Both Sarasota County District 4 Commissioner Joe Neunder and Jim DeNiro, Neunder’s opponent in the Aug. 18 Republican primary, came across as decent, well-intentioned men in interviews with the Herald-Tribune Editorial Board.
So it’s unfortunate that Neunder and DeNiro have waged a nasty contest that’s done little to elevate either man.
Each candidate has referred to the other as the “darling” of Sarasota County’s powerful developers.
One candidate (Neunder) has been criticized for making a campaign contribution to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton years ago, while the other (DeNiro) has denied accusations that he’s played fast and loose with campaign residency requirements.
And each candidate says he’s been the target of a negative, shadowy campaign financed by his opponent’s ruthless, deep-pocketed supporters.
After all that, you wouldn’t blame a District 4 Republican voter if they looked at this race and wondered: “Do I really have to vote for one of these guys?”
Well, yes, you do.
The fact is one of the two must be chosen to face Democratic nominee Julie London in the Nov. 3 general election for a four-year term on the county commission.
So who’s the right choice for District 4, which spans across southern Sarasota County?
Neunder’s evolving views
For much of his first term on the five-member commission, Neunder – a longtime local chiropractor – has voted in lockstep with the commission majority on major issues.
In 2024, Neunder was among the four commissioners who approved the massive and controversial 3H Ranch master-planned community project in east Sarasota County.
Neunder has also been a reliable “yes” vote on hiking the county’s budget, which has significantly increased in recent years.
But over the past year, Neunder has taken a different view on development: He now wants a more-measured approach that places a greater emphasis on addressing Sarasota County’s water, sewer and road challenges.
“The No. 1 thing we need to fix is our infrastructure,” Neunder told the Editorial Board.
“We’re playing so much catch-up on infrastructure. It’s insane,” Neunder said.
Neunder also said he supported efforts to involve citizens in finding new ways to control government spending.
“We need to trim the fat where we can,” he said. “There are areas where we could be more efficient.”
DeNiro brings law enforcement experience
DeNiro spent 30 years in the Sarasota Police Department, retiring in 2015 as a sergeant, and he has served on local advisory boards.
A licensed real estate agent, DeNiro said he was motivated to run for office after seeing the growing anger among residents over the county commission’s failure to control development and rein in spending.
“Our spending is out of control, and our growth has been out of control, too,” DeNiro told the Editorial Board.
“I see and hear the frustration every day, and Joe has been a huge reason for it,” DeNiro said.
“He’s been too detached from the concerns of citizens.”
Like Neunder, DeNiro said he would focus on strengthening the county’s infrastructure – too much of which, he said, is antiquated and incapable of keeping pace with the county’s growth.
And DeNiro said his governing style would mirror that of Sarasota County Commissioner Tom Knight, who also has a law enforcement background and joined the board after three terms as county sheriff.
“He’s been a reformer on the commission,” DeNiro said of Knight, “and I would be, too.”
Our endorsement
Neither man has run an uplifting campaign, but Neunder makes a persuasive case that he will use the lessons from his first term to productively guide his work if reelected.
After wading through the mud, voters should choose Neunder on Aug. 18.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Neunder, DeNiro seek Sarasota County seat. Good luck, voters | Opinion
Reporting by Herald-Tribune Editorial Board, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Herald-Tribune Editorial Board, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY Network
