Tallahassee City Commission Seat 5 candidates gathered Tuesday for a forum hosted by the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates (NEBA). Incumbent Diane Williams-Cox, retired Army veteran Tiffany Hill, and former mayor Dot Inman-Johnson presented competing visions for the city’s economic future and governance.
Current City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cxx won the straw poll of NEBA members with 87% of the vote. Inman-Johnson received 12% and Hill garnered 1%.
A central theme was the role of the Tallahassee International Airport in economic development. Inman-Johnson labeled the airport the “biggest obstacle” to business recruitment, arguing that “simply changing the name from regional to international did not make it an international airport”. Williams-Cox defended the city’s progress, highlighting the development of an international processing center to facilitate global shipping. Hill emphasized a “people-inclusive” approach, suggesting the city must sit down with small businesses to identify specific permitting and incentive needs.
The candidates also sparred over the FSU/TMH academic health center. Williams-Cox championed the partnership as a way to leverage technology and improve rural healthcare. However, Hill raised concerns regarding transparency, noting that “17 documents” were reportedly incomplete when the decision to transfer assets was made. Inman-Johnson stressed that the center is years from reality and must prioritize maintaining indigent healthcare for those without insurance.
Addressing the perceived “3-2 split” on the current commission, Williams-Cox dismissed the narrative as “clickbait,” stating that the commission votes together 93% of the time. Hill countered that the perception exists because residents feel decisions often favor “big business”. Inman-Johnson pointed to broader dysfunction, citing the fire services fee dispute between the city and Leon County as a failure of intergovernmental cooperation.
In their closing statements regarding their first 100 days in office, Hill pledged to “build trust” through community workshops. Inman-Johnson vowed to “mend and heal divisions” between the city and county. Williams-Cox promised to “continue to follow our strategic plan,” maintaining public safety and housing as her top priorities.
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