Q. What will be the top issue impacting businesses in the coming year? What role should the County play in addressing it?

Businesses of all sizes will have to be flexible, scalable and nimble in dealing with the following:

a. Inflation and Rising Costs

b. Potential Supply Chain Disruptions

c. Technological Advancements and Cybersecurity threats

d. Potential Regulatory Changes The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners should address issues impacting businesses with the following:

– Support for Local Businesses through facilitating Financial Assistance and Business Development Programs

– Plan Infrastructure Improvements to include Transportation and Logistics and Digital Infrastructure

– Participate in Workforce Development through coordinating Training and Education and identifying Job Placement Services

– Provide Regulatory and Policy Support through Streamlined Permitting and Advocacy Championing Economic Diversification which includes: Encourage New Industries and Supporting Entrepreneurship

– Develop a path to and promote Sustainability Initiatives and Environmental Programs

– Encourage business’ use of Cybersecurity and Technology and Tech Adoption Enhance Community Engagement to include: Stakeholder Collaboration: Engage with business leaders, community organizations, and residents to understand their needs and develop collaborative solutions.

Public-Private Partnerships: Form partnerships with private sector companies to leverage additional resources and expertise. By taking these actions, Manatee County can create a supportive environment that helps businesses navigate challenges, promotes economic resilience, and fosters long-term growth and stability for the benefit of themselves, their workforce and our community.

Q. Manatee County continues to lack a sufficient supply of affordable, workforce housing to support the local workforce. This impacts businesses in terms of attracting and retaining talent as well as the community’s quality of life. What role should the County play in addressing this issue?

To address the lack of sufficient affordable workforce housing, Manatee County can consider implementing a multifaceted approach that includes policy changes, incentives, partnerships, and direct investments. Here are several strategies we can pursue:

a. We can utilize Zoning and Land Use Policies. These include Inclusionary Zoning, Density Bonuses and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

b. Create Financial Incentives and Assistance. These include Tax Incentives, Subsidies and Grants and Low-Interest Loans.

c. Promote Public-Private Partnerships. These include Collaboration with Developers within the definition of the Comprehensive Plan, the FDAB, while charging 100% of the Impact fees. Exceptions may be granted when the community benefits. They can also include Land Trusts and Employer-Assisted Housing Programs.

d. We may Leveraging our Public Land. Consideration should be given to Utilizing Publicly Owned Land and Land Banking.

e. To the extent of our authority, we can Streamline Regulations and Permitting to Expedited Permitting and consider Fee Waivers.

f. We can develop Supportive Services and Programs. These can include Rental Assistance Programs, Home buyer Assistance and Housing Counseling

g. We can participate and promote Advocacy and Community Engagement. This will Raise Awareness and Engage Stakeholders.

h. Lastly, we must continually Monitor and Evaluate. This will Track Progress and allow us to Adjust Strategies as needed. By adopting a comprehensive and proactive approach, Manatee County can help ensure that there is a sufficient supply of affordable workforce housing to support the local workforce and foster a more inclusive and economically resilient community.

Q. Adequate infrastructure is critical to our County’s economic development and quality of life. What are your top two infrastructure priorities and how would you prioritize funding for them?

Manatee County has several infrastructure challenges but I will address Transportation Infrastructure and Digital Infrastructure evaluation. When considering Transportation Infrastructure, we need to address efficient transportation networks which are vital for the movement of people and goods, which directly impacts local businesses, commute times, and overall economic activity. Improved transportation can reduce congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance public safety which affects our quality of life. A robust Digital Infrastructure is essential for businesses, education, healthcare, and overall quality of life, especially in an increasingly digital world. High-speed internet access is crucial for remote work, online learning, telemedicine, and accessing government services. We need to be creative and think out-of-the-box when addressing future spend on any projects in the county. I am not for raising taxes and with interest rates at a 20 year high, we should avoid new bond issues that will need to be serviced. One solution that come to mind would include Public-Private Partnerships with private companies and other government entities to leverage resources and expertise. We can also consider Grants and Funding by pursuing federal, state, and private grants and funding to finance infrastructure projects.

Q. The Manatee Chamber serves as the voice of business. What challenges or opportunities would you like to see greater business involvement in to move our County forward?

I would like to see monthly meetings with small business owners in the county segmented by vertical, employee count and revenue to discuss their challenges and opportunities to establish if the BOCC has tools and authority at their disposal to assist. I would also like to see more seminars and online sessions to assist new small business. The BOCC needs to embrace a bi-directional means of communication with the business community on a regular basis to be proactive and timely in addressing challenges and opportunities. Being a business owner myself with advanced degrees in Accounting, Finance and Information Technology provide me the educations, skills and experience to be your County Commissioner in District 5.