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Longboat Key | Opinion

    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • August 2, 2017
Give taxpayers their money back

Hundreds of millions of dollars are sitting in reserve account.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 26, 2017
All study, little action

The first phase of the 20th traffic study in 10 years doesn’t give much hope for improvements at the two worst chokepoints — Gulf Drive and Cortez and U.S. 41 and Gulfstream-Fruitville.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 26, 2017
Postscript on Harmer's hiring

We erred

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Tom Harmer and David Bullock
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 19, 2017
Done before the vote

Tom Harmer is a good choice for Longboat. But the chronology of his hiring is curious: He executed a contract before commissioners voted to hire him. So much for transparency.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 19, 2017
Why Republicans can’t repeal Obamacare

It's the failure to understand

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Longboat Key Town Manager David Bullock, left, earns an annual salary of $181,688. Town officials are considering Sarasota County Administrator Tom Harmer as Bullock's replacement. Harmer earns an annual salary of $207,625.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 12, 2017
Convenient, but ...

Longboat’s Town Commission appears ready to hire Sarasota County’s Tom Harmer as the next town manager. He looks like a good fit. But do you buy the first car you see and like?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The Rotary Club donated $7,700 to help fund the agility equipment and two misting cooling stations, which look like fire hydrants, in the dog area at Bayfront Park.
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • July 12, 2017
Fluffy Anderson sounds off on Longboat Key's Bayfront Park

Longboat Key letters to the editor

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Longboat Key's Bayfront Park is open to the public.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 12, 2017
One cheer for the remodeled Bayfront Park

The new Bayfront Park has more flaws than flair.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
The Keep Longboat Special group suggested a referendum to stop the development of any more hotel units on Longboat Key — beyond what already exists.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 5, 2017
Preserve the 250 units

Keep Longboat Special appears to be advocating a referendum to rescind the 2008 town vote to create a pool of 250 tourism units. Don’t go back to the old days; they really hurt the Key.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Zota’s opening creates an appropriate time to acknowledge and applaud Ocean Properties’ commitment to this region.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • July 5, 2017
A bow to Ocean Properties' commitment

Rarely are private enterprises recognized and applauded for their investments and contributions.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 28, 2017
Ben Franklin, we need you more than ever

To preserve what our Founders created, Ben Franklin knew it depended on our having the proper temper in the public square.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
This is one of two historic Whitney Beach cottages that Longboat Key Historical Society President Michael Drake wants to preserve.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 21, 2017
Save the cottages

Longboat Key Historical Society President Michael Drake has secured the perfect place for the organization to have a home. Now it’s up to Longboaters: Is town history worth preserving?

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran and Gov. Rick Scott
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 21, 2017
Scott, Corcoran: They are better than that

The two could have — and should have — settled their dispute long before the legislative session began.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
Joe Gruters and the president
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 14, 2017
Two of our own among top three for the Cabinet

Rep. Joe Gruters and homebuilder Pat Neal under consideration for CFO post under Scott.

  • Longboat Key
  • News
Even though Longboat Key is one town, that county line has always made the town and its residents feel split.
    By
  • Matt Walsh
  • June 7, 2017
Longboat Key County?

Manatee and Sarasota counties often take Longboat Key’s $28 million in annual property tax revenue for granted. Secession sounds great. But it will never happen.

  • Longboat Key
  • Opinion
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Latest in Longboat Key

1
The town of Longboat Key distributes yellow and blue stickers for residents and business owners. Red stickers are reserved for police, fire and emergency responders.
  • May 26, 2026
New evacuation re-entry stickers available at Town Hall
2
The home at 681 Old Compass Road sold for $4.2 million. Built in 2022, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 2,520 square feet of living area.
  • May 26, 2026
Top residential real estate sales for May 11-15 in Longboat, Lido, St. Armands, Bird Key
3
Angie Cupp uses a tractor and landscaping rake attachment to clean Longboat Key beaches of debris.
  • May 25, 2026
Beach raking cleans the shoreline but comes with erosion concerns
4
Frank Biondello, Jr. has been overseeing the transformation of The Dock on the Bay's hurricane-damaged marina as the marina manager for the past year.
  • May 25, 2026
Dock on the Bay makes progress on 'long road to recovery'
5
Grant's Gardens has a two-bay garage at 525 Gulf Bay Road, and is proposing to build an office building on the lot across the street at 524 Gulf Bay Road.
  • May 23, 2026
Landscaping company seeks expansion in Longboat Key

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