Political newcomers Siddique, Shoemaker compete for Manatee County Commission District 3

Two political newcomers will face off for the District 3 seat on the Manatee County Commission in the Nov. 5 general election.

Republican candidate Tal Siddique and Democratic candidate Diana Shoemaker seek to represent Anna Maria Island, part of Longboat Key, part of Bradenton and the areas of Cortez, Palma Sola, Rubonia and Terra Ceia.

Siddique, 30, defeated Republican challenger April Culbreath in the August primary. Siddique says he would focus on infrastructure improvements, economic growth, reducing property taxes, improving water quality and putting residents before special interests.

Shoemaker, 66, says she would focus on infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, protecting wetlands and the environment, government transparency and listening to residents over special interests.

Both candidates said that helping their coastal district recover from the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton is a top priority.

Both candidates have also been critical of decisions made by the current all-Republican board, including District 3’s current representative, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge.

Van Ostenbridge will no longer serve on the board after a failed challenge in the August primary against Republican rival George Kruse for the District 7 at-large commission seat.

Who is Diana Shoemaker?

Background: Shoemaker is a longtime Bradenton resident and former president and CEO of Manatee County Habitat for Humanity who has led a career in community and educational program development and services, according to her campaign bio. She serves as executive director of the nonprofit Elders Action Network.

Motivation for running: Shoemaker said she was inspired to run for a commission seat after growing frustrated with the board’s partisan politics and unwillingness to listen to residents.

“As a candidate, I should be representing all of our residents for the good of the community. Party matters less when it’s about the community needs we all face. It’s about asking, ‘What does the community need?’ Not a select group of individuals.”

Shoemaker said the August primary election indicates that residents are interested in candidates who will focus on local, non-partisan issues.

“The process that we went through in the primary election and the challenges around these storms has brought this community together on shared values and needs in a way that I haven’t seen before,” Shoemaker said. “We have a moment in time to build on that. That involves civic engagement, participation and connection.”

First-term priorities: Shoemaker’s platform highlights include increasing local environmental protections, prioritizing affordable workhouse housing and improving traffic and infrastructure with a focus on sustainability and pedestrian safety.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to learn from the successes of other communities,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker said that the recent hurricanes underscore the need for infrastructure improvements and “smart growth” when planning new development or redevelopment.

“This is a tragic moment for so many of our residents of Anna Maria Island, Rubonia, and the many other places that were affected,” Shoemaker said. “But it’s also an opportunity to build back with resiliency and sustainability. We need to build our infrastructure to handle the challenges we may face in the future.”

Shoemaker also opposes plans to build a parking garage on Anna Maria Island. Instead, the county should be focused on improving traffic and pedestrian safety, Shoemaker said.

“We need to be very careful to move forward in building responsibly,” Shoemaker said.

Why vote for Shoemaker?: Shoemaker said voters should choose her because of her experience in the community, which has given her an understanding of what makes Manatee County tick.

“What I bring to the position is the longevity of 25 years in this community,” Shoemaker said. “The relationships I’ve built. I’ve worked with the varying local partners that I would work with as a commissioner.”

What’s your vision for the future of Manatee County?: “We as a community have an opportunity to unite around shared values for all residents,” Shoemaker said.

Who is Tal Siddique?

Background: Siddique is a software engineer who has worked for the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to his campaign bio.

Siddique has lived in Bradenton for over three years, and his wife Kristen Truong’s family has deep roots. Her family helped found Bradenton Christian Reformed Church and the Bradenton Christian School, Siddique said. Siddique volunteers with local groups including the Salvation Army, Bradenton Kiwanis Club and Take Stock in Children.

Motivation for running: Siddique said he is running to bring ethics and fiscal conservatism back to the county commission.

“It’s about how they conduct business and about how they conduct themselves in the community,” Siddique said of the current board. “There has been a lot of reporting on decisions that have been potentially outside of the Florida Sunshine Law with key votes such as development projects, the wetlands vote and a number of other votes. Residents have told me they feel like these things have been coordinated behind the scenes.”

“There are a lot of people running on being conservatives, but oftentimes if you look at their records, they are asking for a massive increase in spending, and they’re not focused on local issues,” Siddique said. “In the past four years, we have increased our debt and budget. But I’ve asked people in District 3, and many of them don’t feel the improvements there.”

First-term priorities: Siddique’s platform highlights include road safety and traffic improvements, reducing property taxes, stimulating economic growth and creating a plan to address water quality issues.

Siddique said connecting residents in his district with hurricane recovery resources will be a big focus.

“I think it’s going to be a role of coordinating efforts from the county’s perspective,” Siddique said. “How do we deal with trash pickup, beach renourishment and building back the island while preserving its small-town feel?”

Preserving more green space and natural coastline is another priority, Siddique said.

“These natural areas have many benefits, and we have a lot of opportunity in front of us to preserve more,” Siddique said.

Why vote for Siddique?: “We all know there are certain issues that cut across the political spectrum,” Siddique said. “The difference is how involved government should be in solving those problems. Does government really need to solve this problem, or can we coordinate with someone else who can do it better? I think my opponent would be more involved in spending tax dollars in ways I don’t think they should be spent.”

What’s your vision for the future of Manatee County?: “We will have started or finished the two bridge projects for Anna Maria Island. We’ll finally have started to solve the congestion and traffic bottleneck downtown. We will see fewer municipal discharges impacting our water quality. And we’ll have better communication between the county and citizens.”

This story was originally published October 28, 2024 at 5:50 AM.