♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELL, WELCOME TO THE EIGHTH IN OUR SERIES OF POLITICAL CANDIDATE FORUMS IN ADVANCE OF THE AUGUST 23 PRIMARY ELECTION.

THIS FORUM, A COOPERATIVE PRODUCTION OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TALLAHASSEE, THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT AND WFSU PUBLIC MEDIA.

OUR CANDIDATES TODAY ARE RUNNING FOR TALLAHASSEE CITY COMMISSION SEAT 3.

I'M TOM FLANIGAN FROM WFSU PUBLIC MEDIA.

I'M JOINED BY WILLIAM HATFIELD FROM THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT AND TRISH NEELY FROM THELEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF OF TALLAHASSEE WHO WILL BE QUESTIONING THE CANDIDATES ON VARIOUS TOPICS.

LET'S GET A QUICK LOOK AT THE GROUND RULES AND MEET THE CANDIDATES.

>> THE CANDIDATES FOR CITY COMMISSION SEAT 3 SITTING LEFT TO RIGHT IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER ARE DAVID BELLAMY AND JEREMY MATLOW, WHO IS THE INCUMBENT IN THIS RACE.

FOR THOSE OF US WATCHING -- FOR THOSE WATCHING US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PLEASE HIT THE SHARE BUTTON AND HELP ALL YOUR FRIENDS SEE TODAY'S DISCUSSION.

OOH HERE'S HOW THE FORUM WILL WORK: WE WILL ROTATE WHICH CANDIDATES GET TO ANSWER FIRST.

WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT, SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE CANDIDATES TO KEEP YOUR ANSWERS TO ABOUT 60 SECONDS, SOMETIMES SHORTER FOR FOLLOW-UPS.

WE WILL KEEP TIME, AND WE WILL MAKE IT CLEAR WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP BECAUSE YOU WILL HEAR THIS -- [BACKGROUND SOUNDS] YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME TO A DEAD STOP, BUT PLEASE FINISH YOUR SENTENCE, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE MOVE ON.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FORUM ARE, WE WILL HAVE FABLED LIGHTNING ROUND, AND WE ASK YOU TO KEEP YOUR ANSWERS TO JUST ONE SENTENCE.

AT THE END OF THE FORUM, YOU'LL HAVE 90 SECONDS TO MAKE YOUR CASE DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS.

YOU CAN SHARE YOUR WEB SITE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION AT THAT POINT.

>> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING ON FACEBOOK AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CANDIDATES, GO AHEAD AND TYPE THEM IN THE COMMENT SECTION, AND WE WILL GET TO AS MANY OF THEM AS WE CAN.

TIME IS VERY LIMITED, SO YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF YOUR QUESTION BEING ASKEDIF YOU KEEP IT BRIEF AND DEFINITELY KEEP IT POLITE AND MAKE IT A QUESTION THAT'S APPLICABLE TO BOTH OF OUR CANDIDATES.

SO, CANDIDATES, ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET STARTED?

>> NO, MA'AM.

>> ALL RIGHT.

HEN LET'S JUST JUMP RIGHT MANY WITH THE FIRST QUESTION.

>> AND WE WILL JUMP IN WITH THIS QUESTION, AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, MR. BELLAMY, IF WE COULD, AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO RESPOND HERE.

WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, IN YOUR OPINION, AFFECTING THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE AND WHY?

>> NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS POVERTY E. POVERTY, POVERTY, POVERTY.

POVERTY LEADS TO ALL OF OUR ILLS.

IT LEADS TO THE CRIME RATE, IT LEADS TO A LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IT LEADS TO GENTRIFICATION AND POOR EDUCATION.

WE HAVE GOT TO FIX OUR ISSUES WITH POVERTY.

AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO PROVIDE OUR PEOPLE WHO WHO LIVE IN POVERTY WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED WITH A GOOD CAREER.

IF NOT JUST A JOB THAT PAYS $15 AN HOUR WHERE THE MOST YOU CAN HOPE IS $31,000 A YEAR WHICH IS STILL BARELY OVER POVERTY, BUT A REAL CAREER WITH BENEFITS, ADVANCEMENT, RETIREMENT.

YOU FIX POVERTY AND YOU WILL NOT NEED TO FIX MiG ELSE.

>> THANK YOU, SIR.

MR. MATLOW, YOUR TURN ON THAT ONE.

>> THANK YOU, TOM.

POVERTY'S THE ISSUE, BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS HOW ARE WE SOLVING IT.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE SEE MOST OF OUR TAX DOLLARS GOING TO BENEFIT WELL-CONNECTED INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INSIDE TRACK TO THE SYSTEM.

I GREW UP IN TALLAHASSEE, I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER OF FOUR KIDS, AND I CAN REMEMBER ON THE SOUTH SIDE LIVING IN POVERTY, WAKING UP HUNGRY, TOO HUNGRY TO EVEN GET OUT OF BED AND START MY DAY.

MY MOM HAD THIS CAR WITH THIS RATTLING MUFFLER, AND I WOULD HEAR IT COMING HOME, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A DINNER BILL ASK THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET TO EAT THAT DAY.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY ARE FOOD INSECURE.

