Sarasota sheriffs election reform

Here are suggestions for local Sarasota sheriffs election reform for Sarasota County:

• Maximum campaign contribution $200.00 per person.
  (currently in effect)[/*:m:68h6fwtz]
• Corporate campaign contributions should be prohibited.
  (currently, an unlimited number of corporations may contribute to campaigns in Sarasota County)[/*:m:68h6fwtz]
• Only citizens of Sarasota County should be able to contribute to campaigns.
  (currently, money can come in from other jurisdictions, both inside and outside of Florida)[/*:m:68h6fwtz]

That would pretty much ensure that an election for the office of Sarasota sheriff would be 100% grass roots... and not manipulated with corporate contributions. PACs is a different nasty issue.

Oh thats a great idea campaign money from locals only.. Then you have people owning the Sheriff. Who thinks of this. The Sheriff is a Constitutional Officer of the State of Florida hence why money comes from wherever. It is not all about the County or we would have a State tax and State Police. How about a Charter and Appoint a Police Director and make it a Metro Police Department like Miami Dade if you want control.

Oh thats a great idea campaign money from locals only.. Then you have people owning the Sheriff.

Local ownership by local voters? What a concept!

It is not all about the County.

So a vote for a Sarasota County constitutional officer is not about Sarasota County?

How about a Charter and Appoint a Police Director and make it a Metro Police Department like Miami Dade if you want control.

That's up to the voters!

A constitutional Officer is not a County Officer. They are Paid by the State Of Florida Comptrollers Office. The Sheriff is paid based upon the population of each county. That would be why the Governor is the boss of the Sheriff not the County Commission. I personally like the idea of the Elected officials being able to receive money from outside area sources. It Keeps locals from claiming ownership. We don't need some Clark County Arizona mob mentality of claiming the Sheriff in their pocket. It works well this way.

As for Metro County PD and having a Vote to Charter. The County was Chartered but it never went any farther than that. Duval County Florida was Charter with City Jacksonville in the 60s and the Sheriff has stayed an elected official reporting to the Governor becoming Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in stead of Duval County SO or Jacksonville PD. Miami-Dade County County chartered and they voted to make the Sheriff and appointed position under the county commission making it a county Police Department vs Office of the Sheriff. I believe a few people have issues wight he Sheriff but over all the County Population believes he is doing a good job. Sheriff Knight will be here as long as he wants to be. Their was a rumor of him applying to FDLE as the Comissioner but haven't herd anything on that. Either way its his choice/

The Sarasota GOP has asked Tom Knight not to run again. The politics behind this request is unknown.

I don't know about that.