« Back To SRQ Daily Archive

SRQ DAILY Mar 27, 2021

"More diverse teams lead to more creativity, so remote work lets us tap into a new pool of expertise and creativity which we couldn't access when collaborating in person."

- Darren Menabney
 

[Under The Hood]  How Would You Burn Through a Billion?
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

What would you do with a billion dollars?

There are probably some things that come to mind immediately for you. And to me. But it’s unlikely those are the same things.

So it goes in Tallahassee, where the Legislature seems to be on the verge of a windfall from passing an online sales tax bill. Proposed for years by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, the massive hit to brick-and-mortar retailers in the pandemic finally gave this bill wings this year, though it’s naïve to think the bigger bounty expected from collecting the tax wasn’t a main factor in changing many minds.

If this bill becomes law, it will generate nearly $1 billion in state revenue this year and more in subsequent years. Considering that state estimators early on told lawmakers the budget would take a $5 billion hit because of COVID-19, the chance to wipe a fifth of the losses away makes an environment where Gruters’ legislation looks ripe for the Governor’s signature. That is if Ron DeSantis can find the stomach for something that, while not technically a sales tax, will mean Floridians pay more on their Amazon purchases.

But after smooth sailing at three committee stops, Gruters ran into new-found Democratic opposition on the floor this week. It still passed in the chamber, but an amendment to his bill that promises the new revenue will replenish an unemployment trust — at least for now — caught even co-sponsors of the bill unawares.

Democrats balked in large part because that’s just not the first place they would put the money. Senate leadership wants it in the trust to avoid a further spike in unemployment taxes on businesses after a huge number of claims last year left the state in a crisis. But Florida, even after a modest and automatic increased business tax, still charges less to employers for unemployment fees than any other state in the union.

Why can’t the money instead be used to guarantee higher unemployment claims? Or to guarantee the affordable housing trust won’t be raised? It’s clear some hoped the billion-dollar boon could be used to help a number of areas hurting the budget. At the very least, Democrats hoped they could hold off on the online tax vote until they confirmed the Legislature intends to address their priorities a little before Session ends.

Instead, Gruters’ bill passed on Thursday, but on a 30-10 vote instead of unanimously. And honestly, that’s for the best.

Why? This money has to go somewhere, but even $1 billion is a modest amount when it comes to funding the government in the third largest state of the union. To divide it too many ways means watering down the advantage that comes with finally making online retailers pay their fair share.

If Democrats ran the Senate, it’s quite likely this money would be focused on the working class instead of employers. Republicans are in charge, so the money will go to help small business and job creators. Both groups are hurting in this COVID-19 world. If you rank social problem A and social problem B in different orders, well, that’s what political differences are.

The good news is this money will come to the state even after the unemployment trust gets replenished. If Democrats want to decide how to spend it two years from now, they'll need to win some elections next year, when every seat of the Legislature is up for grabs.

House Democrats seemed to get this in committee, where the plan to rebuild the trust seems to be the only reason e-fairness even will be considered. This isn’t the time to quibble over how monies get earmarked. It’s a time to relish any opportunity to find a way to help Florida after an historically terrible year.

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA. The Under the Hood column reflects his views and commentary on state and local politics.  

Photo from Pixabay

[Higher Education]  Remote Work and Creativity in the Midst Of COVID-19
Dr. Larry Thompson, lthompso@ringling.edu

Even in the best of times, finding a healthy life/work balance can be a difficult task. But finding that elusive balance in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and a serious economic collapse has proven to be especially challenging.  

It has now been one year that we have been living with the COVID-19 virus. It has been a year marked by the loss of more than 500,000 deaths and more than 22 million jobs.

The effects are felt in almost every aspect of our lives, and largely for so many, in the way we work and where we work. Prior to the pandemic, only one-in-five said they worked from home all, or most of the time. Now, 71 percent of those are working, at least part-time, from home. And, according to a Pew Research Center survey, more than half say that if given a choice, they would want to keep working from home even after there is a return to some form of normalcy.

They may get their wish. A Gartner survey of company leaders found that 80 percent plan to allow employees the option to work remotely at least part of the time after the pandemic. Meanwhile, 47 percent of those leaders say they will allow employees to work full-time from home. It seems to go without saying, working remotely is one side-effect of COVID-19 that is here to stay.  

Another truism resulting from COVID is that boundaries between life and work have become blurred. For many, the home has also become the office, but it is not a normal “office.” Instead, it is an office filled with a multitude of distractions, such as children vying for your attention, dogs needing to be walked, lunches needing to be made, to name a few of the myriad tasks that were invisible to those of us who would get up and drive into work every day.

