Ray Porter is a Democratic candidate for Sarasota County Commission District 4

The past five months of intense campaigning for the Sarasota County Commission District 4 seat has provided me a unique perspective on county politics, governance and local journalism. It has been an eye-opener in many ways, and has reinforced many of my prior conclusions.

Sarasota County is a diverse, eclectic community of individuals, many of whom participate energetically in organizations that have our future at heart. The passion they exhibit for their beliefs is evident in their public statements and messages. These are the movers and shakers, representing both ends of the political spectrum and the ideological arguments.

As a moderate centrist, wading into these frays has been difficult at times, as my opinions often clashed with individuals on both sides. However, I maintain that compromise is key to resolving conflict. The major example of this has been the 2050 Plan amendments and the controversy the issue has created.

There are two politically correct answers to the 2050 Plan changes – one is the no-growth answer, that often labels the developers as evil, greedy, irresponsible bandits who simply want to rape the eastern land and reap massive profits at the expense of the existing taxpayer.

The other argument is the “get government off our backs,” growth pays for itself, developers are the lifeblood of the community and the job creators, and no growth advocates are unrealistic, irresponsible and don’t have a clue about how business and economic development works.

Both of these answers—diametrically opposed and filled with labels and assumptions—did not further my goals of clarity through impartial study, negotiation, compromise and eventually community consensus. That’s what we should have been aiming for right from the start. Unfortunately, the process the county embarked upon over a year ago hasn’t led to the conclusion I would support.

I believe the proponents of slow, steady, sustainable growth in our county are correct. And if elected, I would press the board to reopen the discussion of the future of the eastern region of the county in hopes of achieving that end result.

Unbridled growth, reckless development, booms and busts—these scenarios do not improve our quality of life. They damage and eventually destroy it.

Ray Porter is a Democratic candidate for Sarasota County Commission District 4