Sarasota County death rate is double state level - SNL

...about 1,000 tests were conducted in the past couple of weeks, with about 10% to 11% showing positive results. 

From today's Sarasota News Leader:

The death rate in Sarasota County for those testing positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is close to 7%, compared to less than 3% for the state of Florida, Lynette Herbert, public health services manager for the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, reported during the April 15 Suncoast Continuum of Care meeting. 

That data is “concerning to us,” she said.. . . . 

Moreover, Herbert pointed out, the hospitalization rate for those in the county testing positive for COVID-19 is more than twice the state average. The county figure is 32%; for the state, it is 14%, she added.

This box on the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 ‘dashboard’ site as of the morning of April 15 offers more Sarasota County COVID-19 statistics. Image from the Florida Department of Health

County elected officials have failed to take rapid intelligent steps, say critics:

New Sarasota COVID-19 test site to open at undisclosed location

"You were elected to solve difficult problems" - LTE in HT

All Talk, No Action in protection for the homeless - Seidman, HT

Time to hire new commissioners? 

Help new candidates get on the ballot

The Public Realm is a vanishing species

Rodential devouring of public value by those who solely see the point of private gain:

Prioritizing Economics is Crippling the U.S. Economy 

- James Allworth

Up until (roughly) the end of World War 2, almost all policy were organized around a central theme: impact on democracy. The question would be asked: what was this going to mean for our democracy? From both sides of the political spectrum, there was a common commitment to strengthening and preserving democratic ideals.

But, starting around the time of the Great Depression in the 1930s, and taking full effect by roughly the end of the 1940s, that changed.

No longer was the focus on democracy. Economic growth pushed it into the background.

There was broad recognition in Congress that if anyone managed to gain complete radio dominance in a town, city, region or country, then they would have a lock on political discourse in that region. Because the policy debate focused on impact on democracy, Congress recognized this could happen. And it feared it. As a result, spectrum was retained under Government control, and was licensed out to private parties.

Click image to enlarge

 Fast forward to the 1960s, and a very different debate was happening on allocation of spectrum. It had the same technical and economic elements as in the 1920s — which, of course, is no bad thing. But the nature of the change was stark. The focus on the impact of democracy had largely disappeared. It had been crowded out entirely by the economic focus.

But, starting around the time of the Great Depression in the 1930s, and taking full effect by roughly the end of the 1940s, that changed. 

No longer was the focus on democracy. Economic growth pushed it into the background.
There was broad recognition in Congress that if anyone managed to gain complete radio dominance in a town, city, region or country, then they would have a lock on political discourse in that region. Because the policy debate focused on impact on democracy, Congress recognized this could happen. And it feared it. As a result, spectrum was retained under Government control, and was licensed out to private parties. 

Fast forward to the 1960s, and a very different debate was happening on allocation of spectrum. It had the same technical and economic elements as in the 1920s — which, of course, is no bad thing. But the nature of the change was stark. The focus on the impact of democracy had largely disappeared. It had been crowded out entirely by the economic focus.

Housing vs Tourism: A new view in Barcelona

In 2007, Ada Colau put on a black leotard, a yellow cape, and a Zorro mask and gate-crashed a campaign rally in Barcelona. For two and a half minutes, Colau commandeered cameras, holding up a cardboard sign—“Housing Out of the Market, Like Education and Health”—while she delivered a speech on irresponsible development. “We don’t want to hear that the solution is to build more,” Colau told the crowd gathered in the small city square. “We have devastated our territory more than enough. There are a lot of houses. What we need is that these houses fulfill their social role.” When she was done, she dashed between a pair of parked cars and sprinted down the street. 

She didn’t know it then, but her appearance as a superhero was one of the first steps on a path to city hall. In June she was elected mayor of Barcelona, with the support of a coalition of leftist political parties. She campaigned on fighting inequality

         .   .   .   .

Colau sees parallels between housing and tourism; she worries the latter’s growth is hurting citizens and has declared a one-year ban on new hotel licenses. She has angered the Spanish government by removing a bust of former King Juan Carlos from city hall’s main chamber; announced her intention to rein in Airbnb; and taken aim at banks, threatening to fine those that keep their properties empty, rather than rent them out at subsidized rates.“As mayor, I can talk to the banks on a more equal footing than I could when I was just a citizen,” she says. 

“There’s a wide consensus to say, ‘Guys, we need these houses, not to speculate but for the families that need them. First we will offer you the opportunity to collaborate and lend us these houses that you’re not using and that aren’t going onto the market. We’ll improve them and put them to use. And if you don’t want to collaborate, we’ll try other instruments to give you an incentive.’ ”

More . . . 

Still More  . . .

2050: Origins and Roots

The 2050 Archives contain documents from the formative period (1995-97) when a multi-stakeholder group (msg) of Sarasota citizens thinking ahead about the urban service boundary and lands east of I-75 reached consensus on the values and principles of a new form of urban planning.

What we offer: "The multi-stakeholder group seeks to bring common sense to future land use in Sarasota County."

What we believe:

"The current trend of spreading out from the urban core creates high infrastructure costs, loses the sense of Community, significantly increases pollution from automobile trips, destroys the natural heritage of Sarasota and reduces the open space value of water and air filtration."

"Current public lands will stay in public ownership and be managed as a valuable resource for future generations."

Where we stand:  Water, wildlife, native habitats:

"A different urban form is realized for Sarasota County besides 5-500 acre single use subdivisions and string commercial." 

"A plan for the future that serves the public interests while respecting the valid, constitutional rights of affected private interests."

What we learned: Statements from members of the MSG, a map series, and an analysis of East Sarasota lands, uses and biodiversity.

"The area east of I-75 still has a future that can balance several competing but legitimate interests. There are many alternative potential outcomes."

Villages (dark blue) & hamlets (turquoise)