Political committee attack targets City Commission candidate

At a City Commission candidate forum Monday, the four candidates vying for open seats in District 2 and 3 largely agreed on at least one point: The City Commission race should remain nonpartisan.

Still, actions on both sides have failed to reflect that desire, with both local political parties offering their support to candidates in the race. A mailer sent to city residents this week appears to be a sign of the changing times.

The mailer, sent by Tampa-based political action committee Working Together for Families, is an attack on District 2 challenger Liz Alpert. The message highlights two claims of lien a condominium filed against Alpert in 2008 and 2014 for special assessment and maitenance expenses, and says Alpert supports raising taxes.

“Do you pay your dues?” the mailer reads. “City Commission candidate Liz Alpert doesn’t!”

Alpert says she’s never said she’ll raise taxes and fees on retirees and the middle class, as the mailer claims. She also says she has no unpaid dues, and is working with the clerk of the circuit court to clarify matters. She said the attack was a sign that her opponents were willing to do whatever it takes to make up the gap from the March election, in which Alpert led with 43.7% of the vote.

“They’re desperate, and they’re doing what they can to attack me and attack me personally,” Alpert said.

“They’re desperate, and they’re doing what they can to attack me and attack me personally."

Alpert’s opponent, incumbent Eileen Normile, said she was unaware of who was responsible for the mailer. She added that, as a registered Republican, she had also seen direct attacks from the local Democratic Party before the March election — and said the attacks on both sides were evidence the nonpartisan race should eschew party involvement.

“Is that a result of taking away the nonpartisan aspect of city government? Sure,” Normile said. “There’s no place for it in the city. It’s sad. This should be based on competence and issues and nothing else.”

Since July 2014, none of the reported expenses for Working Together for Families has been spent in Sarasota. Nearly 90% of the reported funds contributed to Working Together for Families came from another PAC, Citizens Alliance for Florida’s Economy. Anthony Pedicini, the chairman of that PAC, is also the founder of Strategic Image Management — a political consultant that lists the Republican Party of Sarasota County as one of its clients.

“This should be based on competence and issues and nothing else.”

Both local political parties have weighed in to offer resources for the candidates that have advanced to the May 12 runoff. Before the March 10 election, the Sarasota County Democratic Party issued endorsements for Alpert in District 2 and challenger Shelli Freeland Eddie in District 3, both registered Democrats.

Normile and fellow incumbent Stan Zimmerman, both registered Republicans, subsequently welcomed the campaigning of the Republican Party of Sarasota County on their behalf, a move they say will level the playing field in the runoff election.

This story has been updated to clarify the nature of the claims of lien against Alpert and to incorporate her response to the mailer.