WE HAVE WORKING PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

THAT NUMBER CLIMBS TO NEARLY HALF, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING MANY TALLAHASSEE IS OUR SPENDING PRIORITIES AREN'T ADDRESSING THAT.

INSTEAD OF WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT OF POVERTY, WE GIVE $27 MILLION FOR LUXURY STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT, AND IT'S THE MAIN REASON I'M RUNNING AGAIN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT OVER TO A HOT TOPIC OF CRIME HERE.

THIS QUESTION COMES TO US FROM THE URBAN LEAGUE.

BY OUR COUNT ON TALLAHASSEE.COM, 13 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 50 HAVE BEEN INJURED IN 77 SERIOUS SHOOTINGS THIS YEAR IN THE CAPITAL CITY AND COUNTY.

EVERY FORUM THAT NUMBER GOES UP.

RECENTLY WE SAW A FORMER A MARINE WHO WAS GUNNED DOWN AS HE ANSWERED HIS DOOR AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

WHAT SPECIFIC INITIATIVES WILL YOU TAKE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE FROM CRIME?

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> YEAH, THANK YOU.

AND THIS QUESTION, I THINK, IS TOP OF MIND FOR EVERYBODY, AND MY HEART TRULY GOES OUT TO ALL THE FAMILIES THAT THIS HAS AFFECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE ALL FEEL LIKE EVEN ONE DEATH FROM GUN VIOLENCE IS ONE TOO MANY FOR TALLAHASSEE.

I THINK OUR COMMUNITY REALIZES THAT IF WE REDUCE THE CRIME -- THE POVERTY RATE, IF WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALTERNATIVE DIRECTIONS IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, WE WILL SEE OUR CRIME RATE START TO GO DOWN.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A NEED TO ADDRESS THIS IMMEDIATE GUN VIOLENCE ISSUE THAT WE'RE FACING.

THAT'S WHY LAST YEAR -- THIS YEAR THE CITY COMMISSION DEDICATED A MILLION DOLLARS OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET SOLE WILY TO GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGIES.

WE'LL BE TAKING PROPOSALS FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW THAT CAN IMPACT NOW.

NOT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT BRING THE NUMBERS DOWN, BUT HOW CAN WE COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGING IN THIS ACTIVITY, HOW CAN WE LOOK AT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, GUN VIOLENCE INTERDICTION, HOW CAN WE TAKE REAL MONEY AND FIND A SOLUTION TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

DAVID CAN BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> SO THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO CRIME, AGAIN, IS TO DO CAN AWAY WITH POVERTY.

YOU FIX POVERTY, YOU FIX CRIME.

THE INTERMEDIATE SOLUTION IS TO WORK ON INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.

TEMPO HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF TAKING AT-RISK CHILDREN, GETTING THEM THROUGH COLLEGE OR A G CONSCIENTIOUS -- BED WITH -- GED WITH A HE CREATE MATE RATE.

WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT A DIVERSION PROGRAMS THAT KEEP CHILDREN OUT OF THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM.

WE HAVE A CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.

IN THE SHORT TERM, THE WAY WE NEED TO FIX IS BY WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOODS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY WANT THE POLICE TO SERVE THEM.

AND THEN THE POLICE NEED TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE.

BUT WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO STAND UP TO GROUPS THAT DON'T LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEN INTERVENE AND TRY TO GET THE POLICE TO LEAVE.

WE ARE SERVING A NEIGHBORHOOD THE WAY THEY WANT TO BE SERVED, WE HAVE TO STAND FIRM WHEN PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ARE UNHAPPY ABOUT IT.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHAT MATTERS THE MOST, AND THEY SHOULD BE SERVED AS THEY WANT, WITHIN REASON.

>> THANK YOU.

AS A FOLLOW-UP FOR 30 SECONDS, WE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS SPEAKERS AT THE IS CITY COMMISSION MEETING LAST WEEK THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING MONEY FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BUDGET AND FUNNELING IT INTO SOCIAL SERVICES.

IS THAT A CONCEPT YOU SUPPORT?

IF DAVID BELLAMY.

>> NO.

DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT A GOOD PLAN.

I THINK JEREMY HAS ALLUDED TO, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S EVER SAID THAT, BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLAN.

HOWEVER, IT IS CLEAR THAT OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS ARE WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED.

I JUST DON'T THINK THAT YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL.

BOTH ENTITIES ARE NEEDED.

SO WE NEED TO INVEST PRIMARILY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> THANK YOU.

JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

>> THANK YOU.

YEAH, I THINK OUR SOCIAL SERVICES ARE SEVERELY UNDERFUNDED.

WHEN WE HAVE OUR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS TELL US THE MONEY IT WOULD TAKE TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FOOD DESERTS, PEOPLE ARE DRYING OUT BECAUSE THE BASIC NEEDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AREN'T BEING MET, YOU KNOW?

THAT'S WHERE WHERE WE START BY INCREASING THE BUDGET, WHAT WE'RE FUNDING FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.

AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU PICK UP THE PHONE TO CALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, MOST PEOPLE EXPECT SOMEBODY TO RESPOND IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, SO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW.

>> AND WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IDEA OF PULLING FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR SOCIAL SERVICES?

OR DO YOU THINK THERE'S ENOUGH FOR BOTH?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S EITHER/OR.

