3 GOP Manatee commission hopefuls meet in debate

PERIDIA — The three Republican candidates for the District 4 Manatee County Commission race couldn’t be more different.

Robin DiSabatino, the well-financed real estate agent with strong backing from the business community; Norm Luppino, the former Manatee County planning official with an insider’s knowledge of what makes government tick; and Tim Norwood, an architect and business turn-around specialist running on a shoestring budget as a “tea-party” Republican.

All three want to replace Ron Getman, the former Florida Highway Patrol officer who is retiring from the county commission.

The three candidates met Thursday in a debate before the East Manatee Republican Club, only their second joint appearance since their first debate a month ago at Trailer Estates.

The winner of the Aug. 24 GOP primary election will face Democrat Roger Galle in the November general election.

Each of the Republicans, all first-time candidates, said Thursday they are pro-business, pro-jobs and ready to make the tough fiscal choices that county government faces in an era of shrinking revenues.

Faced with a big deficit in the county budget, Norwood said, “If we don’t have it, we don’t spend it.”

Luppino said commissioners might have to take a look at reducing staff benefits in order to avoid more job cuts.

DiSabatino said she would review the budget, line by line, looking for places to cut.

“You can’t spend more than you bring in,” she said.

All three said they are walking the district — from Bayshore Gardens to Lockwood Ridge Road and University Parkway — to get their messages out.

The candidates agreed more should be done to revitalize older neighborhoods, including Bayshore Gardens.

One suggestion was to include Bayshore in a Community Redevelopment Agency.

DiSabatino made no apologies for her war chest of $110,000, and said she entered the race because she disagreed with the direction the country is headed.

“I’ve taken money from builders, yes I have,” she said, adding that developers create jobs and make the community run.

Luppino said he has raised about $13,000 from friends and associates. He said Manatee needs to diversify its economy, ensure citizens feel safe in their homes, and to be business friendly as well as neighborhood friendly.

Norwood said he’s running a grassroots campaign with photocopied campaign fliers.

“I’m not going to owe anyone,” he said.

Clint Miller, who moderated the debate, shared the candidates’ voting records.

Miller said Luppino and DiSabatino have cast ballots in every recent election, while Norwood has voted in two out of eight elections.