They cut the rate. They collected $64 million more.→

Key numbers+$876Mnew spending & debt+60.3%in 3 years+$481Mnew bonds$1.11Btotal county debt$7,189per family of 4See every vote →

Sarasota County Facts

Newsroom

Original SCF investigations and the outside coverage that corroborates them — every story tied to the public record.

14 Investigations/63 Press items/77 total

The Tale of the Tape

Smith vs. Sargent: The Tale of the Tape — District 2 Sarasota County Commission Primary

Sarasota County added $876 million in new spending and debt in three years. District 2 Commissioner Mark Smith voted for all of it. The audited record — and the challenger who says she'll audit every dollar.

SCF InvestigationJul 3, 2026

Featured Investigation

The Investigation

◆ SCFINVESTIGATIONJul 10, 2026

The $876 Million Man

Source: Local Government Accountability

Joe Neunder ran as a fiscal conservative with no ties to developers. We read every budget, every vote, and every campaign check. Here is what the public record actually says.

The Commission Investigations· District 2 & 4

Smith vs. Sargent: The Tale of the Tape — District 2 Sarasota County Commission Primary

Read the matchup →

You Can't Afford Sarasota Anymore. Joe Neunder's Votes Cost Your Family $7,189. — District 4 Primary

Read the matchup →

Latest Investigations

Original Reporting

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

THE TWO SARASOTAS: The $80,633 Median Misleads Workers. Here's What They Really Earn.

Apr 1, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

$876 MILLION IN NEW OBLIGATIONS EXPOSED: The Biggest Spending Explosion in the Modern Record

Mar 30, 2026

NeunderEDITORIAL

Joe Neunder Promised Small Government. The Record Shows the Opposite.

Mar 30, 2026

FROM THE U.S. ARMY TO THE BAYFRONT: The Prosecutor Coming for Their Seats

Mar 30, 2026

SmithELECTIONS '26

SARGENT vs. SMITH: Army Veteran Prosecutor Against an Architect of Debt

Mar 30, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

FOLLOW THE DEVELOPER DOLLARS: Who Pays Your Commissioners

Mar 30, 2026

SmithINVESTIGATION

$7.5 MILLION FOR T-SHIRTS: The Grant Nobody Can Explain

Mar 30, 2026

SmithINVESTIGATION

4 TO 1: Only Smith Voted Yes. Why?

Mar 30, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

THE EVIDENCE FILE: Everything We Found. Every Receipt.

Mar 30, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

$18 MILLION FOR 2 ACRES: The Seller Paid Half. You Paid Double.

Mar 31, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

'WE'RE ON A PATH TO DESTRUCTION' — The Commissioner Who Tried to Stop It

Mar 31, 2026

Neunder & SmithINVESTIGATION

NORTH PORT: A City That Asks Permission

Mar 31, 2026

SmithTHE CANDIDATES

Mark Smith Stood Alone for the $7.5 Million 'T-Shirt' Grant

Jun 9, 2026

Neunder & SmithBY THE NUMBERS

$79 a Second: What County Government Costs You

Jun 9, 2026

Outside Press

Other media, for reference

Sarasota Herald-TribuneTHEY HELD THE RATE. THE BILL STILL WENT UP.Jun 11, 2026 · EDITORIAL

Sarasota Herald-Tribune$18.1M FOR LAND THAT SOLD FOR $8.9MMay 7, 2026 · Archival · on file

Sarasota Herald-Tribune$15M FOR A DEVELOPER'S ROAD — UNANIMOUSJan 14, 2026 · Archival · on file

Your ObserverMark Smith won by 373 votes — then helped approve a $2.52 billion budget.Sep 30, 2025 · BY THE NUMBERS Suncoast SearchlightOne full-time job no longer covers a two-bedroom in Sarasota County.Aug 7, 2025 · BY THE NUMBERS Sarasota Herald-TribuneTHE GRAVY TRAIN IS OVER — SAYS A COMMISSIONERJul 31, 2025 · EDITORIAL

Florida PoliticsCampaigned on the people. Funded by the developers.Dec 15, 2022 · Archival · on file

Sarasota Herald-Tribune373 VOTES — NOW $876M LATERNov 8, 2022 · Archival · on file

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