City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who recently called for the end to three major Blueprint projects, will appear on the Tuesday edition of Above the Fold with Tallahassee Report’s Editor Steve Stewart. To hear the interview you can tune-in to Real Talk 93.3 FM at 11:00 a.m. or stream the show live.
“I have always respected Commissioner Matlow’s allegiance to transparency and look forward to understanding his reasoning for opposing these projects that many think will help our local economy,” said Stewart.
Matlow, who once called the Blueprint process a sham, has continued to call for a change in spending priorities related to Blueprint tax dollars. His approach has raised the ire of fellow commissioners and his positions have caused concern among business people who view Matlow as anti-growth.
During the recent Village Square sponsored Townhall meeting with local government officials, Matlow tweeted:
“Borrowing from today’s residents and sales taxpayers to fund the building of a proposed Convention Center project, $50+ million for a so-called Northeast Gateway, or $60+ million for a hastily-planned Airport Gateway project are ideas whose time has come and gone.”
Matlow has indicated he preferred to spend resources on affordable housing projects and programs designed to reduce poverty. Matlow recently asked his Facebook followers how they would spend $30 million. There have been over 240 responses.
If you have any questions for Commissioner Matlow leave them in the comments section below.
Thanks for your update, Mrs. Matlow... I'm sure we all look forward to the recap of your husbands responses of substance, nuance, and specifically... specifics
:-)
Will never forget him standing in the middle of the protestors right in front of TPD. All things to all people means nothing to anyone.
Matlow crushed it this morning as he has been lately.
What a refreshing conversation full of substance, nuance, specifics, and things that really matter not the usual PR fluff that surrounds local gov as we have known it.
Nice job Steve and Jeremy! Keep up the good work.
The Tallahassee police department has over 30 vacancies and an escalating crime rate. What is his plan to make short qualified applicants want to be police officers in the city of Tallahassee?
Question: Where does Commissioner Matlow stand on Universal Basic Income?
Will Matlow run for mayor?
I remember when the City Commissioners, especially Scott Maddox, was pushing for an 8000 SqFt building for Ballet and Symphony's for the top 2 Percenters and it kept getting major flack from the people that he kept shrinking it until it was going to be just 2000 SqFt. I think they just changed to name of the project to a "Convention Center". The Civic Center is MORE room then they will ever need.
Question: Data shows that local, state, and federal politicians have allocated, and agencies have spent, billions upon billions upon billions of tax dollars for decades upon decades on “affordable housing projects and programs designed to reduce poverty”... and yet the challenges persist and in many respects have grown... explain in specific details supported by empirical data, what your plan(s) is/are and how you intend to validate the expenditures and measure the results of said plan(s)?
Question: You seem to support the notion that due to impacts of Covid, citizens should be able to continue to avoid paying their rent and utility bills - going on north of a year now... as a businessman yourself, exactly how many pizzas have you given away and/or pizza “tabs” have you established over this same period of time... due to the impacts of Covid of course?
Question: You were consistent throughout your campaign, and continued once in office, regarding your disapproval of the City Manager... what is your position today on the matter, and if different, what has changed and why?
This should be a do not miss interview. Thank you Steve.
Some of the hotel/motel properties may not return after the pandemic.
Could you ask how The Commissioner would feel if the owners converted those properties to condominiums and would he be open to allowing the owners decide who to market them to and let the owners control the sale price. Some are well suited for wealthy parents to buy for their collage age kids and also for renting out during football games.
We're w commissioner Mattlow. The sprawl is willie nilly....and he's right, taxing us now for future development is wrong. Our taxes should go to things that make Tallahassee better now...not in far off dreams.