FROM INSIDE THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS
Even Their Own Colleagues Say It's a Disaster
“We're on a path to destruction.”
— Commissioner Tom Knight, former three-term Sarasota County Sheriff, September 2025
Tom Knight — former three-term Sheriff, now District 3 Commissioner — voted NO on the FY2026 budget at BOTH public hearings. He was the only dissenter. He proposed asking the Sheriff's Office to cut just 3%. Chairman Neunder shut him down.
Even Mark Smith admitted the truth on the record:
“We're spending money that we are not going to have. And we're running out of track and not slowing down.”
— Commissioner Mark Smith, August 2025. Then he voted YES.
| Knight NO votes | Both FY2026 budget hearings (Sept 10 & 24, 2025) |
| County deficit projection FY2028 | -$31.6 million |
| County deficit projection FY2029 | -$40.8 million |
| County deficit projection FY2030 | -$39.2 million |
Source: Tom Knight “path to destruction” — Our Town Sarasota, September 2025. Mark Smith “running out of track” — Suncoast Searchlight, August 2025 budget workshop coverage. Deficit projections — Sarasota County FY2026 Budget Workshop Materials.
SarasotaCountyFacts.org
Follow the Money. Know the Truth.