For those with school-age children, the challenge became even greater, as parents are now asked to take on full- or part-time teaching roles. Women in particular have borne a large part the COVID burden, as evidenced by the fact that there were 2.2 million fewer women in the labor force in October 2020 than in October 2019.

While there has been much focus on ways to make a remote workforce more productive and efficient, too often, it seems, utilizing creativity is not part of that conversation.  

There is a dated assumption that creativity is solely the result of in-person brainstorming sessions, best measured by the number of Post-It notes on meeting room walls. But an article by Darren Menabney on fastcompany.com rightly takes issue with that assumption. “By leveraging what’s unique about remote work – working from home in particular – we can boost our creativity, both individually and collectively,” Menabney said.

The creative process does not exist in vacuum. It is not just about the “end result.” Instead, it involves the who, the why, and the how. Shifting, pivoting, and adapting to new working situations and finding ways to make those situations work for everyone, is creativity. Yes, it’s that fundamental and that simple. After all, it is all about finding creative solutions.

As Menabney points out, you are no longer limited to the brainpower and creativity of the people in the room, when you work remotely. Indeed, you can bring a more diverse range of voices into any conversation, from all over the world. “More diverse teams lead to more creativity, so remote work lets us tap into a new pool of expertise and creativity which we couldn’t access when collaborating in person,” he said.

Emily Wilcox, head of account management at Johannes Leonardo, agrees that remote work has some added and unexpected benefits. After all, remote work does allow us to have a bit of distance that may offer time to actually contemplate and think about more that just what is happening in our office. It might even lead us to connect with more people other than our office mates and make even more meaningful and real connections.

I think Ben Crudo said it best in his article written for Business Insider: “The COVID crisis has proven how a company’s ability to adapt and innovate can predict its success – and survival. It’s time we stop treating creativity like an afterthought and get disciplined about cultivating it instead. Our future depends on it.”

Still, even with some of the advantages remote work can offer, I also yearn for the day when we can all come back together and meet in person, and garner each other’s creativity once again. In the end, the way we work does not need to be a binary decision. It can be both remote in part and in person in part, so we have the best of both worlds.

Dr. Larry Thompson is president of Ringling College of Art & Design. 

Image from Pixabay



[In This Issue]  SRQ Magazine's March 2021 Living Lakewood Flip Book

Check out all the happenings in Lakewood Ranch in SRQ Magazine's March 2021 Living Lakewood flipbook.  

Click here to read the full article in SRQ's March Living Lakewood 2021 edition.

[SOON]  GALLERY: Rough Around the Edges Exhibition Opening Night Reception , April 2, 6pm-8pm

This Exhibition gave female artists a chance to let down our guard and make that piece that has been sitting in the back of our minds for days, months, or even years. It is an opportunity to let the art be the art, to let the process be the process, to explore the controversial in our work or to find that edge that might have been alluding us. The opening night, on April 2 from 6pm to 8pm will be broadcast live on social media as well as be open to the public. SPAACES is implementing social distancing, requiring masks and allowing three people at a time in the gallery.

[SOON]  FESTIVAL: Lido Beach Spring Craft Show , April 3 – April 4, 10am-5pm

Come experience arts & crafts in their wondrous manifestations of form and function at the premiere of the Lido Beach Spring Craft Show on April 3-4, 2021 on Lido Key. Explore original, handmade arts & crafts that will beautify your home and workplace and on a daily basis while inspiring you and enriching your Life. The event is hosted by the Sarasota Downtown Enrichment Association with the Humane Society of Sarasota County (HSSC) the event’s Special Guest. Admission is FREE. Hours are 10am to 5pm both Saturday and Sunday. Artisans and crafters journey to Lido Beach from throughout Florida and across the United States. Their extraordinary talents create a unique and beautiful marketplace on Lido Beach derived from works created from unique artistic visions and amazing technical skills. Explore works in painting, sculpture, jewelry, glass and ceramics, photography, fiber and wearable art to mixed-media, metalwork, woodworking and more. Meet the artisans and crafters making the works. While at the event, please come visit the HSSC’s Big Mac mobile adoption unit. Say “hi” to their dedicated and compassionate staff and meet their family of friends awaiting adoption. Perhaps find a new Life Companion. They are all waiting to meet you. The event layout will be adjusted with additional spacing between booths. Masks will be required both for artists and attendees. Masks will be provided for those that do not have them. Artists will have hand sanitizers in their booths and hand sanitizer stations will be spaced throughout the event site.

