The Network of Entrepreneurs & Business Advocates (NEBA) will host Tallahassee City Commission Seat 3 candidates Tom Derzypolski and PJ Perez at a candidate forum on Tuesday, Sept. 22, giving local business owners and residents an opportunity to hear from the two candidates ahead of the November election.
The event will be held at the Capital City Country Club, with lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the candidate forum scheduled to begin at noon, according to NEBA.
Derzypolski and Perez emerged from a crowded six-candidate primary for the seat currently held by Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who is giving up the position to run for mayor.
Perez finished first in the Aug. 18 primary, receiving approximately 29% of the vote. Derzypolski secured the second runoff position following one of the closest local election contests in recent years. After machine and manual recounts, Derzypolski finished just 15 votes ahead of third-place candidate Talethia Edwards.
The two candidates have offered contrasting perspectives on several issues facing City Hall. During the primary campaign, Derzypolski, a local business owner and registered no-party-affiliation voter, emphasized fiscal responsibility, public safety and a less divisive approach to city government. Perez, a registered Democrat and former teacher, has called for changes in city priorities and has been more critical of the city’s current direction and management. Tallahassee municipal elections are officially nonpartisan.
The Sept. 22 forum comes as the candidates move into the final weeks of a campaign that could have a significant impact on the balance of power at City Hall. Seat 3 has been represented by Matlow since 2018, and the race is one of several city contests headed to the Nov. 3 general election.
NEBA regularly hosts forums featuring elected officials, candidates and community leaders, with an emphasis on issues affecting local businesses and the Tallahassee economy.
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