Editor's Note: This is the fifth installment in a six-part series. Each candidate for Sarasota City Commission was asked to answer identical questions on city issues in advance of the March 10 city election. Matthew Wooddall is running in District 3.

What would be the first priority at the start of your new term when you get elected? My top priority will be supporting efforts to address our real issues. The best example right now is the need to reverse the bad decision to pay unlimited, questionable legal fees for one commissioner. We have many more important financial priorities to plan for—most notably, protecting post-employment benefits for our city employees, including our police and firefighters.

What past or present Sarasota City Commissioner do you believe you would be most like in terms of how you govern? I will be a City Commissioner who is thoughtful and deliberate, who is fact-based in my decision-making process. Suzanne Atwell has done the best job of illustrating these qualities, through her initiatives to bring economic development to our city.

What do you believe should be the city’s next step in terms of handling the homeless issue in Sarasota? Open communication between city government and county government needs to be improved because homelessness is a countywide problem. We also need to encourage the private sector to assist where possible in addressing our homeless problem. The emergency and temporary housing proposed in the North Trail area is one way to do this. But it’s important for all stakeholders to participate in finding a solution.

What is the greatest financial challenge for the city right now and what is the most prudent way to handle it? Sarasota’s financial challenges are all about finding a balance among providing city services, maintaining the quality of life we’ve all come to expect here and finding the revenue we need. The most prudent way to handle this challenge is to focus even more on redevelopment— and in particular, infill. That’s the best way to increase our tax base and keep our taxes low.

What is one change you would like to see in the way city business is conducted today? Our citizenry needs to feel more involved. More residents need more opportunities to be heard. That’s what I’m hearing out on the campaign trail, and one great way to increase involvement is to change city elections to November of even-numbered years to coincide with larger elections. We’ll have much greater turnout, and more of our citizens will have a chance to be heard.