TaMaryn WatersTallahassee Democrat
Tallahassee City Commissioner Curtis Richardson and challenger Dorothy “Dot” Inman-Johnson talked up the pressing topics affecting the city Tuesday during the first of several candidate forums hosted by the local Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates.
Richardson and Inman-Johnson, a former Tallahassee city commissioner, mayor and nonprofit director — the two most recognizable names in the City Commission Seat 2 race — discussed their experience but landed on opposite ends on most issues. Challengers Donna Nyack and Bernard Stevens Jr. did not participate. (Stevens later told a reporter he was prevented from participating after not meeting NEBA’s candidate fundraising requirements but said he paid the $35 entry fee to sit in the audience.)
NEBA has more than 300 members made up of business owners and professionals across various industries. The forum offered insight on how the candidates would prioritize issues impacting residents and the business community.
"This membership is made up of business owners and business professionals and what we're really interested in is what affects the local business climate and quality of life here in Tallahassee and the economic strength and ability that we have here in our community to thrive," NEBA President Hugh Tomlinson said.
While he said NEBA members are focused on several high-interest topics, Tomlinson said the crime rate and how taxpayer resources are spent are paramount.
Yet, the forum kicked off with a question about the reoccurring 3-2 voting split on the City Commission, with Richardson, Mayor John Dailey and Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox as the "power three" and Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter on the losing end of many votes.
"It's the most obvious thing everybody recognizes," Tomlinson said. "So we wanted to figure it out because this particular race will impact the balance of that. It's going to impact it, and so let's go ahead and talk about it."
Richardson, the incumbent, has been on the board since 2014; he was forced into a runoff in 2020 when he didn't get at least 50% of the vote running against four other candidates.
3-2 dynamic on Tallahassee City Commission?
Inman-Johnson, who came to Tallahassee in 1971, made history when she became the first Black woman elected to the City Commission. She served 1984-94, including a stint as mayor when the role rotated among all the commissioners.
She said she's been "embarrassed many times" by activities, policies and practices OK'd by the commission and put in practice by staff.
Tomlinson, as moderator, asked Inman-Johnson, "You previously indicated alignment with Commissioners Porter and Matlow, is that correct? And if you were elected commissioner, what does this mean to the commission balance and how might this impact the direction of the city?"
"My passion and vision for this community is in line with two of the members of the commission," Inman-Johnson said. "As I said in the beginning, I'm a leader. I've been here before. I've served as mayor. I've served as city commissioner, I know the turf probably better than some of the people who are already serving there."
When asked if she's ever disagreed with a vote made by Matlow or Porter, Inman-Johnson said, "I hadn't thought about it because many of the issues I fought for all of my life, like reducing poverty, working with the low income, taking care of children in need. They happen to have many of the same visions."
Richardson said he's always been able to work with elected officials when political or ideological differences surfaced. For example, he's previously served on the Leon County School Board and in the Florida House of Representatives, meaning he's been in local or state-level elected office for almost 24 of the last 34 years.
This year, for the first time while serving on the commission, Richardson said a political committee launched by a colleague to support his challengers was inappropriate. Matlow had formed a state PC, One Tallahassee, in April.
"I've prided myself on that. Even when I was in the Legislature and we (Democrats) were in the minority, we were still able to get bills passed, appropriations in the budget," Richardson said. "Even on the City Commission, I was able to work with former colleagues to get things done."
Richardson said most City Commission votes receive unanimous votes, "but there are times when we differ ideologically from our minority."
"It's not that I'm a third vote. It's just that we happen to believe the way to move this city forward is for all of us to work together," he said. "Not base it on ideology or political party but do what is in the best interest of the residents and guests who come to capital of the state of Florida."
Amazon incentive package: Wise use of taxpayer money?
In September 2023, Amazon opened its $200 million robotic fulfillment center off Mahan Drive and generated more than 1,600 jobs, making it the largest private sector investment in Tallahassee's history.
City and county commissioners on the Intergovernmental Agency Board, which provides direction to Blueprint and the Office of Economic Vitality, agreed to grant the global ecommerce giant $2.5 million in local tax breaks to secure the project. Inman Johnson and Richardson were asked if this was a wise investment.
"I think it was a good investment considering the number of jobs that have been brought to the community," Inman-Johnson said. "However, I would like to see the city invest in aging, antiquated infrastructure in existing parts of our community as well."
