special election for North Port city commissioner, District

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Congratulations Alice White on winning a North Port City Commission Seat on March 9th, by an overwhelming margin of votes!  

Thank you to all ECSCD friends & members who phoned, texted, sign-waved, and donated to this campaign.  

Alice states that in Sarasota County, the environment "is everything." Specifically, the environment is the reason why we live here and why visitors come to the tourist-based economy. The environment drives the quality of life and the economy. Sarasota County needs to promote the idea that being pro-environment is not anti-development. It is not either the environment or development. Smart development means understanding the unique natural character of the land and respecting the integrity of the natural surroundings. 

In 1997, she started a non-profit group, People for Trees, because she believes in advocating about the importance of "protecting the native tree canopy and embracing Florida's natural environment, rather than doing battle with it." Because of her advocacy, she is often respectfully called the "Tree Lady." Her motto is, "Save a tree today, and we'll all breathe a little easier."

Alice's three environmental priorities are:

1. Put in place advanced water treatment systems to adequately treat wastewater and to prevent sewage spills;

2. Reduce the number of nutrients found in stormwater runoff; and

3. Require a tree-protection ordinance to mitigate tree removal for development