As a candidate for Sarasota County Commissioner District 4, Julie London wants to be, “a watchdog for your wallet, not a fox in the henhouse,” according to her website.
Julie London, a Democratic party candidate, knows your County Commissioner should answer to you, not cater to wealthy donors or big developers. Raised in Sarasota, she’s dedicated her life to this community, representing District 4 as a staunch advocate for the people.
Julie started her fight for justice after a very personal blow. Her mother fell victim to Florida’s corrupt elder guardianship system, a system plagued by fraud and a total lack of due process.
Julie refused to sit back. She stood up, not just for her mom, but for every vulnerable Floridian caught in the same web.
That fight brought Julie into partnership with the late Nancy Detert, a widely respected public servant who spent over twenty-five years championing Sarasota. The two joined forces, and their efforts didn’t just make headlines as they drove genuine change. Together, they pushed for the creation of the Office of Public and Professional Guardianships, a state agency built to crack down on the worst abuses: families being cut off, estates emptied, and elders drugged or isolated by unscrupulous guardians.
Through those battles, a genuine friendship grew. Senator Detert’s advice sticks with Julie to this day: “I work for the public. They’re my boss.” Julie carries those words into every corner of Sarasota County. She listens to people who feel left out, forgotten, or shut down by politicians who answer to lobbyists and corporate money. Julie is determined to be the voice that brings power back to the people.
The Englewood REVIEW interviewed Julie London to talk about her vision for the future, and what drives her to serve Sarasota County.
ER: You recently announced your campaign for Sarasota County Commission District 4 under the “Fedup. Ticket.” What was the exact tipping point that inspired you to run for office? And did your experience as a writer and blogger figure into this decision?
London: The exact tipping point was not seeing a candidate who would bring about any kind of real change that Sarasota needs. We’re all so fed up with the same kind of candidate and their rehearsed talking points. We’re exhausted from the optics of back-door deals and the people’s voices not being heard. It was time to bring in a real person who is one of them. When I decided to run, it didn’t even occur to me what a huge role the blog will bring to the next four years as a source of transparency and trust.
ER: “Fed up” is a powerful emotional state for voters. Can you articulate exactly what or who you are fed up with regarding the current Sarasota County Commission, and how your platform translates that frustration into actionable policy?
London: I don’t know how one can run for office and not immediately start to go to work. I spoke with the property appraiser‘s office about reducing the homestead tax exemption for cash-strapped seniors. It can be done. Who doesn’t want our older folks to stay in their own homes? I spoke with Jon Thaxton about everything from potable water to traffic to affordable housing. I’m not a bullsh**er. I’m backing my talk with doable ideas.
On the emotional level, I’m teed off at the way the public is being treated. Some members of the board completely have forgotten that ‘we, the people’ pay their salaries.
ER: Much of your public commentary focused on the school board. Many expected you to run for a school board seat instead. Why did you ultimately decide that the County Commission was the place where you could make the biggest impact?
London: There was no way I was going to run for office. It wasn’t on my radar at all until I saw who else was running for commission. I’m thrilled to be giving Sarasotans who live in District 4 the opportunity to vote for a person who isn’t aligned with the building industry. It’s almost a joke. My opponent is related to Willis-Smith, huge donors to his campaign, who makes money from developers. I am truly the only choice for change. I’ll make the biggest impact because I don’t owe anyone anything. And because it’s been a one-party rule since 1966, I can call out when they’re protecting each other, not the people.
ER: Who is Julie London? Our readers would like to know more about you, your family, and your background. It takes a special person with a unique brand of passion to run for office, especially in this climate. Are there any stories, people, or issues that inspire that passion and perseverance?
London: It was undoubtedly the late Senator Nancy Detert who was an inspiration and showed me how listening to people, putting herself in their shoes, could make a difference. When I went to her with an elder guardianship issue, the first words out of her mouth were: “This could happen to me!”
I don’t like talking about me at all. This campaign isn’t about me – it’s about US. I have lived in Sarasota since 1969 and attended all the public schools. I became a community activist, beginning with adding a layer of laws to protect our most vulnerable seniors. I continue to this day to advocate for our seniors, but I’ve added public education to the loop. That happened due to the mess we were seeing happen at the school board meetings. I didn’t know that one blog would lead to thousands of readers monthly wanted to stay updated on Sarasota’s public school system. Now, I’ve added county news to the mix.
ER: Sarasota County has seen rapid population growth and intense real estate development over the last few years. How do you plan to balance economic development with preserving the environmental integrity and quality of life for current District 4 residents? This is an important issue for our readers.
London: We need to change “District 4” residents to all residents living in Sarasota County. We’re only as strong as our weakest link. If a developer can build a road through old Florida without residents getting due process in another district, it can happen to any district. If residents are showing proof of future flooding in District 1 due to road expansion, I’ll be on top of it.
Honestly, our impact rates are so low, we need to slow the growth, so the taxpayer isn’t footing the billionaire developers’ bills. I’ll be asking a lot of questions. I believe two of the board members and I are on the same page in many ways, so the county will have a majority vote that works in the best interest of the people.
