Opinion | Sarasota | Your Observer

Sarasota | Opinion

Matt Walsh
July 15, 2026

Why the worst rise to top

By comparison to other U.S. locales, we are so fortunate in Manatee and Sarasota counties and in Florida.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Adrian Moor, Vittorio Nastasi
July 8, 2026

Lots of loopholes in Florida's laws on fines

With a potential hit to general fund revenue coming, municipalities may have more incentive to supplement their income from fines.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
July 1, 2026

The 56 who signed for us

As many people have often said: Being an American is winning life’s lottery. Nowhere in the world are people as free as we are.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Jeff Brandes, contributor
June 24, 2026

DeSantis versus DeSantis

One DeSantis encouraged starter homes. The other may have just made them fiscally impossible to approve.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
June 17, 2026

Another travesty of power

Everyone knows we need more affordable housing. But Sarasota County commissioners are more concerned about losing their home rule power.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Jeff Brandes
June 2, 2026

This is not how to 'cut' taxes

The governor’s property tax plan won’t eliminate taxes. It will just shift them. Your city will become increasingly dependent on the state.

Sarasota
Opinion

Mirabai Holland
May 29, 2026

It's possible to live with arthritis. Here's how.

Exercise, as counter-intuitive as it might seem, can go a long way toward relief.

Longboat Key
Opinion

Matt Walsh
May 28, 2026

Cash grab in Manatee, too

While the Sarasota County tax collector has drawn ire for taking school district money, the Manatee County tax collector has taken even more and been doing it longer.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Joel Schleicher
May 15, 2026

It’s time to remove our own regimes

Our local, state and federal governments don’t slaughter citizens as they do in Iran, but there are similarities. We’ve become servants to our regimes.

Sarasota
Opinion

Matt Walsh
May 13, 2026

Lessons on how not to do it

The Sarasota tax collector-school board dispute has reached a partial resolution. Taking the high road can bring it to the best ending.

Sarasota
Opinion

By Letter to the Editor
May 12, 2026

Letter to our legislators: Don't turn USFSM over to New College

The fate of USF Sarasota-Manatee depends on the Legislature's special budget session. It will decide whether to shut down the college and transfer the buildings to New College.

Longboat Key
Opinion

By Adrian Moore, Nicole Shekhovtsova
May 6, 2026

Is the only way to protect kids online for all of us to give up our data?

Legislators are passing laws to verify the age of social media users — but does it inadvertently require these sites to keep more data than necessary?