I THINK WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET 40 HOLISTICALLY AND SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES WITH THE SPENDING WE ALREADY HAVE.

>> OKAY.

JEREMY MATLOW, YOU'VE GOT THE NEXT FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, ANOTHER 30 SECONDS.

THE CITY'S POISEDDED TO INVEST $1 MILLION ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO STEM THE BLOODSHED FROM GUNFIRE.

THIS MONEY KIND OF SEEMS ALMOST MAGIC LAWN MONEY, THERE'S NOT STRINGS ATTACHED.

ED WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR DECADES.

WHAT IS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY WE CAN DO WITH THIS MONEY TO GET THE MOST IMPACTSOME -- IMPACT?

>> SURE.

WE'RE GOING TO LARGELY TAKE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THESE IDEAS, BUT ONE I WOULD LOOK AT RESTORING THE RESTORATIVE -- EXPANDING THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS WE HAVE.

A GREET GROUP OPERATES A PROGRAM WITH OUR YOUTH, AND THEY BRING OFFENDERS IN WHO THEN CAN REACH OUT IF THE VICTIM IS WILLING TO RESTORE, CONNECT IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE HARM THAT A HAY CAUSED.

AND I THINK -- THEY CAUSED.

EVERYTHING WE LOOK AT, IT'S CONNECTING WITH INDIVIDUALS ON A ONE-ON-ONE LEVEL.

IF YOU COMMIT A SMALL CRIME, THAT'S A SEGWAY TO CREATING A LARGE CLIMB -- >> THANK YOU.

>> EARLY ON WE CAN MAKE REAL PROGRESS.

>> DAVID BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> I WOULD INVEST IN INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, ROLE MODEL PROGRAMS.

AGAIN, TEMPO HAS SHOWN IT TO BE A GREAT PROGRAM ACHING AT-RISK CHILDREN AND SOME THAT HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY GOTTEN IN TROUBLE AND IS GETTING THEM OFF OF THAT PATH.

THAT IS A PROVEN PROGRAM THAT WORKS.

AND THERE'S STILL TONS OF AT-RISK CHILDREN WE HAVEN'T REACHED.

HUNTER BLACKMAN, LAMPLIGHTERS, THOSE GIVE CHILDREN A GOOD ROLE MODEL THAT MAYBE DON'T HAVE ONE OTHERWISE.

SO WITHOUT KNOWING ALL THE DETAILS, I WOULD EMPHASIZE SPENDING MONEY ON THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS.

>> OKAY.

LAST FOLLOW-UP ON THIS TOPIC, HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE CURRENT EFFECTIVENESS OF TPD IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE ON A SCALE OF 1-10?

DAVID BELLAMY, STARTING WITH YOU, 30 SECONDS.

>> I WOULD GIVE THEM A 9.

WE HAVE A GREAT RATE OF SOLVING CRIMES, A FANTASTIC RATE OF FINDING OFFENDERS AND ARRESTING THEM QUICKLY.

I THINK AVOIDING CRIME IT'S HARD TO GRADE THEM BECAUSE THEY DO WHAT THEY'RE TOLD.

THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT FOLLOWING ASK -- ORDERS AND FOLLOWING POLICY.

WOO -- ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WON IS TELL THE CITY MANAGER I EXPECT HIM TO PICK A POLICE CHIEF THAT HE TRUSTS, LET THAT POLICE CHIEF DO HIS JOB, AND IF HE DOESN'T TRUST HIM, FIRE HIM, BUT QUIT MICROMANAGING IS SO WE REALLY CAN JUDGE HOW DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DO IN PREVENTING VIOLENCE.

>> THANK YOU.

JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

>> I AGREE.

AT SURGEON LEVELS THEY MAY BE ABLE TO DETER OR DISPLACE CRIME, BUT WE CAN'T PUT THE BURDEN OF REDUCING CRIME ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IT GOES WITH BACK TO FUNDING, REDUCING POVERTY AND FUNDING THE SERVICES THAT NEED TO GET PEOPLE TO COMMIT LESS CRIMES.

WE CAN'T DO THAT FROM -- TPD CAN'T DELIVER THAT FOR IF US, THEY CAN ONLY RESPOND.

>> AND JUMPING IN ON ONE QUICK THING THAT THAT A YOU SAID, MR. BELLAMY, YOU TALKED ABOUT PICKING A POLICE CHIEF.

WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT POLICE CHIEF?

JUST A 15-SECOND ANSWER.

>> I WORKED WITH HIM.

I LIKED HIM AS A POLICE OFFICER, I TRUSTED HIM AS A POLICE OFFICER.

OF I WISH HE WOULD DO MORE TO CHANGE HIS IMAGE AFTER HAVING GONE TO THE RELIGIOUS RETREAT THAT MANY LGBTQING FOLKS WERE KEPT CALL OF.

I WISH HE'D DO A BETTER JOB AT THAT.

BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF POLICE CHIEF HE WAS.

UNTIL HE'S ALLOWED TO RUN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT MICROMANAGEMENT FROM THE CITY -- >> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CHIEF HE IS.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

>> AS CITY COMMISSIONERS, OUR JOB IS TO HIRE A CITY MANAGER THAT SUPERVISES AND CHOOSES THE STAFF THAT HE SEES FIT.

