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Thank you Commissioner Schaefer for your well written editorial. It is important that people understand the facts, and not the rhetoric. It is a power grab-and is likely due to the issues facing Manatee County who has borrowed so much $ in the time of hyper-inflation, and is relying on the multi-Millions they have received from the Federal Government-one time $-to balance their budget. Taking over control of the tax revenues generated from the island cities will allow them to continue to finance their disastrous policies of allowing unplanned, unfunded growth to make the developers happy. Certainly there could be efficiencies through consolidation of services-but that’s not what’s proposed. Just take a look at what will happen if LBK follows through with a bill to leave Manatee County-it would be disastrous to the County revenues-especially the school board. However, you couldn’t blame them for looking out for themselves and their taxpayers, especially with the message they are receiving with these efforts from the County and their partner, the City of Bradenton The county used to fight annexation into the City because of their lax development policies and lack of impact fees-now the County is worse. People need to vote to keep control, not be taken over.