Addressing local business owners at a Network of Entrepreneurial Business Owners (NEBA) forum, Tallahassee City Commission candidates Tom Derzypolski and PJ Perez laid out contrasting approaches to managing urban growth, protecting small businesses, and steering the city through looming fiscal challenges.
Competing for an open seat on the commission, both first-time candidates pitched themselves as practical problem-solvers capable of moving past political dysfunction, even as they detailed differing visions for economic development, city budget priorities, and local government transparency.
Growth, Urban Sprawl, and the Local Economy
Perez, a veteran high school teacher of 16 years, framed his platform around curbing suburban sprawl and highlighting Tallahassee’s distinct cultural identity. Drawing on post-World War II development metrics like “value per acre,” Perez warned that extending city infrastructure into outer fringes creates long-term debt burdens for future generations.
Perez criticized generic developments like vape shops and car washes, urging the city to instead commercialize research from Florida A&M University (FAMU), Florida State University (FSU), and Tallahassee State College (TSC) to retain young professionals. Furthermore, Perez voiced strong opposition to committing municipal tax dollars for roads, water, and sewer infrastructure in distant developments like the proposed Wani project.
Derzypolski, a Navy veteran and longtime local business owner with 25 years of civic involvement, countered with a plan focused on regional collaboration, infill development, and creating a business-friendly environment. Derzypolski advocated incentivizing housing growth within the urban core inside Capital Circle to revitalize neglected neighborhoods, reduce crime, and meet affordable housing demands without taking on speculative suburban debt. He stressed that local government must change its mindset from “no” to “how can we make this work,” pointing to target sectors such as academic medical development, medical technology, and workforce training partnerships to drive high-wage career growth.
Party Affiliations and Independent Leadership
With neither candidate having previously held public office, both spent significant time explaining recent shifts in their political party registrations.
Derzypolski recently changed his registration from Republican to No Party Affiliation (NPA). Recounting his enlistment in the Navy at 18 and his past votes for family members like former State Senator Bill Montford, Derzypolski explained that growing frustration with national partisan rhetoric led him to align as an NPA. He rejected accusations from opponents labeling him a “MAGA-aligned” candidate, insisting local voters are thirsty for independent, level-headed leadership that evaluates projects on merit rather than party lines.
Perez, who previously registered as an NPA to keep political ideology out of his high school classroom, recently re-registered as a Democrat. He explained that the shift was a pragmatic move to signal his core values to voters in a broad electorate where direct conversation with every citizen is impossible. Responding to questions regarding external progressive group endorsements, Perez emphasized that his campaign is rooted in local issues detailed transparently on his website.
Fiscal Stewardship, Amendment 3, and Utility Rates
Fiscal management stood out as a sharp point of consensus and debate, particularly regarding Florida’s proposed Amendment 3 property tax measure. Both candidates declared their opposition to the amendment, warning that it would strip local decision-making authority and severely slash municipal revenues.
If state property tax cuts pass, Perez proposed trimming bloated executive salaries and eliminating administrative redundancies while protecting public safety at all costs. On energy policy, Perez resisted automatic electric rate hikes for renewables, advocating creative alternatives such as rooftop solar, net metering, neighborhood agrivoltaics, and localized microgrids to preserve grid resiliency.
Derzypolski warned that revenue losses from Amendment 3 would threaten essential quality-of-life programs, including parks, libraries, and performing arts. He firmly opposed raising utility rates to accelerate renewable energy transitions, citing the immediate financial strain on working families struggling with everyday grocery and prescription costs.
Governance, Transparency, and Community Priorities
Both candidates expressed strong dissatisfaction with the process behind the City Commission’s recent appointment of new City Manager. Perez criticized the selection process and her $317,000 starting salary with a $1,000 monthly car allowance as tone-deaf during an affordability crisis. Derzypolski agreed the compensation package was overly generous for a starting figure, arguing that future raises should be strictly tied to performance metrics, though he emphasized that she deserves a fair shot to execute the commission’s direction.
When asked about allegations concerning fake social media accounts operated by city staff, Perez dismissed the controversy as “keyboard warrior” distraction that fails to reflect the daily concerns of working families. Derzypolski called for transparent, courageous leadership, stating that city staff should never engage in divisive behavior on taxpayer time.
The NEBA straw poll of its members was won by Derzypolski who received 95% of the vote while Perez garnered 5%.
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