New County Commission Chair Settles into Seat

By Lisa Neff

Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique settled into a new chair with the new year.

County commissioners elected Siddique as their new chair in December 2025, and the District 3 representative took the post Jan. 1, formally settling into the seat at the Jan. 6 regular meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Siddique presented State of the Chair remarks for commissioners, staff and others gathered on the fifth floor of the county administration building in Bradenton.

Siddique, elected to the commission in 2024, highlighted 2025’s accomplishments, including a cut in the millage rate used for property taxes, advances on safety initiatives and the acquisition of land for public use. He then outlined an agenda for board work for the year and beyond.

He spoke about economic development goals, adopting a revised comprehensive plan, improving the budget process and providing property tax relief, but his suggestion that Manatee study the merits of establishing a charter government generated direct comments at the gathering and buzz in the days that followed.

Manatee County has previously explored creating a charter government, which would increase citizen involvement and expand the county’s local authority.

Twenty of Florida’s 67 counties have adopted home rule charters, including Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota, according to the Florida Association of Counties.

The FAC says Florida in 1968 granted local voters the power to adopt charters, formal written documents that confer powers, duties and privileges on the county. The charters resemble state or federal constitutions and they must be approved, along with any amendments, by county voters.

The establishment of charter government was designed to remove the resolution of local problems from the state Legislature and to grant the county electorate greater control over regional affairs.

“Every year we still experience the state preempting authority of local governments,” Siddique said, adding, “That’s a trend I see nationwide.”

Guaranteeing or returning local control might involve a voter-approved charter, said Siddique. “But I’m not asking for anyone’s votes or commitments today,” he added. “I’m just asking that we start a conversation.”

Commissioner Amanda Ballard, District 2, said she’s intrigued.

Commissioner George Kruse, At-Large District, also showed interest, as he’s been an advocate of a charter government for years. He pushed the issue prior to his election to the board and proposed a charter government in 2021.

Kruse advised Siddique to talk about the idea with local mayors, who’ve shown concern about protecting the rights of their municipalities, which have voter-approved city charters.

On Jan. 7, ManaSota-88, a leading local health and environmental group, issued a statement, listed the pluses of such a charter government, including environmental protections.

“Charter government does have the potential to provide for local flexibility to tackle various issues associated with growth management,” ManaSota-88 said. “Having a charter government gives the residents of a county the flexibility to respond to local needs. A home rule charter is intended to be written by citizens to serve as the county’s constitution. Home rule gives the citizens the right to determine the county’s constitution. Home rule gives the citizens the right to determine and implement government for a public purpose at the local level.

The organization endorsed creating a citizens advisory panel to study the issue.

Siddique, in his State of the Chair remarks, said he wanted to workshop the issue this spring.