COmmunity service is in my DNA
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Meet Debbie Trice
Diversity of Experiences
I grew up in a 3-story brownstone in Brooklyn, NY, the child of two public school teachers. My grandmother and uncle lived on the top floor. We spent summers at a seasonal beach community, somewhat like Sarasota, where my father ran a summer camp.
After college, I worked for Met Life and IBM and lived in a middle-income high-rise apartment in Manhattan while earning a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) at night.
When IBM promoted me from sales and marketing in New York to managing software developers in Los Angeles, I chose to live in a townhouse in a semi-rural suburb. A decade later, I left IBM to found an entrepreneurial venture, but suspended that project in 1997 to move to Sarasota County to care for my parents during their final years.
Each of my experiences and each of my housing situations made it clear that “one size does not fit all.” Too often, governments fail to recognize this and set policies that apply to all, but help none. I seek to change that.
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Debbie Trice is a 25-year resident of Sarasota who has held positions in management, sales and marketing with IBM. She attended MIT, and holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
She was president of the Rosemary District Neighborhood Association for the past 2 years, and served on the Sarasota County Charter Review Board.
Debbie brings a lifetime of experience working with diverse teams, committees, and customers. She is running for an at-large seat on the Sarasota City Commission to:
- restore balance and collaboration to city decision-making, and bring creative problem-solving to community and civic issues.
- find solutions to the mismatch between the homes we need and the homes being built, while preserving the character of each of Sarasota's neighborhoods.
- address the transportation, environmental, and quality-of-life issues essential to sustaining a lovable and livable Sarasota.
my promises
What I will WORK FOR
Housing
Sarasota, we have a housing problem. Oversized luxury homes and condos are filling up space where homes for working people who live here year-round could be built. I’m running for Sarasota City Commissioner to address the mismatch between the homes we need and the homes being built.
Neighborhoods
Throughout my tenure as President of Rosemary District Association, we’ve worked with City government to shape the neighborhood’s growth and development while preserving its character. As Sarasota City Commissioner, I will help you preserve your neighborhood’s character.
Environment
50 years ago, they paved paradise and put in a parking lot. The Bay Park is reclaiming that land. As our habits change, let’s replace under-used surface parking with a combination of housing, shops, indoor parking and greenspace. As Sarasota City Commissioner, I will help make Sarasota greener.
Adaptive Preservation
World-class cities blend old and new. The Orange Blossom Tower was built 100 years ago. Rather than tear it down, it was repurposed to meet modern needs. Let’s honor Sarasota’s past by updating our beautiful historic buildings for the present and future.
Transportation
21st Century transportation means moving away from a car-centric culture by adding walking, biking, trolleys, and vehicle-sharing. As we move toward the right parking space in right places, we can address today’s needs by using empty office garages on nights and weekends.
City for Everyone
Some of us prefer a traditional neighborhood. Some prefer a lively downtown. Sarasota has both. We must respect the character of each neighborhood as our city grows. As Sarasota City Commissioner, I will make sure that happens.
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Sarasota City Commissioner at-Large
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for Debbie for the City!
Because Debbie supports preserving neighborhood character, community and canopy, longtime city neighborhood residents Kelly Franklin, Ron Kashden, Betsy Sublette, Joyce Cloutier, Rob Grant, Flo Entler, and Virginia Hoffman (and Bindi) support Debbie Trice for City Commissioner At-Large.