Tara Poulton, a 14-year Lakewood Ranch resident running for Manatee County Commission District 6, says roads and infrastructure top her agenda if she wins the at-large seat on Nov. 3.

Poulton, a Republican who lives in the Greenbrook neighborhood, told the Bradenton Herald that overdevelopment is among the top issues facing Manatee County. She said the county needs to "be smarter about what we're putting where, and we certainly need to increase our infrastructure and make sure that our infrastructure is at pace with the speed of development."

She won the Aug. 18 primary with 38.27% of the vote, collecting 16,328 ballots out of 42,661 cast. She faces Democrat Reggie Bellamy, a former Manatee County commissioner, in the general election for the seat Commissioner Jason Bearden is vacating.

Reserves and infrastructure

In an Oct. 15 Q&A with Your Observer, Poulton said she would start by reviewing the county's reserves, capital improvement plan, impact fees and existing contracts. She also pledged to pursue state and federal dollars, citing relationships in Tallahassee and Washington.

That reserves question is live.

Manatee County holds $1.1 billion in reserve funds, according to Your Observer's reporting on Sept. 30. Commission Chair Tal Siddique said he expects no more than $10 million to be released after a Dec. 9 public work session on the topic.

Poulton told the Observer she wants the County Clerk and Comptroller's office involved as "an independent financial watchdog." She also flagged a property tax amendment on the November ballot that could change the county's revenue picture and force a rethink of spending priorities.

Growth and state preemption

Poulton pointed to Senate Bill 180 as an example of how Tallahassee decisions constrain local control over development, including wetlands protections and impact fees. WUSF reported in August that the law bars local governments from adopting tougher land-use regulations for years after a hurricane and effectively blocked Manatee County's attempts to tighten its own development rules.

She said she would work with the county's legislative delegation to advocate for local authority while following state law.

Background

Poulton serves as district chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan. According to her campaign, she helped recover more than $13 million in federal benefits owed to constituents in 2025 and helped secure nearly $3 million in federal appropriations for projects including Valor Commons, a veterans park.

She previously worked as vice president of public policy and workforce partnerships at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and as a senior government affairs regional manager at the Southwest Florida Water Management District. She holds a master of public administration from Florida State University.

Her opponent, Bellamy, is a former District 2 commissioner, Army veteran and executive director of the Palmetto Youth Center. Florida Politics reported in June that Poulton led the District 6 fundraising race with about $40,200 raised, compared with Bellamy's approximately $3,900.

Early voting in Manatee County opens Oct. 19. The general election is Nov. 3.