Take Back Manatee Responds to DeSantis' Supposed Endorsement of KVO

Take Back Manatee, a grassroots coalition attempting to educate voters on local political candidates backed by "greedy special interests have taken over Manatee County government," responded to a text message ad many local voters received yesterday regarding the supposed endorsement of Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The group' statement can be read in full below:

Today, our Take Back Manatee committee learned of Governor Ron DeSantis’s endorsement of Kevin Van Ostenbridge. As a group of dedicated citizens committed to combating the undue influence of developers and their allies over our local government, we feel it is important to address this development.

Our committee began with a clear mission: to push back against the overwhelming power of special interests that have sought to dominate our local government. In 17 days, we received donations from nearly 80 different community members, and the support continues each day. The response from the people of Manatee County has been significant, highlighting the growing concern that our elected officials are no longer serving the best interests of our community. 

At the center of many issues in Manatee County is Kevin Van Ostenbridge. Van Ostenbridge has acted as a significant enabler of special interests. We believe that the same special interest forces behind our problems may have influenced the Governor's office in making this endorsement. We are confident that if Governor DeSantis were fully aware of the realities in Manatee County, he might reconsider his endorsement.

Kevin Van Ostenbridge’s record includes:

Massive Increased Administrative Costs: Under his leadership, Manatee County’s administrative budget has doubled from $3.2 million to $6.6 million, including expenditures on personal aides and new deputy co-administrators.

Rising Debt and Depleting Reserves: Our county’s debt has doubled, reserves have dwindled, and over $500,000 of taxpayer dollars have been spent on administrative payoffs. Additionally, Van Ostenbridge spent over $11,000 of taxpayer money on luxury upgrades for his own office.

Poor Financial Decisions: He supported an $840,000 budget increase for the Supervisor of Elections, resulting in a costly and unnecessary mass mailing benefiting appointed (not elected) SOE James Satcher at taxpayers' expense.

Taking Private Property: He has been caught taking private property from a constituent. He opted for a pre-trial intervention deal for probation and community service, in lieu of the petty theft charges. We believe his actions are in line with other questions regarding his integrity and ethics .

Suppressing Public Input: Van Ostenbridge has actively worked to shut down public comments and has shown disdain for community engagement, treating citizens with contempt.

We call on Governor DeSantis to reconsider his endorsement of Kevin Van Ostenbridge in light of these facts. We also urge Manatee County residents to contact the Governor’s office and inform him of the true state of our local landscape and the influence of developers on our community. It is time to restore the voice of our government to the people.

We have observed a troubling pattern of decisions made by candidates supported by special interest money, decisions that benefit these interests rather than the people of Manatee County. For instance:

The Hiring of Scott Hopes: Appointed as County Administrator, with a history of ties to developers, he is now facing multiple criminal charges in connection to his actions as County Administrator.

The Removal of Wetlands Protections: Decisions that have increased flooding risks and threaten to diminish our quality of life, while allowing developers to exploit every piece of precious land.

Manipulated Impact Fees: Efforts to make developers pay their fair share have been undermined by outdated data, keeping their fees lower than they should be.

As a committee of concerned residents, Take Back Manatee does not endorse any candidates.  Our mission is to educate the public about the undue influence of special interests in our local elections. We believe there are many worthy candidates in the Republican primary who are not backed by special interests.

For more information and to support our efforts, please visit www.takebackmanatee.com