Photo: Barbara Ford-Coates

In office since 1972, Barbara Ford-Coates holds distinction as Sarasota County’s longest serving elected official. Even as Sarasota County became solidly Republican, she remains the lone Democrat holding countywide partisan office. But could that change when she faces Republican Mike Moran, a two-term county commissioner who raised more than $114,000 to unseat her?

But from what she hears on the campaign trail, Ford-Coates said she feels confident. “Going out to talk to people and hear what they say about how they are treated in my office, it’s just a wonderful feeling,” she said. “People feel we have been doing a good job and have stepped up and helped.”

She seeks a 14th term in November, and has seen the demands of the office change over time. Ford-Coates also has had to continue through personal tragedy. Her husband Brian died last week. The two married in 1972 and had seven daughters together, as well as 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Moran first won his commissioner position in a county election in 2016, the last time Ford-Coasted appeared on the ballot. That cycle, he beat Democrat Fredd Atkins with 58% of the vote. Ford-Coates beat Republican Jim Bender with 61%. In 2020, Ford-Coated won re-election unopposed. Moran won a difficult primary that year but won a single-member district election with 56% over Democrat Mark Peinkos.

This year, Moran through Sept. 6 raised more than $114,000 for the countywide campaign, while Ford-Coates raised just under $73,000. But notably, Moran spent nearly $113,000 of his money already defeating Charles Bear in a Republican Primary; Bear has since endorsed Ford-Coates. The incumbent through the last reporting period spent less than $14,000, so Ford-Coates has the cash advantage for now.

Ford-Coates said she’s been a fiscally conservative manager. Her office has the lowest per capita costs of any county tax collector in Florida’s 67 counties. She also said she has remained on the cutting edge of modernizing the officer. Hers was the first in Florida to issue driver’s licenses at tax collector branches and the first to send tax notices by email, something that dramatically cut costs including postage.

“It’s fun to find better ways to do things,” she said.

She defended recent personnel costs, addressing Moran’s criticism about an administrator who earned more than $300,000 a year. Ford-Coasted said that was temporary, and a result of that employee legitimately working 80 hours a week during staff shortages after the pandemic. “You reward employees for going the extra mile,” she said.

She also pushed back at accusations the office pockets too much excess costs, saying taxpayers receive refunds when fees generate more revenue than the office incurs in cost.

She leveled her own criticism at Moran for pushing policy change forbidding county employees from their paychecks to United Way over its support of Planned Parenthood, an organization whose services include helping women obtain abortions. Ford-Coates noted she still allows her office’s employees to direct their own payroll support to United Way, as does every other county constitutional officer.

“United Way is a valuable resource, and my staff really feels they do a lot of good work, visiting agencies each year,” Ford-Coates said. “They know which agencies are the ones that need some help.”

Ford-Coates doesn’t worry much about the Republican tilt of the county.

“Party to me, especially at the local level, cannot play a role in these administrative positions,” she said. “I never endorse or contribute to candidates in other elections because I work with those people and need to make sure we have an open and trusting relationship.”

Photo: Barbara Ford-Coates