The Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates held a forum with the three candidates vying for Tallahassee City Commission Seat 1. The candidates are current City Commissioner Elaine Bryant, Jack Porter, and William Moore.
Listed below are paraphrased answers from the candidates for ten questions that we found to be the most direct and decisive.
The one-hour forum can de viewed at here.
Q. What is the single most important issue facing Tallahassee today and what are your plans to address it?
William Moore (WM): Arresting people for petty drug crimes. We need to stop criminalizing petty drug use and get help for drug addicts.
Jack Porter (JP): Equitable growth. Developers need a predictable environment and the public needs to be heard on these issues.
Elaine Bryant (EB): I believe COVID-19 is the biggest issue and it impacts all facets of our community.
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Q. With the recent economic down-turn and many small businesses in our area struggling to survive, do you feel this is the appropriate time to impose additional tax burdens in order to fund a Children’s Services Council? Yes or No. And why?
WM: Not sure.
JP: I am concerned about accountability, still deciding.
EB: Yes. I support the tax but I will not be surprised if it does not pass given the current circumstances.
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Q. What current elected official, at any level, do you see as a role-model for you and why?
WM: Mayor John Dailey. He is a nice guy.
JP: Leon County Commissioner Kristen Dozier. She is thoughtful.
EB: I respect elected officials that are ethical, honest, and leaders.
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Q. Businesses are concerned about crime and law enforcement. Do you think local law enforcement has (or will have) issues similar to what we are seeing in other areas of the US? How are we doing in this area?
WM: Police officers need more training. We should hire quality over quantity.
JP: We need to review use of force policy and make sure the community has a voice in the process.
EB: Are there Issues? Absolutely. We need too make sure the the use of force is consistent with best practices.
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Q.What is the ONE thing voters should know that most separates you from the other candidates?
WM: I am the only candidate talking about the impact of arresting people for petty drug issues.
JP: The community support I am receiving during the campaign from both sides of the aisle shows I can bring people together.
EB: Experience. My 18 months of experience as a Tallahassee City Commissioner and my career in Tallahassee.
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Q. Have the City of Tallahassee ethics issues been addressed?
WM: No.
JP: No.
EB: Yes.
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Q. Do you support the mask mandate?
WM: Don’t know. Need more information.
JP: Yes.
EB: Yes.
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Q. Do you support the selection of Police Chief Revell?
WM: No.
JP: No.
EB: Yes.
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Q. Do you support the use of taxpayer dollars to paint political messages on roadways?
WM: No.
JP: No.
EB: Did not answer.
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Q. Under current circumstance, should schools open for children who want to attend?
WM: No.
JP: No.
EB: Yes.
City Commission Forum Provides Answers to Controversial Questions added by Staff on
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Bryant:. Insiders people Pleasers! Good grief another empty vessel with no chances for being elected by the People for an earned WIN!
Porter:. Screwed up major by aligning herself with DOZIER in any capacity! Too bad!
Moore:. Wet behind the ears and another empty vessel with no chances of getting that WIN!
Ultra-left-wing social engineer (abyssal)
democrat machine candidate (status quo)
Student (?)
Woof!
Ironically, the kid is the best choice.
Nor voting for an endorsed candidate is not an insult. However, I get your meaning. From the comments it sounds as if several people were expecting–I don’t know–George Washington?
Look, everybody who is trashing Commissioner Bryant needs to remember that Mayor Dailey supports Dr. Bryant! Don’t do this good man wrong by insulting his intelligence and judgement, that is for GOD and not you!
Whatever Mayor Flintstone Black Lives Matters thinks, i’ll do the opposite thank you very much. He once was a decent man when he had to answer to his district, but he has gone his own way now and so too have the voters. He endorsed “Doctor” Bryant because Reverend RB Holmes has him by his proverbial balls. He is too busy worried about which church to pay off and which mural to paint next instead of seeing the corruption take place right in front of him with his staff. Grab your popcorn and wait for the FBI tapes to come out, then see how much the Mayor loves his city manager and Curtis doesn’t see any clouds.