SO THE QUESTION TO ME IS AM I HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE CITY MANAGER IF HAS RESPONDED TO THESE ISSUES?

NO, I'M NOT.

>> WE'LL GET TO THAT LATER, BUT IN THE MEANWHILE -- >> OKAY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.

AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH DAVID BELLAMY, PLEASE.

WHAT IS THE FIRST SPECIFIC ACTION YOU WOULD PROPOSE TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEYOND WHAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE?

AND YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE COULD DO IS FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE LAND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND ONE EASY WAY WOULD BE WHEN WE GET UNSOLICITED BIDS FOR LAND DOWNTOWN THAT MAYBE THE CITY DOESN'T WANT, WE TELL THAT PERSON HERE'S WHAT WE WANT, BRING IT BACK, AND WE'LL TRADE.

WE NEED LAND USE.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WITH BUILDING IS PERMITTING.

IF THE CITY WOULD PERMIT IT THEMSELVES SO YOU HAVE LAND THAT IS PERMITTED, THEN PUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS THE ROADS AND THE SEWER, THEN YOU CAN PUT AN RFP FOR BUILDERS THAT ARE WILLING TO BUILD AT A FIXED RATE OF PROFIT.

RIGHT NOW YOU WOULD INVEST $110,000 IF YOU BOUGHT THE LOT, GOT IT PERMITTED AND PUT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN ANOTHER 140 FOR A HOUSE, THAT'S A $250,000 HOUSE AT BEST, AND WE'RE ALREADY OUT OF AFFORDABLE RANGE.

YOU HAVE THE CITY PROVIDE THE LAND, THE PERMITTING AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE BUILDER COULD BUILD A HOUSE FOR $140,000 THAT'S WILT TO THE STANDARDS -- BUILT TO THE STANDARDS WRITTEN BY THE CITY'S PERMITTING PROCESS.

>> THANK YOU.

SAME QUESTION.

>> SURE.

HUNDREDS OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS CAME TOGETHER AND ASKED THE CITY TO ESTABLISH A LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND AND TO FUND IT.

I 100% SUPPORT THAT.

WE HAVE TO TO PUT OUR DOLLARS WHERE OUR PRIORITIES ARE.

AND HOOKING AT LAND THE CITY ALREADY OWNS, WE OWN HUNDREDS OF ACRES THAT WE COULD MAKE AVAILABLE FOR THINGS LIKE LOW INCOME HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE PUBLIC HOUSING.

BUT WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY DO IT AND PUT OUR RESOURCES THERE.

WE CAN'T KEEP DETERRING OUR RESOURCES TO OTHER INITIATIVES.

I LOOK AT BLUEPRINT, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE LAND THAT THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR US TO ACQUIRE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PURPOSES INSTEAD OF BIG DROPPER -- DEVELOPER GIVEAWAYS.

WHY ARE OUR MOST FLEXIBLE DOLLARS NOT BEING USED TO ADDRESS OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE?

>> OKAY.

AND, JEREMY MATLOW, A FOLLOW-UP, PLEASE, AND I'LL START WITH YOU.

WHERE SPECIFICALLY IS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING?

>> THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE.

>> BUT WHERE SPECIFICALLY?

>> EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE WE SHOULD BE BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WHEN WE LOOK AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S A SCALE, RIGHT?

EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCING IT.

THE VERY LOW INCOME, VERY IMABOVE RICHED PEOPLE ARE GETTING HIT THE HARDEST, BUT ALSO PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE CLASS JUST TRYING TO ACQUIRE THEIR FIRST HOME.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IT'S NOT ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT'S ANOTHER -- NOT ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE HAVE TO TO HAVE ATTAINABLE HOUSING FOR ALL PRICE POINTS ACROSS OUR CITY.

>> DAVID BELENY -- BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> EVERYWHERE.

WE SHOULDN'T BE TRYING TO DECIDE RICH PEOPLE LIVE HERE, MIDDLE CLASS LIVE HERE, POOR PEOPLE THERE, IT NEEDS TO BE EVERYWHERE.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN ANY PART OF THE CITY HEYED LIKE.

>> ONE PICK FOLLOW-UP, WHAT IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, RENTAL PRICE, MONTHLY RENT IN YOUR ESTIMATION FOR TALLAHASSEE?

DAVID BELLAMY?

>> SO NOW I MOW THAT RENT CAN BE EASILY OVER $1,000-$1,500.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS IT SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN A THIRD OF YOUR INCOME.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT A $250,000 HOUSE WITH A $10,000 DOWN PAYMENT, YOU'VE GOT TO MAKE ABOUT $70,000 A YEAR TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT HOUSE.

AND IN TALLAHASSEE THE MEDIAN INCOME IS $25,000.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT SOUNDS MAYBE AFFORDABLE TO SOME IS COMPLETELY WORLDLY OUT OF THE REACH FOR OTHERS.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

>> THE GENERAL WITH STANDARD PEOPLE ACCEPT IS AROUND 30% OF YOUR INCOME.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TALLAHASSEE?

PEOPLE ARE MAKING A MINIMUM WAGE, EVEN EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE, OF ONLY $10 AN HOUR.

