The two candidates for the Tallahassee City Commission race were the first to arrive in the event hall for their debate Monday hosted by the Capital Tiger Bay Club.
Incumbent Commissioner Curtis Richardson and his challenger, former Mayor Dot Inman-Johnson, said two sentences to each other, instead focusing on placing their campaign material on tables before audience members arrived. They saved their words for each other for the hour-long debate, where they criticized each other’s campaign fundraising, policy directions, and political allegiances.
That serious tone fits the contentiousness of their race. If Inman-Johnson wins, it could upset the current 3-2 divide at city hall, flipping control to the minority faction consisting of Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter. That context bled into almost every question asked during the debate.
Here’s a breakdown of the most pivotal issues discussed:
Campaign funding
Richardson has received tens of thousands of dollars from local developers and businesses, while political committees that have supported him have received over $75,000 from local Republicans. Inman-Johnson has also received tens of thousands from green energy-focused political committees from outside Florida via another committee operated by Commissioner Jeremy Matlow.
During the debate, both candidates said where their opponents gets their funding clouds their judgement. Inman-Johnson pointed out many of the businesses donating to Richardson’s campaign have done work with Tallahassee.
“A majority of donations for Curtis' campaign come from developers and contractors who are currently doing business with the city. That is a conflict of interest,” she said.
Richardson said getting money from them doesn’t mean he is beholden to them, and he is not for sale.
“Yes, I have gotten money from developers, but they are people who live in this community. They own businesses in this community. They create jobs in this community. They pay taxes in this community, and they should have an opportunity to contribute to campaigns,” he said.
The commissioner argued Inman-Johnson receiving money from environmental groups brings outsider influence into Tallahassee.
“Why is that money pouring into Tallahassee? It ain't got nothing to do with good government in the City of Tallahassee. There will be expectations when over $100,000 have come through a one Tallahassee political action committee to fund one campaign,” he said.
Inman-Johnson defended receiving support.
“Environmental groups from outside of Tallahassee support me because they support good environmental policies wherever they are in the United States, and that does not do anything for me. It helps our community. It preserves our natural resources, our habitat and protects us from the kind of storm damage we've been receiving,” she said.
Undergrounding powerlines
The topic of undergrounding powerlines again has become a topic amid a dramatic hurricane season. Undergrounding all the current powerlines in the city would cost billions.
At the debate, both candidates were asked if they would support a hypothetical one-cent sales tax to underground all of the city’s powerlines. Both said they are unsure.
Richardson said it depends on what Tallahassee residents want.
“We would have to have that conversation as a community. And if that's what the community is willing to do as their representative, I would say we would move forward,” he said.
Inman-Johnson said she was also unsure but argues the focus should be on the city’s urban core instead of expanding utilities into newly built developments.
“Instead of rushing to the Georgia line and the county line with infrastructure for new development, we should be putting aside that money to safeguard our existing city,” she said.
Tallahassee’s Southside
When asked what the focus of the next four years on the commission would be if elected, Richardson said he would want to continue to focus on developing Tallahassee’s Southside.
“We've got millions of dollars in projects slated for the south side of Tallahassee, so that people in that area, including my family, feel that we live in this all-America city. A star Metro transfer facility, a new park, the Columbia gardens apartments, the list goes on and on,” he said.
Inman-Johnson said the current investment isn’t being felt and Richardson isn’t being a strong enough advocate.
“They are city projects he's taking credit for. And drug stores are leaving. Grocery stores are leaving. Liquor stores are coming in, and the people on the south side do not sense those improvements,” she said.
Richardson responded that he doesn’t take credit, but he did advocate for those projects. He also added a dig of his own.
“They certainly didn't happen 30 years ago, when she was on the commission and was forced out by the public,” he said.
Inman-Johnson responded that she did work to protect the Southside while in office, including advocating against a coal plant being built there in 1992.
3-2 split
Richardson frequently votes with the three-commissioner majority bloc, consisting of Mayor John Dailey and Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox. Inman-Johnson has been endorsed by the two minority bloc commissioners and has received support from a political committee operated by City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow.
When asked about that split, Inman-Johnson said she would be a moderating voice on the city commission. Richardson didn’t see it that way.
“I wasn't the one that said when I announced my campaign for re-election that I would be a third vote for a particular faction on the City Commission. My opponent did that. She said that she would be a third vote for the current minority faction, if you will. I am willing to work with anyone who's willing to work with me, I have demonstrated that,” he said.
While she admitted she would be a third progressive voice on the commission, she said she would work to address the needs of everyone in Tallahassee.
“A progressive vote does not mean that you don't respect the needs of business and the needs of the community and the neighborhoods that need to help. Until we can create an intersection between those in need in our community and their income inequity, and what the business community is creating, we cannot jump up and down and cheer until all of our citizens are doing well,” she said.