[SOON]  SEMINAR: Virtual: First Look at Ocean Body by Helga Davis , April 8, 7pm

A first look at “Ocean Body,” the Hermitage Greenfield Prize commission by 2019 winner Helga Davis will take place on April 8 at 7pm via Zoom. This is a unique story of friendship told through music, sculpture, and Manasota Key. Helga Davis, along with her collaborators Shara Nova and Mark DeChiazza, will share excerpts and lead a robust discussion about the work’s composition, the development of the work’s visual language, and how this tale of friendship took on new life as the pandemic and larger societal issues of racial justice loomed around it. “Ocean Body” is a multi-screen, multi-channel sound installation that explores the potential of interracial coalition through the deep yet tenuous bonds of a decade-long friendship between Helga Davis and Shara Nova.

[SOON]  MUSIC: The Ringling: Acoustic Sunsets , March 29 – May 17, 6pm-8pm

Join us for acoustic sets with a solo musician on Ca' d'Zan Terrace. This socially distanced event will feature live music with food and drink for purchase. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance. Masks are encouraged when social distancing isn't possible. We look forward to welcoming you to a relaxing evening of music during sunset. Sandwiches, snacks, and drinks will be available for purchase on the terrace, and The Ringling Grillroom is offering other tasty items for pre-order. Please pre-order your items 24 hours in advance. For pick-up, just stop by The Ringling Grillroom in the Visitors Pavilion. Orders can be available after 4pm. Beginning March 15 event time is 6pm to 8pm. Monday, March 29 Sheri Nadelman, Monday, April 5 Damon Fowler, Monday, April 12 Dana Lawrence, Monday, April 19 Sheri Nadelman, Monday, April 26 Acoustic Therapy, Monday, May 3 TBD, Monday, May 10 TBD, and Monday, May 17 TBD.

[SOON]  GRAB BAG: The Ringling: Museum Store Trunk Show: Art Not Just Jewelry , March 27 – March 28, 10am-5pm

The Ringling Museum Store hosts a variety of trunk shows, this one on March 27 and 28 from 10am to 5pm, bringing you the very best from local and international artisans. The Museum Store is located in the Visitors Pavilion and everyone is invited to drop by and shop these unique collections; no Admission is required. This colorful and intricately beaded jewelry is made by Maasai women and designed by students at the Instituto Europea di Design in Milan, Italy. It is the perfect partnership - each design has a contemporary look, but encompasses the traditional style and skilled beadwork of the Maasai artists who make each beautiful piece. Art, Not Just Jewelry, is the exclusive USA distributor of Maasai Womens Art. Member double discount will apply to purchases made from trunk show.

[SOON]  FILM: Finding Nemo Outdoor Film Screening , March 27, 7:30pm-9:30pm

Join the Sarasota Film Festival for a fun free family screening of Finding Nemo as part of its "Movies for Sarasota" program at Ken Thompson Park on Saturday, March 27 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. The screening will be outside, following Covid-safety procedures including social distancing. Please bring a blanket, chair or something to sit on.

[SOON]  HEALTH: BLVD Bike Rides at The Bay , March 27, 5pm

DreamLarge is bringing back its BLVD Bike Rides program with a special bike ride hosted at The Bay. Join us on Saturday, March 27th for a community bike ride at The Bay. This free event is open to everyone in the community and aims to bring residents, neighbors and friends together to enjoy a fun bike ride through downtown Sarasota while experiencing the magic of The Bay. Attendees are encouraged to social distance and come ready to ride in their favorite mask and helmet. Meet in front of The Bay's Blue Pagoda at 655 North Tamiami Trail for check-in at 5pm before the ride begins at 5:15pm. Don't Have a Bike? Don't Worry. Traditional and electric bike rentals will be available to those that need them through a partnership with Endless Summer Eco-Tours and Rentals. You can reserve your bike when you register for the event.

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

Copyright © 2024 by SRQ Media Group, 331 South Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236.
Powered by Sarasota Web Design | Unsubscribe

Read More

Where Oil Meets Water

Where Oil Meets Water

Phil Lederer | Mar 1, 2024

Freedom to Wander

Freedom to Wander

Laura Paquette | Mar 1, 2024

Drive and Dine

Drive and Dine

Laura Paquette | Mar 1, 2024

A Mesmerizing Journey

A Mesmerizing Journey

Barbie Heit | Mar 1, 2024