Jen Ahearn-Koch seeks third term on Sarasota City Commission

Jen Ahearn-Koch is running for a third term on the Sarasota City Commission in the Nov. 3 general election. The at-large race is nonpartisan, with two seats to fill.

Voters choose up to two candidates.

Ahearn-Koch finished first in the Aug. 18 primary with 6,069 votes, or 34.27%, winning 15 of the city's 16 precincts, according to WWSB. She faces Florence Entler and John Harshman in the general election.

Candidate information

Office sought: Sarasota City Commission, At-Large
Age: 62, according to her candidate response to Your Observer
Residence: Ahearn-Koch said she was a permanent resident of Sarasota County from 1978 to 1982 and again since 1996, with connections to the city since 1970
Current role: Sarasota city commissioner and marketing, public relations and graphic design professional, primarily for nonprofits, arts organizations and local businesses, according to her candidate response
Education: Bachelor's degree in international affairs from the American University of Paris (1986); master's degree in international political economy and marketing from Columbia University (1989)

Experience and public service

Ahearn-Koch has served as an at-large commissioner on the Sarasota City Commission since 2017, according to BallotReady. She said this is her third campaign for the seat, having won twice before.

Her political career began about two decades ago with the Tahiti Park Neighborhood Association, where she advocated against a boat storage facility and a condominium project she felt were incompatible with the neighborhood, according to Suncoast Searchlight.

She also served on the City of Sarasota Planning Board. Before entering public office, she worked as marketing, public relations and design director at Mattison's Restaurants & Catering from 2004 to 2016, according to BallotReady. She founded JAK Consults, a marketing and planning firm, in 2001.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Ahearn-Koch's candidate responses to Your Observer and her campaign website.

Taxation: Ahearn-Koch said she wants to see the millage rate come down. The city raised it from 3.0000 to 3.2730 to rebuild reserves after the 2024 hurricanes, she said. She believes a reduction is achievable soon if the city's budget holds steady.

Development and resident input: Ahearn-Koch said she opposes administrative-only development approvals that bypass public hearings. She said she has voted against expanding that process. "Development approval is a three-legged stool. Take out the citizens and it falls," she said in her candidate response.

Downtown planning: Ahearn-Koch said she recommends three changes to the downtown master plan. First, she wants real resident input built into development review through meaningful public hearings. Second, she would introduce varied zoning categories for the Bayfront and Core instead of treating downtown as one district. Third, she would allow buildings to set back from the sidewalk rather than requiring construction to the property line.

Housing: Ahearn-Koch said the city should not become a landlord in its pursuit of affordable housing. She said the city's strength is in community partnerships to produce affordable housing opportunities.

Infrastructure and fiscal priorities: Ahearn-Koch said she would cut capital spending not tied to safety or infrastructure. She would also reduce the General Fund's contribution to parking, which she said is meant to cover its own costs. She said she would prioritize rebuilding the city's reserve fund, which she described as below the recommended range for a city of Sarasota's size, especially after two hurricane seasons.