WE NEED HOUSING THAT PEOPLE CAN OBTAIN AT $400, 500, 600 A MONTH, AND RIGHT NOW IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMETHING UNDER 1,000.

WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO END UP?

A LOT OF THEM MAY END UP HOMELESS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THAT ALSO, SO WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE LOWEST EMPLOYEES -- >> THANK YOU.

>> SO THAT'S, THAT THAT'S A GOOD SEGWAY INTO MY FINAL QUESTION ON, IN THIS AREA.

AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND START WITH YOU, JEREMY MATLOW.

OBVIOUSLY, HOMELESSNESS HAS BECOME MORE OF A VISIBLE ISSUE FOR ALL OF US.

WHERE ARE WE FALLING SHORT IN ADDRESSING THIS COMPLICATED CHALLENGE?

AND YOU HAVE A 45 SECONDS.

>> HEARTBREAKINGLY, I THINK WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS POPULATION AS IF THEY'RE PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW?

WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE SEEN RAIDS ON ENCAMPMENTS.

THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE JUST GOT NOTICE OF A LAWSUIT OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SUING THE CITY BECAUSE THEIR PERSONAL POSSESSIONS, THEIR IDs WERE TAKEN FROM LAKE ELLA WHEN IT WAS RAIDED.

WE'VE SEEN THE ATTACKS ON CITYWALK.

SO WE HAVE TO ACT LIKE AND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE HOMELESS ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.

THEY LIVE HERE TOO.

THEY'RE PART OF OUR CITY, PART OF OUR CONSTITUENCY.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FUNDING NEED NEEDED FOR RAPID REHOUSING TO HOME EVERYBODY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE ATTAINABLE.

WE GOT NUMBERS FROM IF PEOPLE WHO WORK IN SERVICES THAT COULD START AROUND $8 MILLION ANNUALLY TO WHERE WE COULD START HOUSING THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS, THE VETERANS.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO THAT AND, AGAIN, PUT THE RESOURCES BEHIND THE PRIORITY.

>> THANK YOU.

DAVID BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> COULD YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN?

>> SURE.

HOMELESSNESS HAS BECOME A VERY VISIBLE ISSUE.

WHERE ARE WE FALLING SHORT IN ADDRESSING THIS COMPLICATED CHALLENGE?

45 SECONDS.

>> WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED ENOUGH PLACES FOR OUR HOMES TO LIVE THAT THEY -- HOMELESS TO LIVE A THE THAT THEY FIND ACCEPTABLE AS FAR AS HOW THEY LIVE.

I THINK AT LOT OF TIMES WE TRY TO PUT OUR STANDARD OF LIVING ONTO THEM, AND SOME OF THEM WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE US UP ON IT, AND WE WITH SAY, WELL, THIS IS IT OR NOTHING.

A HOMELESS PERSON COSTS SOCIETY ABOUT $1,000 A DAY IF YOU INCLUDE MEDICAL SERVICES.

I'VE HAD PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR SIX WEEKS THAT COULD HAVE GONE HOME AFTER THREE DAYS IF THEY WEREN'T HOMELESS.

EXTRA POLICE, EXTRA EMS.

IF YOU REALIZE YOU'RE PAYING AS A SOCIETY $1,000 A DAY, SUDDENLY IT DOESN'T SOUND SO EXPENSIVE TO BUILD A PLACE WHERE HOMELESS PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH THE GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE THEY FIND ACCEPTABLE.

IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, YOU ARE NOT SAVING MONEY.

IF YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, YOU ARE SPENDING $1,000 A DAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> DAVID BELLAMY, LET'S STICK WITH YOU FOR A MOMENT, OR ONE MINUTE, ACTUALLY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE MAJOR POINT DIFFERENTIATING YOU FROM YOUR OPPONENT?

>> I BELIEVE I AM MUCH BETTER AT GETTING ALONG WITH PEOPLE, MAKING COMPROMISES, DELIVERING RESULTS, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT.

YOU'VE GOT TO COMPROMISE.

MY MOTHER WAS THE MAYOR IN THE '80s AND, I STILL HAVE PATIENTS THAT SAY WHEN I MET WITH YOUR MOTHER, I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING I WANTED.

BUT I LEFT THERE LIKING HER, RESPECTING HER AND WILLING TO WORK WITH HER AGAIN.

THAT'S HOW YOU GET THINGS DONE.

DURING MY TIME AS A POLICEMAN, YOU WORK WITH ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, AS A DOCTOR, I HAVE TO TALK TO ANYBODY, EVERYBODY.

I HAVE TO GET RESULTS FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, AND I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THE MAKE THAT WORK.

I CAN'T JUST SAY I'M IN CHARGE, IT'S GOING TO BE THIS WAY.

MY ABILITY TO BUILD COALITIONS, GET COMPROMISE AND COME BACK WITH AN ANSWER IS WHAT DIFFERENTIATES ME.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU.

MR. MATLOW, IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT YOUR DIFFERENCE FROM MR. BELLAMY.

>> SURE, THANK YOU.

I THINK YOU'RE ON TO SOMETHING.

I DON'T THINK DAVID CAN BELLAMY'S REALLY OFFERING DIFFERING POLICY POSITIONS.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO LEAD OUR CITY.

