Herald recommends: Priscilla Whisenant Trace for Manatee County commission District 1
Priscilla Whisenant Trace holds a key advantage over her two rivals in the contest to represent District 1 on the Manatee County Commission. The county’s 2015 Agriculturist of the Year, founder of Ellenton Nursery Growers with her husband, Craig, in 1981, and a longtime resident of Parrish, Trace enjoys strong relationships with the populace and deep knowledge of the sprawling district.
From north of both State Road 64 in the east and the Manatee River in the west from one end of the county to the other except for central Palmetto, the mostly rural district remains focused on agriculture. And Trace’s expertise in that arena would add a different element to the county commission. Her business background is a plus, too.
Of her two opponents, one stands out for his political experience. Ron Reagan, an insurance executive, served in the Florida House from 2002 to 2010 when he termed out. Part of his legislative district included a section of Commission District 1. Reagan is a new resident to Parrish, having moved there this year. He lacks the close association to the land and people that gives Trace influence and support, but his substantial war chest and political reputation could overcome those disadvantages.
The third candidate, Corie Holmes, a former deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office until becoming a private investigator, has deep family roots in Palmetto. This Republican primary is open to all voters in the district since there is no November candidates and the winner gains the post.
With numerous residential developments on the drawing boards and approved by commissioners, Parrish faces major growth, traffic and infrastructure challenges, as Trace readily acknowledges. She points to the lack of communication between various governments and the district’s residents as becoming a huge problem, and she intends to bridge this gap. If anyone can accomplish that, it’s Trace.
By improving communication and collaboration, she intends to tackle those major issues and the impending influx of new residents while also protecting the environment and wildlife.
“I want to maintain our quality of life,” she told the Herald upon filing her candidate papers in January. “It is a great place to live.” The current residents, she noted, want to preserve the area’s rural roots in agriculture. That will be a delicate balancing act given all the development approvals.
She cites her listening skills, friendly nature and large number of acquaintances as vital to success as a commissioner. Unlike some candidates who scorn current policies and leaders, Trace takes a modest and complimentary stand. “I think we’ve had good commissioners and good leadership, and I just want to do my part and try to make them better.”
Trace supports passage of the half-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot as vital for reversing the lack of infrastructure maintenance and for health care for the working poor who do not quality for either Medicaid or Affordable Care Act insurance policies. She would go out into the district to ask people to prioritize projects for their communities, a sign of her communications priority.
She’s a realist on the sales tax, too, noting the county would have to cut more services and programs that the public needs. With the county spending down reserves to maintain responsibilities over the past few years, this would be a highly undesirable impact.
For the many voters who contend developers purchase political power — a view we don’t share — Trace points out she has not taken any campaign contributions from builders.
With her numerous community and civic service ties, particularly in the agricultural realm, and her insight into the district and its residents, she is the strongest candidate. For Manatee County Commission District 1, the Bradenton Herald Editorial Board recommends Priscilla Whisenant Trace.
Candidate replies
Candidates who do not receive the Herald Editorial Board’s endorsement are invited to submit a response of up to 300 words by 5 p.m. the day after the endorsement appears in print. 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 August 17, 2016 at 4:06 PM with the headline "Herald recommends: Priscilla Whisenant Trace for Manatee County commission District 1."