Anyone like “Doctor” Bryant who solicits an endorsement from Notebook Rocky Hanna, takes money from Sean Pittman, John Marks and Anita Favors is a bye bye for me. And lastly, don’t bring God into this, City Hall is a place for sinners and rezonings. And the Reverends aren’t there for rezonings…
AMEN!
Anyone that supports opening brick and mortar schools has their head in the sand. One kid tests positive and the whole class plus teacher will get sent home for two weeks. Guess what? all those parents are also under 2 weeks quarantine.
Trump wants the economy to improve thus helping his chance of re-election. Well the economy can’t improve unless people go back to work. Well people can’t go back to work unless their kids are in school. Is it no wonder that the Republicans want kids in school? Sacrifice our kids for the economy.
Only problem is that kids can and will get COVID just like a cold and pass it around to parents and grandparents. And they will bring it into their offices and work locations.
We will never get this thing under control.
I had the great misfortune to have worked for EB once. Believe me. Once was enough! She was always quick to tell everyone that she was the most intelligent person in the room. No one knew more about any topic than her. She was selfish, arrogant, kissed the behind of anyone with authority over her. She “led from behind,” always. Also, she liked nothing more than to humiliate men and to publicly ridicule them, black or white. There was a reason she was appointed.
I don’t know EB personally, but from watching her behavior in public and the answers to these questions I get the same impression.
Willie,
I believe I have heard this before and with the information that you and Thomas have provided calls for investigative reporting by some media Outlets into Bryant’s inner dealings at City Hall.
One needs to ask was she hired just to rubber stamp sweetheart deals through the system to benefit the elected officials themselves? Was she a genuine bonafide contractor procured for the benefit of the citizens or for the benefit of those elected officials hiring her to have her put her stamp of approval on corruptive deals going through the system with taxpayers none the wiser?
No wonder she and Curtis Richardson are so tight even having a secret text message between them which they refuse to divulge making it a violation of the Sunshine Law?
Was she a co-conspirator to the corruption?
TALLAHASSEE’S BIGGEST PROBLEM:
MOORE: Arresting people for petty drug crimes.
PORTER: Equitable growth.
BRYANT: COVID-19
WOW, Really, you think THESE are our biggest problems? I would say it is our Crime Rate. Violent Crime & Repeat Offenders. We need to HELP our Law Enforcement, not HINDER them. Once we get a handle on the crime, the rest will be easy, the Economy will grow and more Businesses will WANT to come here.
MOORE: Proves he is way to wet behind the ears (just a kid) with his answers. Thinks Tallahassee’s biggest problem is arresting people for small amounts of drugs. That makes me wonder why he thinks that.
BRYANT: Doesn’t think the Commission & Staff has an Ethics problem…….that’s why RICHARDSON and Daily are endorsing her. IF she answers questions, they are middle of the road answers or not even about the topic. Her 18 months as a Commissioner does not help her as she has not done a thing since day one but vote with the majority.
PORTER: Cute, easy on the eyes, needs to learn a LOT more about the CSC and Vote NO on it.
To sum it up…… I am GLAD I live out in the County and can’t be blamed for who got elected……………
Seat 1 is a disaster for candidates that are good for Tallahassee. Same tired liberal mantra that is lining up with blm, and the rest of the ‘current theme’ that we see on 5 television stations. Not one candidate, when asked about the single most important issue in Tallahassee, expressed concern about the waste of tax $$$ on unnecessary ‘projects’. Downtown Tallahassee rings a very large bell on this one. Second point. Porter likes Kristin Dozier. Has Porter read enough to know that Dozier is still tied to J.T. Burnette with her ‘real estate deal’? In this race of three bad candidates, you have to decide who is the ‘least worst’ of the three.
I agree with all the comments regarding Potter’s response regarding Kristen Dozier.
She made a rookie mistake in that Kristen appointed her to a committee, I believe, and she was grateful for the benefit she received. Having to think quickly on the spot she should have name someone who has benefited humanity and not herself. She is young and made a rookie mistake.
I didn’t agree with all her answers but she is on the right track and I believe she really wants to do a good job and serve the citizens.
I would advise her to lean a little more right going forward and tone down her liberalism.
