Herald recommends David Zaccagnino for Manatee County commission, D-3
One of three candidates for Manatee County commissioner, District 3, David Zaccagnino, would bring a wealth of public and civic leadership experience to the board. His past and present service is highlighted by his nine years as a Holmes Beach city commissioner.
That propelled him into broader endeavors. An Anna Maria Island resident for 16 years, Zaccagnino has a keen view of the county’s traffic and growth challenges — particularly the failing infrastructure in District 3. He has worked on projects with the Florida Department of Transportation, the Sarasota Manatee MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization), the Island Transportation and Planning Organization, and the Council of Governments.
Matt Bower, an Army veteran, financial adviser and an independent like Zaccagnino, and Stephen Jonsson, a banking executive, the founder of two banks and a Republican, are also vying to succeed John Chappie.
Like his two opponents, Zaccagnino supports the November referendum on raising the county sales tax by a half cent. But he has a unique perspective on the issue as a member of the Manatee County Citizens Financial Advisory Board, which spent four months combing through more than 150 county sub budgets to come up with options for generating new revenue for the county — a critical need for infrastructure maintenance and improvements.
He notes Manatee County’s conundrum with the current revenue structure, which is based mostly on property taxes along with two other sources. Nearby counties operate with around a dozen.
Manatee County is falling further and further behind in infrastructure maintenance, and the budget has been slashed to the bone and without the sales tax the county will be forced to raise property taxes, cancel planned infrastructure projects or cut vital services. The sheriff’s office is woefully understaffed, and there is no money for more deputies. The sales tax would alleviate that and other public safety shortfalls. As a member of financial advisory board and a professional financial adviser for the past 16 years, he knows all this to be true.
He offers assurance that the sales tax will fund the most critical projects first, and transparency on the process will yield public trust and support.
He vows to repeat his success on the island — balancing smart growth with common sense regulations without overly governing or infringing on personal property rights. At the same time, growth should not impact mangroves or seagrass beds. An environmental chemist with the state Department of Environmental Protection for five years, he appreciates the environmental concerns in District 3 and he wants to continue building parks and preserves.
He sits on the boards of Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) and the Anna Maria Island Community Center. His other civic efforts have included the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Keep Manatee Beautiful, further establishing his environmental credentials.
On the issue of homelessness, he holds the Bill Galvano One Stop Center and Turning Points in high regard and cited a recent University of South Florida study that established the center as an economic power. He broached the idea of expanding the center and offering more preventive health care. That would surely benefit the county, too.
An independent, Zaccagnino cites his ability to work well with both Republicans and Democrats to address issues and avoid polarizing partisanship. He also points to his rejection of donations and endorsements from PACs and special interests as well as dark money.
Put all this together, and Zaccagnino comes out as the best candidate. For Manatee County Commission District 3, the Bradenton Herald Editorial Board recommends David Zaccagnino.
Candidate replies
Candidates who do not receive the Herald Editorial Board’s endorsement are invited to submit a response of up to 300 words. Those can be sent to letters@bradenton.com or faxed to 745-7097.
View candidate forums
The Herald, in partnership with Manatee Educational Television, has videotaped candidate forums in these contested races. These forums can be viewed on www.youtube.com/manateeeducationaltv (click on Videos). METV is also regularly airing all the forums, and the station can be viewed on Brighthouse channel 614, Verizon FIOS 31 and Comcast 19. For METV air times, visit www.metvweb.com.
This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 10:37 AM with the headline "Herald recommends David Zaccagnino for Manatee County commission, D-3."