SRQ DAILY Nov 5, 2022
Saturday Perspectives Edition
"The revenue generated by the one-cent sales tax funds important public safety, community and environmental projects—and education. "
SRQ Daily: The Perspectives Edition features analysis, commentary and insight on current events in Sarasota and Manatee counties from regular columnists, local leaders and guest contributors. Readers are invited to submit letters that respectfully share their perspective on a local community topic or issue to: letters@srqme.com. Submissions received before Thursday of each week will be considered for the immediate Saturday edition. Editors reserve the right to fact-check and edit. SRQ MEDIA does not house an editorial board and as such does not publish editorials or endorsements of candidates. The opinions and analysis of columns and letters shared in this edition are those of the writer who submitted them. The Perspectives Edition serves as a respectful and thoughtful space for readers to share their voices on topics that are important to them. 
It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than a month since Hurricane Ian slammed into the Suncoast, upending lives and wreaking havoc on our region. As with most disasters, the catastrophic damage Ian unleashed has inspired the collective will of so many caring people to help restore our community. Whether that looks like volunteering, giving to relief and recovery organizations, or checking in on neighbors impacted, the generous people of this community have stepped up.
As a response to Hurricane Ian, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has activated the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund, the result of a conversation between Debra Jacobs, President/CEO of The Patterson Foundation, and me. With The Patterson Foundation’s initial generous gift of $500,000 and matching funds up to $750,000, givers were inspired. We hoped it might become a $2 million fund to help address long-term recovery for our communities, supporting a macro-level approach that would help deliver strategic remedies to challenges that may not be top of mind now, but will reveal themselves in time. Unbelievably, the fund has gained enormous attention and giving, and astonishing generosity has helped us raise $3.5 million to date.
The outpouring of support will provide the Community Foundation with resources, along with convening our nonprofit and government partners, to investigate and implement lasting systemic solutions. We’re confident this will significantly contribute to our community’s recovery, so we can rebound from Ian and weather the next storm more successfully.
In the immediate aftermath of that disaster, though, there has also been tremendous acute need. Our neighbors’ lives have been upended by damage to their property, or the suspension of their jobs, causing unanticipated expenses and an interruption in paychecks. We are so fortunate to have had the time-tested, trusted safety net of Season of Sharing in place to help those facing potential crises. I am thankful for the nearly 23 years of Season of Sharing and all those who have paid their good fortune forward to ensure that their neighbors can survive emergency setbacks with dignity.
Even before Ian, hundreds of families in our region were just one paycheck away from facing homelessness, one mishap away from making heart-wrenching decisions about whether to purchase food or pay the electric bill. Ian exacerbated the potential for individuals to face that type of acute crisis, especially our neighbors in south Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties whose lives were turned upside down in just a few days.
Season of Sharing has answered the call for help since its inception, delivering flexible, emergency financial support for more than 41,000 households. This ability for so many to regain stability comes from caring neighbors—nearly 55,000 individual gifts have been made to the vital safety net over the years, the very illustration of “paying good fortune forward.” That is deeply inspiring, and I appreciate each person who has made that commitment to our community.
Roxie Jerde is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.
Photo courtesy The Patterson Foundation.
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County believes that an investment in education is the best investment we can make to keep our community thriving.
That is why we support renewing Sarasota County’s One-Cent Sales Tax Referendum, Surtax IV.
Sometimes called the “penny tax,” the nonpartisan referendum has been in place since 1989. This year’s ballot gives county citizens the opportunity to vote to continue receiving the essential funding that is generated by this critical referendum.
The revenue generated by the one-cent sales tax funds important public safety, community and environmental projects—and education. In fact, fully one-quarter of the revenue is dedicated to supporting Sarasota County Schools.
The district has been able to create safer and more innovative and inviting campuses and classrooms that better meet the learning needs of today’s students and teachers.
Some specific examples of how the district has used the revenue include badly needed renovations and upgrades of Booker High School, Venice Middle School and Fruitville Elementary School.
Alongside major improvements at specific schools, funding of districtwide maintenance and infrastructure updates that prioritize student safety and innovative instructional technology is an even more paramount need in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the pandemic’s lingering effects on student learning and increasing concerns about student safety and wellbeing.
It is heartening to note the penny referendum enjoys widespread support from various community groups. Law enforcement and first responder organizations have endorsed renewing the referendum, and economic leaders credit it as a major reason Sarasota County consistently is ranked one of the country’s best places to live and retire.
In addition, the fact that over 20% of the funds are paid for by tourists and visitors certainly contributes to the broad community support for the penny tax.
Our citizens also like the built-in accountability with a Citizen Tax Oversight Committee monitoring how funds are being allocated and thus helping to protect our tax dollars.
You can help ensure that students from across Sarasota County can access new technology and learn in safer environments and improved infrastructure.
When you mail in your ballot or head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, we respectfully ask that you consider the overwhelmingly positive impacts that we, as a community--and specifically our schools--realize from the one-cent sales tax referendum.
Please vote YES on County Question 1 to renew the penny tax.
Learn more about this important referendum at pennyforimprovements.com.
Jennifer Vigne is president and CEO of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County.
Graphic courtesy Pixabay.
