Jacob Ogles
Businessman George Kruse announced on Thursday he’s running for Manatee County Commission.
The Manatee Republican filed in District 1, a seat now held by Priscila Whisenant Trace, who has filed for reelection in August. The two will face each other in a Republican primary in August.
Kruse said he wants to bring free market conservativism and private sector appearance to the Commission.
“Manatee County is growing, whether we want it to or not. How we manage that growth is the responsibility of our County Commission,” Kruse said.
“We need a Board that focuses on the key issues facing residents like reducing traffic, keeping taxes low, protecting our beaches, waterways and environment, and growing smarter.”
Kruse has lived in Manatee County since the mid-1980s and in the district since 2008. He grew up in the Sarasota area, graduating from Cardinal Mooney High School in 1993 before attending college at the University of Florida.
After earning his MBA from Columbia Business School, he worked for Raymond James.
In terms of public experience, Kruse has long been involved in efforts to generate affordable housing. On that path, he’s served on Bradenton’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and with the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Attainable Housing Task Force.
He’s now running on a platform that includes that passion, while also promising fiscally conservative tax and budget policy.
“We can keep our taxes low and restructure our county budget so that we have the financial means to tackle problems like aging infrastructure, traffic congestion and workforce housing,” Kruse said.
“Focusing on these issues today is critical. Putting in place long-term plans now, will make Manatee’s predicted growth more sustainable and help retain our community’s small-town feel.”