Excellent observation, Franklin. We are 0 for 3 for a good candidate for Seat 1. Instead of voting for the least bad of the three candidates I think it prudent to stay home and not vote for anyone in the Seat 1 race. Yes, one of them will become a commissioner but you will be blameless for the ineptitude of whomever becomes City Commissioner, Seat 1.
EB makes me laugh. EB was/is a management consultant by trade. She was a city vendor and as that vendor was the architect of the City reorganization that elevated scores of staff and increased salaries. Remember that? She did this under the tutelage of former City Managers Anita Favors and the ethically challenged Ric Fernandez and Reece Goad. Her work was also much appreciated by Scott Maddox John Marks, and Mayor Andy.
Remember, She has been a commissioner for 18 months and the power of incumbency in politics goes a long way and makes getting elected a little easier.
But most important, the citizens of Tallahassee,NEVER elected her. She was chosen by the mayor and then city commissioners to replace Scott Maddox. Yes, that is correct. The same group of people who were being investigated by the FBI appointed Elaine Bryant. Not you. You did dot get to vote.
Unfortunately it seems we have 3 really poor choices for this election. All three candidates will be stooges. I think Jack may be the most palatable, but still really poor options all around.
Just three quick takeaways if I may.
Moore: I’m encouraged by younger folks who seek to engage in local leadership. However, his intellectual maturity level is not there yet. Keep at it.
Porter: The most prepared and in-depth of the three. I would say she came out on top, with respect to this forum. Be certain to understand the difference between a “Resolution” and an “Ordinance” (mask mandate) Concerns about her indecisiveness on the CSC at this point, but prefer that over full-blown support of it.
Bryant: Nice lady to be sure , and I agree with her stance on opening schools… the “scientific” data supports it. However, that is a School Board decision, not a City Commission decision. With respect to the Marxist mural question; own it, or disavow it… but she simply cannot refuse to or avoid answering that question at this point – it’s completely inexcusable to do so.
Wow, thanks for this TR! Great job! Now I can see all three candidates are despicable based on the sum of all their answers. All three are progressive leftists to some degree or another. Not surprised being in the Capitol District. I was sorta leaning toward Jack Porter but her stance on the face diaper lost me. Love how these leftists want to mandate new taxes with no accountability and what you put on your body but then trash TPD and demand more accountability and oversight when we are not Chiraq or Murderapolis. If JP looks to Kristen Dozier, my County Kommisar then heaven help us. Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor! Ugh.
All three candidates are a disappointment. All socialists spouting the Democrat Party mantra.
It it utterly strange that the best candidate for a public office is a 27 year old with limited experience. It begs the question as to why Elaine Bryant was appointed in the first place. Those who threw their weight behind her in the appointment process are surely regretting it, but I suppose that’s what elections are for. We deserve better.
Elaine Bryant’s character or lack thereof is exposed in this forum. She was a main source behind the taxpayer misuse of funds for the painting of a political message on a roadway
This decision was wrong on so many levels and did nothing to improve Tallahassee.
Tax dollars were wasted, employees were put at risk in a pandemic, it incited violence, and it hurts the businesses in that area.
When asked about it she refused to answer the question and take accountability for her controversial decision.
Where have we seen this before? Curtis Richardson refused to answer questions about his “bundled” contributions in a recent candidate forum.
Vote Jack for City Commission!
Elaine Bryant seems like a very nice lady, but I don’t understand how she can think that the COVID is the biggest threat to the people of our city and also want to send our kids back to school.
Does she have a plan? If so, why hasn’t she told us what it is? Seems like a check she can’t cash.
A lot of sideways answers here from Bryant… If her whole deal is touting her experience I’m hard-pressed to see that shine through in a way that doesn’t hinge upon pseudo-consultant doublespeak.
On the other hand, Porter comes through clearly and decisively. She earned my vote tonight.
Moore is completely out of the question. Porter is light on experience and heavy on idealism. Bryant is bland. This group makes the county commission candidates look good.
Lots of typos and mistakes but otherwise the big takeaways are 1) Insider Elaine supports a new tax and 2) Elaine thinks City Hall is ethical now.
Porter is looking good! I think we can work with her.
Article has been edited. Thanks