David O'Keefe joins packed field for Leon County Commission District 5 race
Another candidate has jumped into the packed field to fill the seat being vacated by Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier.
David O’Keefe, Chief Financial Officer of WFSU Public Media, filed for Leon County District 5 this week as the fifth candidate for the open seat. Dozier announced in November she would not be seeking a fourth term.
O’Keefe, who will leave WFSU next month, joins Paula DeBoles Johnson, David Hawkins, Jay Revell and Dustin Rivest who will face off in the August primary. Such packed fields often lead to a November runoff between the two candidates who secure the most votes.
More: Race for Leon County Commission District 5 is a crowded one
He said he’s focused on spending the next 11 months spreading awareness about his message.
“We need serious leadership to replace Commissioner Dozier’s thoughtful approach — not the stale business-as-usual supported by establishment special interests,” O’Keefe said in a press release announcing his candidacy.
“When so many are struggling to get by and the same long-standing problems continue to plague our community, now is the time for new leaders dedicated to putting the needs of our community first and pursuing new, innovative solutions to our problems.”
O’Keefe’s campaign website lists six key issues that include his top priority of increasing availability of affordable housing. He is also focused on community-first economic development that is also inclusive of all residents, ethics and transparency and environmental justice.
He said local government efforts in growth management, specifically focused on the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency and recent approval of more than $20 million in funding for repairs to Florida State University’s football stadium, is rife with “misplaced priorities.”
“We continue to see misplaced priorities in local government when it comes to growth management and especially at Blueprint where a reckless $20 million+ taxpayer stadium giveaway threatens our ability to invest in economic development for years to come,” he said.
“I’ll bring a people-focused approach aimed at growing our economy equitably and protecting our neighborhoods — not subsidizing developers and big donors with precious taxpayer resources.”
Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Leon County Commission race: David O'Keefe is 5th candidate for District 5 seat