I'VE BEEN PROUD OF UNITING -- UNITING BYE BROAD BIPARTISAN COALITIONS TO STAND WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AGAINST ROAD PROJECTS THAT WERE THREATENING HAIR WAY OF LIFE.

THE -- THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

THE REAL DIFFERENCE IS MY CAMPAIGN'S BEING FUNDED BY EVERYDAY, SMALL DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS.

DAVID'S CAMPAIGN'S BEING FUNDED BY BIG SPECIAL INTERESTS WHO ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF CITY CONTRACTS.

YOU LOOK AT OUR POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, DAVID BELLAMY GIVES MONEY TO RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS LIKE MATT GAITS, RON DeSANTIS.

MY POLITICAL LININGS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH THE PEOPLE OF TALLAHASSEE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THOSE POINTS LATER ON HERE, BUT FOR THE MOMENT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT -- IN FACT, PRETTY SOON, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PAY AND CASH.

IN THE WAKE OF A REORGANIZATION BY THE IS CITY MANAGER, THERE'S BEEN CRITICISM OF EXECUTIVE SALARIES AMONG TOP CITY STAFF.

DO WE HAVE A PAY PROBLEM AT THE TOP, AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO ADDRESS IT?

45 SECONDS, JEREMY MATLOW.

>> SURE.

WE HAVE A HUGE HR PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE.

THIS HAS BEEN EXPOSED IN AUDIT REPORTS GOING BACK TO RICK FERNANDEZ'S FIRST RE-ORG WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE CIRCUMVENTED THE RULES TO GET LARGE PAY RAISES.

SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THE MOST RECENT ARE GREAT CITY EMPLOYEES.

THEY MAY BE WITH WORTHY OF THAT MONEY.

I'M NOT ARGUING THAT, BUT THE WAY WE GO ABOUT CREATING NEW POSITIONS AND ONLY HAVING A SINGLE APPLICANT, I'M SURE THERE'S HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE WHO WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE APPLIED TO BE CITY MANAGER OR ASSISTANT THE CITY MANAGER, BUZZ -- BUT THESE POSITIONS DON'T HAVE PUBLIC BUY-IN BEFORE THEY HAPPEN, SO WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE A SPEAKER IN PUBLIC COMMENT IS TELLING COMMISSIONERS THESE RAISES ARE COMING DOWN WHEN THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT -- >> DAVID BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> SO WHEN THEY FIRST CAME OUT WITH THOSE NEWPROMOTIONS, I WAS WORRIED WAS I THOUGHT -- BECAUSE I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS GETTING MORE MONEY.

THOSE PROMOTIONS ACTUALLY SAVED THE CITY ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR.

I DO THINK WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HIRING PEOPLE THAT WERE PREDETERMINED TO BE HIRED FOR THAT POSITION.

I DON'T THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF LOOKING AT OUTSIDE CANDIDATES THAT AREN'T IN THE CITY.

I DO WORRY THAT THERE'S TOO MUCH NEPOTISM IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT THE WAY IT'S RUN FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE.

BUT I THINK IT WAS GOOD THAT IN DOING THOSE PROMOTIONS THEY LOWERED THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS, ACTUALLY, AND SAVED THE CITY ABOUT $200,000 A YEAR.

IF.

>> ALL RIGHT.

DAVID CAN BELLAMY, YOU HAVE AN AD OUT LABELING YOUR OPPONENT MILLIONAIRE MATLOW ARE.

MATLOW IS REQUIRED TO FILE A DETAILED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE WITH THE CITY WHICH LISTED HIS NET WORTH AT $1.6 MILLION, BUT YOU WON'T BE REQUIRED TO RELEASE YOUR NET WORTH UNLESS YOU'RE ELECTED.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.

IS PERSONAL WEALTH AN ISSUE IN THIS CAMPAIGN?

45 SECONDS.

>> SO MUCH OF MY WEALTH IS TIED UP IN T.O.C., BUT, YES, I AM A MILLIONAIRE.

BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO ACT LIKE JUST THE AVERAGE PERSON WHO'S FIGHTING FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THEM.

I THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS, THE WAY HE'S TRIED TO PORTRAY HIMSELF WHEN HE IS, IN FACT, A MILLIONAIRE.

TO TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T THINK THAT THEY NEED A RAISE BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE RAISE YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME TO TRY TO DOUBLE YOUR SALARY ALL THE WHILE ACTING LIKE YOU NEED IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM -- IT SEEMS DISINGENUOUS TO.

YES, I'M A MILLIONAIRE TOO.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU KNOW, I JUST GET A KICK OUT OF ONE MILLIONAIRE CALLING ANOTHER ONE RICH.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

IS PERSONAL WEALTH AN ISSUE IN THIS CAMPAIGN?

>> WELL, LOOK, DAVID BELLAMY IS FAR WEALTHIER THAN I AM.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE VALUE OF OUR HOMES.

YOU CAN CONCLUDE A MILLION DOLLARS BASED ON THE VALUE AS HE STATED EARLIER, BUT I'M A STRONG CHAMPION FOR RAISING THE PAY OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE.

I'M NOT SURE DAVID BELLAMY'S ON THE RECORD FOR THAT.

RIGHT NOW THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE PAYS $10 AN HOUR TO ITS LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S 50% OF ONE OF MY BUSINESSES.

