Campaign Phone
727-500-0713
Education
USF
Professional Experience
Small business owner of 25+ years.
Public Service
Mayor of St. Pete Beach
As Mayor, I’ve led the city during its most challenging time in history, with two historic storms and intense development pressure. I’ve lowered taxes for homeowners, reduced crime, and I’ve held developers accountable to our Comprehensive Plan, so they pay their fair share of infrastructure & services costs. I have restored transparency & accountability at City Hall, and I helped hire a new city manager, city attorney, and staff realigned with serving residents, not special interests.
First is overdevelopment pressure. I voted NO on the Sirata and Tradewinds expansion projects and I negotiated $5.6M in contributions from the Corey Landings project for infrastructure, sewers, streets, and real community benefits like a public park and public boat docks. I will continue to make sure developers pay their fair share, in taxes, infrastructure, and real community benefits
Second is resilience and infrastructure. Our aging sewer, stormwater, and roads in a climate-exposed community need over $200M of investment. I’ve already advanced a long-term capital planning and funding strategies to raise the necessary funds without raising property taxes for our homeowners.
What we accomplished is unprecedented after catastrophic situation; we processed over 8,600 permits since Helene & Milton, we waived over $4M in permit fees for homeowners. We hired 30+ employees for the building & permit departments, we created a volunteer program of 40+ residents to help neighbors navigate the permit process. We've taken huge steps to improve upon our permitting system; we have collected feedback from residents, contractors, & volunteers to implement a 10-point plan including a process to issue same-day permits, improved communication, extended hours, in-person support, and more. We already have new contracts in place for cleanup, debris removal. and storm inspections, to be even more prepared in the future.
I support cutting taxes and have already voted multiple times to reduce them. I also proposed a 7-point plan to offset the financial burden on residents and shift it to the tourists. I support eliminating property taxes for St. Pete Beach homeowners and I have already taken steps to make sure that if this becomes a reality, we are prepared without sacrificing core services.
Florida’s home-rule is essential, and I have been an outspoken opponent of the erosion of home-rule authority in Florida. Local governments understand their communities best and need flexibility to address unique challenges, especially coastal resilience, land use and development, and infrastructure. The state should set broad, consistent standards, while local governments retain the authority to tailor solutions to local conditions. A strong state-local partnership, not state preemption, is the right balance.
Affordable housing requires targeted, realistic solutions. I support workforce housing through zoning flexibility where appropriate, through partnerships with nonprofit and private sectors, without overdevelopment. Stricter controls on short-term rentals could also have a positive impact on rental availability to broad income sector of our residents.
My administration has already started addressing the issue. We are in the midst of a citywide inspection, videoing, and maintenance program for miles of main and lateral sewer lines. We’ve prioritized the replacement of Pump Station 1 and the sewer line to St Petersburg, the main pump and lines to evacuate waste from the city. work to protect reclaimed water production. Senate Bill 180 may limit local flexibility, making long-term planning and funding even more critical. Continued investment, data-driven targeting, and preserving local authority to manage infrastructure are essential to meeting water-quality standards.
Campaign Phone
7273284585
Education
University of South Florida
Professional Experience
Project Management Professional
Public Service
St. Pete Beach Police Pension Board, Belle Vista Civic Association Board
I’m a professional project manager with experience delivering complex infrastructure projects on time and on budget. I’ll apply that expertise to strengthen infrastructure and resilience. Serving on the Police Pension Board and Belle Vista Civic Association gives me firsthand insight into public safety and community needs. I bring collaborative, fiscally responsible, results-driven leadership focused on helping residents recover and rebuild while protecting our character.
The first challenge is storm resiliency and recovery. I will prioritize long-term infrastructure investments, routine maintenance, and preparedness planning before storms hit. The second challenge is our broken city processes that slow recovery. I will streamline permitting, improve coordination with county, state, and federal partners, and realign city priorities to help residents and businesses return faster.
As I stated in my previous answer, storm preparedness must be continuous, not reactive. I will focus on infrastructure maintenance, stormwater and wastewater resiliency, and clear emergency planning. Recovery must be faster and fairer. I will streamline permitting, improve inspection coordination, and advocate for flexibility for residents and businesses struggling to navigate the daunting bureaucratic process of approvals for recovery measures. Clear communication, predictable timelines, and resident-focused processes are essential to helping families rebuild and return home more quickly.
I support a smart, balanced approach to Property tax relief, especially in our community, where so many are struggling to get back on their feet. Eliminating services that residents rely on is unacceptable. I will pursue alternative revenue sources already available, including fair use of the Penny for Pinellas sales tax, tourist development taxes, and transportation impact fees. The goal should be easing the burden on residents while maintaining essential services, protecting infrastructure, and ensuring long-term financial stability for the city.
Local governments are best positioned to understand local needs, but collaboration with the state is essential, especially after disasters. Home rule should be preserved while improving coordination, flexibility, and responsiveness. The state should empower municipalities to recover faster and address infrastructure challenges without unnecessary barriers, while maintaining accountability and preserving our municipality’s ability to maintain its character.
Affordable workforce housing solutions must fit the scale and character of St. Pete Beach. I support partnerships with county and regional programs, incentives for workforce housing where appropriate, and policies that allow residents and workers to stay in the community without overdevelopment. Any housing strategy must balance affordability with infrastructure capacity, environmental protection, and neighborhood character.
This will require sustained investment in sewer maintenance, pipe rehabilitation, and system upgrades. I will prioritize coordination with St. Petersburg to protect reclaimed water access and ensure compliance. Private sewer laterals from homes to the street are part of the challenge, and we can help residents upgrade their pipes as part of the solution, using St. Petersburg’s approach as a potential model. While Senate Bill 180 highlighted the need for proactive planning and clear timelines, I will maintain open communication with state leaders to avoid unintended policy impacts. Strong project management, intergovernmental coordination, and reliable funding are essential to protecting water quality and long-term resiliency.
