By David L. Madeira, Holmes Beach
I was stunned to learn of your proposals to preempt local regulation for parking on Anna Maria Island and your proposal to study dissolution or unification of the three cities on our island.
As a Republican, you should be for limited and de-centralized powers rather than exerting control over small communities by the state.
As a resident of Holmes Beach and one of your constituents, I strongly urge you to reconsider and withdraw these over-reaching bills.
Regarding the parking issue, you know full well that Anna Maria Island provides more street parking than required by law.
You also know that the city ordinances in Holmes Beach were designed to help homeowners, like my wife and I, protect our properties from visitors who drive their vehicles on to our lawns, block our driveways and do other damage.
You should know that it is well-established in law that a property owner has a right to “the quiet enjoyment” of his or her property.
You would deny us that right and arrogantly suggest that our parking restrictions are because we “think we have a private island.”
We welcome island vacationers and visitors to the beaches here, it is part of what makes us the community we are and supports our economy. Again, we simply want some limitations so we can protect our own homes.
Communities have their own character. On this small island we do not want to become high-rise communities such as Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Naples or Sarasota.
We want to remain a place for families to live and or vacation. This is our right to choose where and how we live as long as we follow reasonable laws. I dare say you covet the right to live in a community which decides its own character—it’s why you choose where you live.
Your second proposal to “study” whether the three cities on this island should be dissolved or combined is, again, forcing a larger power over the rights of communities to decide these matters for themselves.
Once again, as a Republican, you should be ashamed of yourself. Your claim that you’re open to one, two, even three cities is a canard. If you were open to three, you wouldn’t have suggested this study to dissolve or combine.
You are not open; you are in the hip pocket of the Manatee County commissioners who want complete sway over our communities. Shame on you.
The only response we have as citizens is limited.
First, we will write city, county and state governing body involved in this expressing our strong disagreement with this usurpation of power.
Second, we will write to traditional and social media and call out any representative or politician who supports your bills.
And finally, our only recourse is to cast our votes in the next election.
Let me make myself clear, as a lifelong Republican I will vote for whoever runs against you in your next election bid, regardless of party affiliation.
Please withdraw these proposals and let us live our lives in peaceful community on this island.