Ron Reagan a shoo-in for Manatee County commission, but will owe big developers

Now that the big boys have weighed in and selected the next Manatee County commissioner for District 1, the rest of the poor suckers who have announced plans to run for that seat might as well give up. Carlos Beruff and Pat Neal and a host of developers have given their blessing and their money to Ron Reagan. How could a good Republican resist that name?

When Beruff didn't get what he wanted with a plan to destroy wetlands for a hotel, what did he do? He sued Manatee County. With Reagan on the commission, that won't be necessary.

When Whiting Preston decided that he would improve the quality of life for Manatee residents by converting farmland into 11,000 residences, the commission winced, but gave him the necessary permission. Now Preston won't have to worry about improving the quality of life for himself and his family.

By making sure Ron Reagan knows how much money they are contributing to his campaign, Beruff, Neal and Preston know they have a staunch defender on the Manatee County Commission. Is there anyone out there who will challenge the man in the developers' hip pocket? By the time these "entrepreneurs" are finished with us, Cortez Road and Manatee Avenue will be two wall-to-wall parking lots.

Ed Siemaszko

Perico Island

This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Ron Reagan a shoo-in for Manatee County commission, but will owe big developers ."