ER: Many working-class families and young professionals are being priced out of Sarasota. What concrete legislative or zoning changes will you push for to ensure workforce housing is built, rather than just luxury developments?
We know that affordable housing, under the Live Local Act is not affordable. I spoke with Jon Thaxton about special zoning districts that would allow for tiny homes to be built. There’s a possibility of workforce housing for teachers and staff on empty school-owned properties. I’ve done a lot of research how affordable housing works in other states – and some we don’t want to emulate at all. It’s important that the individual counties maintain home rule. Only Sarasota knows what Sarasota wants and needs.
ER: From water quality and red tide management to the preservation of local wetlands, environmental issues are vital to Sarasota. If elected, what would be your day-one environmental policy initiative?
London: I met with Brooke Bailey, with Sarasota Water Utilities, to learn about our water supply. It’s vital that the county purchase the Gulf Gate Golf Course, because the toxic poisons remaining could have a real impact on our bay if a developer is allowed to proceed building homes on the property. If it floods the neighborhoods, no one is safe. The runoff could most definitely hit Little Sarasota Bay.
ER: There is a growing sentiment among local voters that dark money and special interest groups hold too much sway over Sarasota politicians. What is your policy on accepting campaign contributions from developers and political action committees (PACs)?
London: My opponent took dark money from a Wyoming entity. He is all about the PAC money from the building industry. We’re a grassroots campaign and will hopefully show Sarasota, Florida, and the rest of the country that you don’t need to take these kinds of funds to WIN. Collecting money is the last thing on our minds. I want to put money BACK in the pocket of people, not take it. Speaking without a filter, what makes me sick is the payback my opponent is going to owe these big money donors. We are not obligated to any entity – other than the people.
ER: If your campaign is built on the idea that the current local government is failing its citizens, how do you plan to restore public trust in the commission itself once you are sitting on the dais?
London: As we mentioned, I do write a blog. Transparency and follow-up are vital. I once joked that one of my favorite movies is “You’ve Got Mail” because I love to answer my emails.
Through the blog, I hope to inform citizens of what’s happening, so they don’t have to sit through a long meeting. Everything has to be written within the Sunshine Laws, but it will give them yet another chance to be heard. It’s a two-way street for trust to happen, and that takes walking in the citizens’ shoes. That’s me. I’m not a politician. I’m not polished and I don’t ever want to be. I’ve always said – the people who are experiencing issues firsthand are the real experts, not the people sitting behind the dais.
ER: As a commissioner, you will oversee a massive county budget. What areas of county spending do you think are currently wasteful, and where would you reallocate those taxpayer dollars?
London: I was one of the first people to speak out on the county’s stormwater management team taking on the burden of the city’s stormwater, including St. Armand’s. We’re in an interlocal agreement that doesn’t work / benefit either side. The county is losing money, and the city is unhappy with progress. This is exceedingly fixable and can turn into a win-win for everyone. I’ll say this, though – it’s my opinion that the county needs a new negotiator. We are getting our a**es kicked on these deals.
ER: District 4 represents a diverse mix of neighborhoods and constituent needs. How do you plan to remain accessible to residents, and how will you ensure that neighborhood voices aren’t drowned out by commercial interests?
London: The diverse nature of the district was a concern for me as I drove around the entirety of District 4 for the first time. We have Casey Key and then rural Sarasota. I am all for small business, having been a small business owner. I want to protect and promote them. I’m already telling people that once I’m seated, I don’t want them to go away – because I will need to keep hearing them. I believe I will be among the most accessible county commissioner in history.
ER: Transitioning from a writer who reports on public boards to an official who will draft policy, negotiate, and vote is a massive leap. What do you say to critics who argue you lack the administrative or legislative experience required to manage a county government?
London: I will not be drafting policy along with the board members without an attorney. None of us are lawyers. Good negotiation comes from asking the right questions. You keep asking, and common sense will prevail.
Recently, there was an attempt by one of my opponent’s team members to infiltrate our campaign. I was shocked that they were playing checkers, while I was playing chess. I thought these experienced campaigners were supposed to be savvy. I have met with the county budget director, who informed me that there is nothing like a county budget. I met with various department heads and I’m a member of the Florida Association of County Commissioners. I’m so ahead of the curve that I find it exceedingly disappointing that anyone would think otherwise. This is what I have been told by people working in administrative areas. I happen to be the mix of people first and knowing my policy. I don’t have the ego to ask dumb questions.
ER: If we sit down for an interview one year into your term as commissioner, what is the single biggest accomplishment you hope to point to that proves the “Fedup. ticket” was the right choice for Sarasota?
London: As a writer, we do our due diligence. I’m not going to say, “I’d like to see this happen” but rather dig for ways to make it happen. We can lower the homestead tax exemption for cash-strapped seniors in unincorporated Sarasota. We can create a fabulous tiny home village – whether on extra school property or at an abandoned business or hotel site.
I believe what the public will be most pleased about my performance in one year is a fearless voice asking the questions that will avoid rash and bad-decision making. I am truly the only candidate who will be the people’s choice for real change.
Click here for more information on Julie London.
“As we lead up to the election, The Englewood REVIEW is reaching out to all local candidates to give them a forum to express their views.”
