Campaign contributions are capped, but PACs can spend freely—and their negative campaigning is spreading to city politics.
By Noah Bookstein
Original Air Date: July 29, 2026
Host: PACs are the force behind most negative campaigning, and they are spreading into the city of Sarasota and its politics. Noah Bookstein reports on one PAC that has support for the arts in its name and attacks one candidate in particular.
NB: An attack ad landed in Sarasota mailboxes this month, targeting City Commission candidate Flo Entler. The mailer is red, yellow and gray, shows Entler smiling, and describes her as the “candidate of no” to various things including housing solutions, downtown energy, tourism and arts and culture. It didn’t come from an opponent’s campaign but from a political action committee, or PAC, called People for Arts and Culture Sarasota.
‘People for Arts and Culture’ attack mailer
Flo Entler: I opened up my mailbox, and that’s what I saw. The first thing I saw was my smile. I’m like, “What’s this?” because I knew this wasn’t one of my mailers. When I started reading, I’m like, “Oh. Okay. Here it is: the first one coming after me.” The next thing I did was to look to see who sent it out. It wasn’t a surprise.
Noah Bookstein: In Florida, direct contributions from individuals or PACs to a candidate for local office are capped at $1,000 per election. However, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United, political committees face no limit on independent expenditures made on a candidate’s behalf.
While they are sending out attack mailers, People for Arts and Culture describes its mission on their website. Their stated goal is to defend and encourage arts and cultural institutions that they believe are crucial to the city including Selby Gardens, the Sarasota Orchestra and the proposed new performing arts center. The website does not disclose who funds it or in what amounts.
As first reported by Cathy Antunes on her WSLR show The Detail, Planning Board member Dan Clermont chairs the PAC, and Downtown Improvement District member Ronnie Shugar is the treasurer. Both helped fund the PAC, which had nearly $200,000 in it. Chris Voelker, also a member of the Downtown Improvement District, contributed funding to the PAC as well. Clermont, Shugar and Voelker have put tens of thousands of dollars into the organization. Just, one of several transfers from Shugar to the PAC at $25,000 is 25 times the limit for contributions directly to a candidate.
WSLR News reached out to Clermont, Voelker and Shugar with questions about why they chose to contribute to the PAC and how the group’s activity supports arts and culture in Sarasota but did not receive responses by deadline.
The City Commission appoints members to both the Planning Board and the Downtown Improvement District. Clermont, Voelker and Shugar sit on public boards, and they are also spending tens of thousands of dollars to help decide who sits on the City Commission.
Among the PAC’s other donors are influential real estate developer Pat Neal and contractors for the proposed Obsidian tower. The controversial downtown high-rise would exceed local height limits, and the City Commission has so far rejected the project.
Filings show a donation to the PAC from the Platkin Family Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Federal tax law prohibits 501(c)(3)s from contributing to political campaigns or intervening in a candidate’s race.
A representative for the Platkin Family Foundation did not respond by deadline.
Another contribution to the PAC came from Manasota Accident and Injury Center, a company state records show was already dissolved at the time of the donation.
Voelker has been supporting Rob Rominiecki, who has billed himself as the “arts and culture” candidate. WSLR News asked Rominiecki about his relationship with People for Arts and Culture Sarasota.
Rob Rominiecki
Rob Rominiecki: They’re just supporting me because I’m for arts and culture. My relationship with them is purely—I announced I was running, and because they support arts and culture, that’s my relationship with them. Other than that, it’s two separate things. I’m running my campaign, and they’re doing whatever they’re doing.
NB: Records show that Rominiecki gave $1,000 to the PAC that is now spending against his opponent, Flo Entler. Rominiecki is married to Jennifer Rominiecki, the CEO of Selby Gardens. Current and former board members of Selby Gardens including Nikki Sedacca and Teri Hansen have also funded the PAC.
There is another PAC supporting Flo Entler called Stand Up For Sarasota. It is funded by a single donor, David Campbell. Entler says she does not know the person behind this PAC and noted it has not issued negative attack ads.
Flo Entler
FE: I decided when I started running: I’m staying focused on my mission, and I’m not getting sidetracked with all the BS that’s out there. I’m not going to let it take me down because I have people trolling me everywhere. And just me. They’re not trolling anybody else. Just this girl. I decided a while ago that I’m staying away from the negative because it just ends up messing with your head. I’m in this for the right reasons, so I just have to stay focused and keep moving forward and doing my hard work.
NB: Reporting for WSLR News, Noah Bookstein.
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