Local elections matter more in Manatee County than who is president | Opinion

All too often, people think that voting is something we do once every four years. It’s the presidential campaign season and the spotlight is focused every day on which candidate will make the best choice to oversee the most powerful country in the world. But what about the races further down the ballot? The county commission and school board races may not be as sexy as the ones in the national spotlight, but I am writing this to convince you that they are way more important to your quality of life than deciding who will sit in the White House.

I’m writing this the day after the primary election, which has been an emotionally charged time. Candidates were working hard and people were lining up behind those they felt deserve to represent our community in various seats. But the thing that amazes me is that only about 28% of the registered voters showed up to decide who will run our local and state government. I am always sad that voters don’t realize that our local elections have a profound impact on their quality of life.

I didn’t get involved in campaigning for our local candidates and I don’t feel it is my role to convince our citizens how to vote. I believe I was elected to make District 4 a better place for our residents, and businesses, for generations to come; and that is where I choose to use my energy.

My days are busy and consumed with a variety of issues. The number one complaint I hear about is traffic. I regularly fight for roadway and safety improvements, and serve on the MPO with a focus on regional roadways. I also work with business owners who have an access that may be impacted by FDOT planned improvements and look for a win/win solution.

South county was the first to develop in Manatee, and therefore it seems we are always in need of upgrading our utilities and infrastructure. Water quality problems are county-wide and I’m dealing with air and noise pollution problems in south county from industries that don’t follow the rules.

I really enjoy working with the older neighborhoods to protect and enhance their historic value. Bayshore Gardens is one of those. They finally have sidewalks and are deserving of other upgrades. Whitfield-Ballentine is another neighborhood that remains strong due in part to the Whitfield-Residential Overlay, so maintaining it remains one of my priorities. Working on ways to allow accessory dwelling units to enhance our neighborhoods and not drag down our district has been a recent topic that has my attention too.

Growth is an ongoing challenge and not one that I see slowing anytime soon, which is why I created the District 4 Citizens Coalition on Growth (CCOG). I want to hear ideas from the people who live and do business in south county. The group will soon review the new FEMA maps to understand how the flood zones will change. Flooding is a major challenge in District 4 and hurricane season puts us on extra high alert.

When I get a break in my schedule, I hop in a ride-along with the deputies to see the challenges from the street level, which gives me a close-up picture of our district’s homeless problems.

The county budget may be our most important task, and I don’t have to tell you that everything District 4 needs has a price tag. One of my big pushes this year is for more code enforcement officers, because code issues are high in District 4, and addressing them is how we help our neighborhoods remain strong.

Let’s not forget about coronavirus, which has added another layer of difficulty. The pandemic has been hard and sad. The bright side, if there is one, is that I have enjoyed getting supplies to people in need, and I think it has been revolutionary for many business practices. Our county (and the world) will be different on the other side of this disaster.

Listening. Listening to constituents who have a problem or are unhappy is a constant in my daily work. I may not always find the perfect solution, but I can promise you my attention and the time and effort it will take to look for answers.

There has been a lot of noise and drama in this election cycle already, and we should prepare for it to get worse. The thing is, Washington, D.C. is nearly 1,000 miles away from our homes but our schools are right down the street. If patterns hold true, an extraordinarily small percentage of people will again decide in November how your local tax dollars will be spent. Yes, the presidential and congressional races are important, but if you really want to affect your lifestyle, research the issues and vote in your local elections.

Misty Servia is a certified land planner and Manatee County commissioner who represents District 4. You can reach her at misty.servia@mymanatee.org

This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 8:53 AM.