Sarasota Orchestra Presents Acclaimed Guest Artists in November Concerts. Masterworks 1: Symphonie Fantastique runs November 4th-6th at the Van Wezel. Sarasota Orchestra’s first Masterworks program of the 2022-2023 season features works written by three composers at the beginning of their careers. Prizewinning composer Quinn Mason describes A Joyous Trilogy, written in 2019, as “the very embodiment of happiness and cheerfulness.” Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang shines in Grieg’s Piano Concerto, completed when the composer was just 24. The program concludes with Berlioz’s evocative Symphonie fantastique. Tickets from $37, available at www.SarasotaOrchestra.org or (941) 953-3434
Sarasota Youth Opera will perform the operatic adaptation of the well-known children’s book by Canadian icon Pierre Berton. Discover the classic story of a group of siblings who venture into the dark subterranean world of the Ogs to rescue their baby brother and cat. This story has been a favorite with Canadian children since its publication in the 1960s. For tickets visit sarasotaopera.org or call +1 941 328 1300 61 N Pineapple Ave Sarasota, FL 34236. For tickets visit www.sarasotaopera.org/tickets-events or call +1 941 328 1300 61 N Pineapple Ave.Sarasota.
Break out the tie-dye and hula hoops for WSLR's annual celebration of Jerry Garcia on Sunday, November 6th from 4-9pm. Playing guitar and singing for his band, The Grateful Dead, as well as several others, Garcia took his hippie movement from the 60's into the 90's, inspiring the following of millions of long-haired, tie-dye t-shirted, carefree "Deadheads." The newly renovated patio will be hopping as The Joint Chiefs and Dead Uncle’s Ship take the stage. This is a family-friendly event, with kids’ activities and local vendors tabling. Attendees can bring t-shirts, socks, etc. for tie-dying, but no coolers please. Come out and help us re-create the mood and celebrate the music of the Grateful Dead. Tickets are $12 for WSLR members and $15 for the general public; half-price for students and free for children under 12. Tickets are available at www.wslr.org. For more information call WSLR at 941-894-6469.
The free Siesta Key Breeze Trolley runs daily from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm to and from Siesta Key Village and Turtle Beach. A mobile app is available to track the trolley in real time. New transportation on and off Siesta Key is now available via Sarasota County’s OnDemand Service. Customers can request a ride via a mobile app, which is available in app stores for iPhone and Android devices, online at scgov.net/OnDemand, or by calling 941-300-1553. OnDemand uses accessible minivans and operates similarly to today’s popular ridesharing services like Uber and Lift. The OnDemand vehicle will pick up customers and take them to their destinations within the same zone.
Siesta Key Beach
The Secret Marriage (Il matrimonio segreto) An opera in two acts. Sung in Italian with translations in English. Music by Domenico Cimarosa and Libretto by Givovanni Bertati. Tells the story of a social-climbing father who wants his eldest daughter to marry an aristocrat and is prepared to buy his way in. When the would-be suitor arrives, his eye falls on the younger daughter instead. But she has secretly married her father’s clerk. Although not often performed, this delightful comic opera was such a hit at its premiere, that the audience insisted on an encore, of the entire opera! (61 N. Pineapple Ave. Sarasota, FL 34236 Ph. 941-328-1300 Email boxoffice@sarasotaopera.org) October 28th-November 12th
Sarasota Opera
A family fun action-packed show where adopted and rescued dogs perform spectacular stunts and breathtaking feats. Watch as we lead the puppies and audience through challenging and comical tricks as the pooches show everyone who is really boss! Full of surprises and laugh-out-loud canine comedy this performance appeals to children of all ages. During the PUPPY PALS Comedic Stunt Dog Show you will witness some of the most incredible dog stunts and behaviors ever performed by man’s best friend. For more information: www.manateeperformingartscenter.com, Ticket Office 941-748-5875.
Manatee Performing Arts Center , 502 Third Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34205
2022 Vets, Pets & Jets 5K and Fun Run at SRQ presented by KW Suncoast, Humane Society of Sarasota County and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. This one-time-only event is sure to add some spring to your step. Go inside the gates of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) for a competitive 5K and a 1-mile fun run/walk like no other. The course will be safely nestled along an active taxiway on the north airfield of SRQ. We’ll also have food, music, vendors, activities, and prizes, so bring the entire family—even the four-legged members. And since it coincides with Veterans Day weekend, we’ll be doing a special salute to our military service members. Proceeds benefit the Humane Society of Sarasota County. All participants and attendees must register by 11:59pm on November 9. No day-of registrations allowed, even for spectators, per airport policy.
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, 1120 Clyde Jones Road Sarasota, FL 34243
A Decade of Collecting brings together a survey of artworks acquired for the permanent collection over the past eleven years. As the State Art Museum of Florida and a division of Florida State University, The Ringling’s collections are constantly expanding to provide our state and local community with access to current contemporary works in all media and thoughtful additions to our historic collections. Though the core of the collection has always been the works acquired by John and Mable Ringling, the museum’s holdings have been expanding ever since the State of Florida took full possession of the bequest in 1946. In the early years, these additions were mainly in pre-1800 European art and circus-related material, but over the second half of the 20th century, directors and curators also began acquiring works by modern and contemporary artists. A Decade of Collecting presents a unique snapshot of how The Ringling’s collection continues to evolve, allowing us to tell new stories of the past, present, and future. Visit ringling.org to plan your visit.
Museum of Art Searing Galleries
A Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Guys and Dolls tells the story of New York City gambler Nathan Detroit, who dreams of setting up a big dice game while avoiding the authorities—and marriage to his longtime fiancée. Meanwhile, fellow gambler Sky Masterson ends up wooing a strait-laced missionary in a scheme to fund the game. WBTT will add its own special twist to this crowd-pleasing show! Performances run October 5th-November 20th, 2022. For more information visit westcoastblacktheatre.org, Ph. 941-366-1505, Box Office questions email boxoffice@westcoastblacktheatre.org
The Donelly Theatre , 1012 N. Orange Ave Sarasota, FL 34236
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