents, both of which emerge from Tallahassee: the Live Local Act and the property tax referendum.
The District 2 Commissioner seat will be decided in a rare universal primary on August 18 involving incumbent Republican Mark Smith. He will face fellow GOP member Kristina Sargent for one of two county commission seats on the 2026 ballot.
Julie London Ferguson
County Commission District 4 incumbent Joe Neunder faces a challenge from a retired Sarasota police sergeant, Jim DeNiro, in the Republican primary, with Democrat Julie London Ferguson set to take on the winner in November in the general election.
County homeowners could see property tax savings ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $2,000 a year under the proposed Florida constitutional amendment headed to voters this fall, but most residents would still pay taxes to fund schools and other essential services. If approved by at least 60% of voters on November 3, the amendment would expand Florida’s homestead exemption beginning in 2027.
Jim DeNiro. | Photo: Lopez
Meanwhile, the stated purpose of Florida’s Live Local Act is to increase the inventory of affordable housing by streamlining the approval process for zoning, but opponents say it actually strips local government bodies of any role in reviewing projects pushed by major real estate developers.
Smith and Sargent had a lot to say about the property tax referendum. We first hear from Sargent, a lawyer and recent arrival from Baltimore, Maryland.
Audience at the League of Women Voters and Suncoast Searchlight-hosted candidate forum. | Photo: Lopez
Kristina Sargent: Recently, our state representatives have informed us, if this does get passed, there is no avenue, program or plan to get the money to come back down to the county, so we’re just going to have to make do without that money. With that said, I don’t think that the implications of it passing have been discussed enough—of how it’s going to impact us. There’s a lot of state oversight that comes down to the county level, but that is something that the voters get to decide.
RL: Mark Smith predicted doom and gloom.
Mark Smith: The fact is, if the county has to give the homestead exemption at this level, we are going to have to shut down services, and it’s going to hurt us and our ability to prepare for storms, road maintenance—all these things that we’ve come to rely on. But in some cases, Sarasota’s better off than a lot of counties because we do have tourism and visitors. There are going to be some counties and some cities that, quite frankly, are going to go bankrupt with this because that is their source of income. Let’s hope 41% of us understand it and will vote against it.
RL: Live Local Act drew fire from Joe Neunder and a strong warning from Sargent, who mentioned numerous times that she is an experienced prosecutor.
Joe Neunder. Photo courtesy of Sarasota County
Joe Neunder: First off, we’re being sued right now because of the Live Local Act. Sarasota County commissioners are being sued individually because of our votes and our stand on Live Local Act. To suggest that this is political theater is absolutely nonsensical and a farce. Our board works for the people, period at the end of the day. If you don’t challenge things—if you don’t take a risk—you’re never going to know. I’ve been very clear on this particular topic ever since we first found out about Live Local. Taking local government control—elected officials—out of the equation—taking your voice out of the equation—is crazy. This is not political theater. This is the real world. These are our children. These are people that want to downsize in their house to find products that are affordable in our area. That’s laughable. We’re getting sued. I’ve never been sued in my entire life. I’m a chiropractor. When you come to my office, you have to sign a form that I could potentially break your rib. It happens. I have never seen this nonsense. And, from the very beginning, it’s been very clear: My ChatGPT—don’t trust all that stuff, ladies and gentlemen, because I was of the position we should have been able to go right to a judge. Avoid all the lawyers and the attorneys. Go right to a judge and get a ruling.
Kristina Sargent
Kristina Sargent: Just because you disagree with a state law doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow it. I believe the commission’s approach, well-intended as it is, is the wrong approach. We are the only county voting the way we do, and it is opening us up to a lot of litigation, and litigation is expensive. Delays are expensive. Outside counsel is expensive. I know; I’m a lawyer. This is what we do for a living. I understand that we are motivating people to say, “We’re not going to listen to Tallahassee. We have local rule.” That’s all fine and dandy. There are other jurisdictions like Hillsborough that are challenging it in the appropriate means. But just because you do not like a piece of legislation where the state law has chosen to preempt home rule, you don’t get to say, “I’m just going to disregard it.” We all have to follow the rule—the commissioners took an oath to follow the rule—and it is costly. They’re not lining up to file lawsuits. They are filing lawsuits. And it is going to be very, very expensive. That is our taxpayer dollars that we could have used to hire our own counsel to challenge it on a legal basis. The Live Local Act—regardless of how you feel about it, we are going about it the wrong way.
Ramon Lopez: The interplay among the candidates was polite and respectful. There wasn’t any name-calling. The forum only lasted an hour, and many issues weren’t addressed. They included who is benefiting from PAC money provided by rich real estate developers. So you can expect to see a potful of political rhetoric and some mud-slinging slung out over the next two months before the August 18 primary election.
On the campaign trail, this is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
WSLR News aims to keep the local community informed with our 1/2 hour local news show, quarterly newspaper and social media feeds. The local news broadcast airs on Wednesdays and Fridays at 6pm.