I GREW UP WORKING IN RESTAURANTS.

I WORKED 60, 70, 80 HOURS A WEEK RESTAURANT MANAGING MOST OF MY 20s AND HAD NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT AT THE END OF THE DAY.

WHEN I WAS WORKING THOSE JOBS, I CAN REMEMBER GETTING A THROAT INFECTION SO BAD THAT I HAD TO GO TO CVS, AND I GOT A PRESCRIPTION FOR A PAINKILLER AND ANTIBIOTIC, AND I COULD ONLY AFFORD TO PICK UP ONE.

I KNOW THE STRUGGLES OF THE WORKING CLASS IN THE CITY, AND I'M HAPPY TO STAND BEHIND THEM.

>> THANK YOU.

SO SPEAKING OF PAY, COMMISSIONER MATLOW, IN 2020 YOU PROPOSED A BALLOT MEASURE TO BRING SALARIES UP TO THAT OF THE LEON COUNTY COMMISSION COLLEAGUES FROM 39,588 TO MAKE $80,289.

DO YOU STILL FAVOR THAT CONCEPT?

>> I THINK IT'S UP TO THE CITIZENS OF TALLAHASSEE TO LOOK INTO.

AT THE TIME MAYOR DALEY WAS PUSHING FOR A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE BECAUSE HE HAD THE DESIRE TO ESTABLISH A STRONG MAYOR POSITION.

I DID NOT WANT TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD.

IT WOULD GO TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME BECAUSE I DO HAVE A SECOND JOB.

A LOT OF COMMISSIONERS DON'T.

A LOT OF PEOPLE STEPING UP TO RUN FOR OFFICE, THE COMMISSION SALARY IS THEIR ONLY SALARY.

THE COMMISSIONERS AREN'T GOING TO DECIDE, THE PUBLIC WILL.

>> WILL YOU ADVOCATE FOR GETTING IT ON THE BALLOT?

>> IF THE PUBLIC STEPS UP AND ADVOCATES FOR IT, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK FOR IT TO BE THE ON THE BALLOT.

>> OKAY.

MR. BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

DO YOU FAVOR THAT IDEA OF RAISING THE CITY COMMISSION SALARY?

>> NO, THE LAST THING WE NEED ARE OUR CITY COMMISSIONERS LOOKING AT THAT AS THEIR ONLY FULL-TIME JOB, A JOB THAT THEY NOW CANNOT IF DO WITHOUT.

WHEN MY MOTHER WAS A MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER, EVERYBODY ON THE CITY COMMISSION WERE AVERAGE CITIZENS WHO WENT TO WORK, CAME TO CITY HALL, MADE POLICY, MADE ORDINANCES AND SUPERVISED CITY MANAGER.

WE HAVE GOT TO GET BACK TO THAT.

WE NEED LESS PEOPLE THAT LOOK AT BEING THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBER AS THEIR MAIN IF IDENTITY, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED PEOPLE THAT BECOME FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT ON IT AND CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THAT SPOT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

DAVID BELLAMY, YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED MONEY OVER YEARS TO THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES INCLUDING RON DeSANTIS, MATT GAETZ AND STEVE SUTHERLAND ARE.

COMMISSIONER MATLOW, BERNIE SANDERS, AND AND ANDREW GILLUM.

WHAT BECAUSE THIS SAY ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL BELIEFS?

MR. BELLAMY.

>> I'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY POLITICIAN THE I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT.

I WAS GIVING MONEY TO PEOPLE WHO WERE IDENTIFIED AS POLITICIANS THAT WERE GOOD FOR THE DELIVERY OF MEDICINE IN FLORIDA.

THEY CHOSE TO SUPPORT DOCTORS, NOT INSURANCE COMPANIES.

DOCTORS, NOT HOSPITALS.

AND I ALSO MADE IT A POINT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR.

WHEN I GAVE MONEY TO DeSANTIS, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO DURING COVID.

EVEN THOUGH JEREMY'S FLYER SAYS I SAID I'D DO IT AGAIN, I SAID AFTER COVID ARE I WOULD NOT SUPPORT HIM AGAIN.

SO THE SAME WITH DeSANTIS.

HE WAS A LITTLE KNOWN FLORIDA HOUSE MEMBER THAT WAS LIVING IN HIS FATHER'S SHADOW, HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS GOOD FOR MEDICINE.

SO I CAN'T FIND A SINGLE POLITICIAN THE I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT, BUT I SUPPORTED PEOPLE THAT SUPPORTED THE DELIVERY OF MED E SIN AND HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE FLORIDA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

JEREMY MATLOW, SAME QUESTION.

>> OUT OF EVERYONE YOU JUST NAMED, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST FOR HEALTH CARE AND MEDICINE ARE THE PEOPLE I DONATED TO, PEOPLE WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL SO WE CAN ALL BE COVERED AND HAVE ACCESS TO A DOCTOR.

BUT THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE HERE, RIGHT IN 75% OF BELLAMY'S CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE GONE TO REPUBLICANS.

