They cut the rate. They collected $64 million more.→
Sarasota County Facts
← Newsroom
In the newsOpinionBy SCF Staff · June 11, 2026

THEY HELD THE RATE. THE BILL STILL WENT UP.

Sitting Commissioner Tom Knight names the $75 million administration center and a $1.7 billion roads backlog — while Neunder and Smith voted yes on every record budget that built both.

This piece is editorial, column, or advocacy reporting. Sarasota County Facts cites factual claims where supported; we attribute — and do not adopt — the author's conclusions.

Budget~$100M BuildingRoadsTom KnightReferendum

The story

In a Herald-Tribune guest column, Commissioner Tom Knight tied November's property-tax referendum to years of county overspending. He wrote that past Republican commissioners touted conservative values and flat millage while bonding millions for extravagant buildings — including a $75 million administration center — and falling $1.7 billion behind on roads. The column's policy conclusions are Knight's opinion; the building appropriation, vote record, and roads figure are on the public record.

Key quotes

“spend like drunken sailors”

— Commissioner Tom Knight · Sarasota Herald-Tribune guest column, Jun. 11, 2026

“$1.7 billion behind in funding for roads”

— Commissioner Tom Knight · Sarasota Herald-Tribune guest column, Jun. 11, 2026

By the numbers

  • $75.1M

    The county appropriated $75,105,000 for a new administration center — approved 5-0 in January 2023, with Mark Smith seconding the motion.

    They built themselves a ~$100 million headquarters — with a TV studio and a wellness center.

  • $1.7B

    Commissioner Tom Knight put it on the record in June 2026: the county is $1.7 billion behind in funding for roads.

    Record growth. Record debt. And $1.7 billion behind on roads.

  • Flat rate

    Knight: commissioners bragged about holding down taxes because they didn't increase millage — while spending surged anyway.

    They cut the rate. Your bill went up.

Read all 28 facts →

Read the full article at Sarasota Herald-Tribune→SCF investigations

Sarasota County Facts is a project of Local Government Accountability (LGAI), an independent Wyoming 501(c)(4) social-welfare organization that conducts forensic analysis of local-government finances. LGAI begins every investigation open-minded, applies a consistent multi-lens method, and lets the public record decide. As a 501(c)(4) LGAI exercises the full range of First Amendment rights available under the law. LGAI has made no endorsement of any candidate to date and expressly reserves the right, strictly on the fiscal record and in its sole discretion, to communicate with candidates and campaigns, to endorse candidates, to state clearer positions, or to take any further lawful action when the facts warrant. LGAI accepts no funding from candidates, political parties, or government. Our only client is the citizen.

For the complete mission, methodology, and editorial standards of the parent organization, visit localgovtinstitute.org.

Awareness & Distribution Notice

Content published by Sarasota County Facts is created to inform the public about the fiscal record of local government. After publication, this content may appear on social media or other platforms through a combination of channels, including paid awareness efforts by Local Government Accountability, organic sharing by private citizens, or republication by third parties. We do not control, and in many cases cannot determine after the fact, whether any particular instance of circulation resulted from a paid campaign, independent citizen sharing, or other distribution. All original findings remain the product of Local Government Accountability's independent research and are governed by the standards and disclaimers published on this site and at localgovtinstitute.org.

Sarasota County Facts — Follow the Money. Know the Truth.