Richardson noted he served as vice chairman of the Tallahassee-Leon County Sales Tax Committee more than a decade ago, adding that in addition to addressing infrastructure the committee recommended 12% be carved out for economic development.
"That was to be used toward attracting business to our community, because we were largely a government town and have been for many of the years I've lived here," Richardson said, adding Tallahassee was ranked No. 1 in the country for growing its economy based on the“2023 Leading Metro Locations” report byArea Developmentmagazine.
"We knew we had to grow our private industry base," he said. "We were successful in that respect by attracting Amazon to our community."
Stance on violent crime, hiring more officers?
Both Inman-Johnson and Richardson said public safety should be a top priority for the commission. However, they weren't in agreement about quelling the issue by hiring more officers as recommended by Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. Inman-Johnson said she supports hiring more police officers but doesn't agree with the property tax increase to pay for it.
"If the City Commission had listened to their own financial expert that they hired, their treasurer and clerk, and had listened to their city attorney, they could have dealt with that without having to raise all of our property taxes," she said.
Inman-Johnson said she would have supported a phased-in approach toward getting to the ultimate goal for getting new officers and equipment needed to reduce Tallahassee's crime. In addition, she said the city could have made budget cuts toward the effort but instead raised taxes.
Richardson said "it was a difficult decision to raise even a modest increase in the property taxes."
"But I would not feel comfortable with myself if we did not do all that (we) could to address the violent crime existing in this community," Richardson said. "I was personally affected when a 16-year-old was shot on the church grounds near our home, a personal friend of my youngest daughter. It was a 17-year-old neighbor of ours who killed him. So, yeah, I'm going to support public safety in that respect."
If necessary, regarding raising taxes, Richardson said, "I'd do it again if I had to do it again because we have to make sure our community is safe."
City Commission raise on the ballot?
Voters will decide whether city commissioners should get a pay raise on this year's ballot. Richardson said he agreed to place the issue on the ballot to "let the voters decide."
He talked about being financially secure considering his retirement pension and Social Security income. Richardson said he's never asked for a raise while in office but said others will be coming behind those currently in office.
"It's just equal pay," Richardson said. "Every county commissioner is at $95,000 a year and the mayor. It's just the four city commissioners who are half of what the county commissioners make. I'm looking ahead at what we can expect from those who might want to run but can't afford to on $45,000 per year."
Inman-Johnson countered that "nobody twisted the commissioner's arm to get him to (be) the third vote" to put the salary increase on the ballot after "raising everybody's taxes."
"He voted on that on his own," she said, while pointing out yet-to-be resolved negotiations with the firefighters union and seven executive-level hires in City Manager Reese Goad's administration whose salaries represent roughly $3 million.
Biggest issues facing Tallahassee, collaboration efforts
When asked what are the Tallahassee's biggest issues, Richardson said the city's strategic five-year plan calls for prioritizing violent crimes and affordable housing. Inman-Johnson said Tallahassee's poverty is the biggest issue.
They were also asked if they ever had opportunities in the past to collaborate and support one another, which sparked surprising reactions.
Richardson said he supported her initial run for office, adding he was proud of her becoming a history-maker in local politics. Yet, he said he was "disappointed" to hear Inman-Johnson had issues with how he responded to issues and not address them with him directly.
He said he learned Inman-Johnson was running against him in a late-night text message. Inman-Johnson said she's known Richardson for more than 30 years, back when he was a graduate student and an intern where she worked at the time. She supported his tenure on the School Board, the Florida Legislature and "most of his tenure as a city commissioner."
"When he's sitting here saying I never talked to him, I picked up the phone and called him all the time because I thought I could talk to him as a friend for all of those years and share with him my concerns about his votes," she said. "He told me he would never vote against his professional staff."
A stunned look flashed over Richardson's face, who buried his forehead in his hand as she Inman-Johnson talked.
"I don't know where that is coming from," he replied, followed by light laughter from the audience. "I really don't. Those words have never come from the mouth of Curtis Richardson."
More: Tallahassee Democrat, WFSU, League of Women Voters set slate of local candidate forums
Also: 2024 election: Leon County ballots, candidates set as qualifying week ends
Straw ballot results
∎ NEBA conducted a straw poll of dues-paying members on which of the two candidates they support. Richardson received 72% of the votes cast.
Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.