90 DAYS BEFORE THE JANUARY 6TH SINCE REMEMBERS HE WAS DONATING TO FLIP THE HOUSE BACK TO REPUBLICAN.

AND WHILE HE SAYS HE WASN'T HAPPY WITH DeSANTIS' COVID RESPONSE, HIS PERSONAL FACEBOOK SHOWS IN 2020 HE WAS POSTING A SIDE-BY-SIDE OF RON DeSANTIS' RESPONSE VERSUS NEW YORK'S RESPONSE S AND IT SAID FLORIDA RULES.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF I SHOULD BELIEVE HIS FACEBOOK POST OR WHAT HE'S SAYING NOW ABOUT HIS SUPPORT FOR DeSANTIS.

>> THIS IS A GOOD POLL -- FOLLOW-UP, MR. BELLAMY.

YOU SAID EXCEPT FOR COVID YOU WERE, QUOTE, PRETTY HAPPY WITH DeSANTIS.

TELL US WHAT WHAT SPECIFIC POLICIES YOU'VE BEEN PLEASED WITH.

45 SECONDS.

>> I WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE CHOICE BETWEEN HIM AND -- HE AND GILLAM.

I LIKE MODERATES, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHO REPRESENT PROBABLY 95% OF AMERICA, MODERATES IN THE MIDDLE.

SO I WAS SKEPTICAL.

WHEN THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS THREW OFF ALL OF THE SUGARER LOBBYISTS OFF OF THE OKEECHOBEE WATER MANAGEMENT, I START TO REALIZE MAYBE HE'S NOT AS BAD AS I THOUGHT.

THAT IMPRESS ME.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THINGS STARTED GETTING OFF THE RAILS WITH THE MASK ORDINANCE, THE HIRING OF DR.

LAP POE -- LAP DOE WHICH WAS PURELY A POLITICAL HIRE, THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO BE DISSATISFIED.

AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS MUCH MORE MODERATE, AND AND THAT MADE ME HAPPY.

>> THANK YOU.

JEREMY MATLOW, WHAT'S SOMETHING POSITIVE DESANS DISHAS DONE AS GOVERNOR?

>> -- DeSANTIS.

>> FIRST OFF, RON DeSANTIS RAN AN AD BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED SAYING BUILD THE WALL WITH HIS CHILDREN.

HE WAS A HARD-RIGHT, REPUBLICAN PARTISAN CANDIDATE.

SO IT'S THE HARD TO BELIEVE ANYBODY DIDN'T SEE THAT BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED.

BUT RON DeSANTIS HAS DONE SOME FAVORABLE THINGS.

I THINK HE HAS MADE SOME EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS, YOU KNOW?

HE'S ACTUALLY VETOED SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME PROPOSALS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE.

SO IS HE WRONG ALL THE TIME?

NO.

BUT ARE THE BAD THINGS HE'S DOING DETRIMENTAL TO THE PEOPLE OF TALLAHASSEE, YES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

PLEASE EXCUSE THE KIND OF LONG RUN-IN HERE TO PUT THIS NEXT QUESTION INTO A CONTEXT, AND I THINK THE MEANING WILL BECOME CLEAR HERE VERY SHORTLY.

THIS YEAR, OF COURSE, WE'VE SEEN AN UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR BOTH CITY AND COUNTY COMMISSION SEATS WITH NO INCUMBENT GOING UNCHALLENGED THIS IN THIS CYCLE.

AND A LOT OF THE CANDIDATES LINING UP ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER ON ISSUES LIKE GROWTH AND THE DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM SITUATION.

DAVID BELENY, TO -- DAVID BELLAMY, TO START WITH YOU, YOUR CAMPAIGN SHARES THE SAME CON FULL SANTA -- CONSULTANT AS MAJOR JOHN DALY'S, AND JEREMY MATLOW, YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO -- WHO'S RUNNING AGAINST YOUR COLLEAGUE, DIANE COX, AND ALSO SEVERAL CANDIDATES AT THE SAME TIME.

WE'VE ALSO SEEN A PROLIFERATION OF ELECTION NEARING WEB SITES SUPPORTING AND ATTACKING SLATES OF CANDIDATES.

SO TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU SEE SLATES HERE, UNOFFICIAL OR OTHERWISE, AND ARE BOTH SIDES VYING FOR CONTROL OF THE CITY AND COUNTY COMMISSIONS AND, BY EXTENSION, BLUEPRINT 2020?

IF A LONG QUESTION, YOU GET A LONG ANSWER, A MINUTE 30.

MR. BELENY, YOU -- MR. BELLAMY, YOU FIRST.

>> THERE'S A LOT TO THAT.

I HIRED MY CONSULTANT BECAUSE I WANTED SOMEBODY THAT DIDN'T LOBBY TALLAHASSEE, WHO DIDN'T LIVE IN THE TALLAHASSEE AND BEEN CONNECTED TO THE TRIAL AND WHO WAS A PROFESSIONAL.

I MEAN, HE RAN PRAMILA -- PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN IN FLORIDA, HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN IN FLORIDA.

HE IS A PROFESSIONAL.

AND I WAS VERY EXCITED WHEN HE WAS WILLING TO DO MY CAMPAIGN.

WHEN I CALLED HIM, I THOUGHT MINE WOULD BE TOO SMALL AND HE WOULDN'T BE WILLING TO DO IT.

I KNOW DALEY HEARD ABOUT HIM AND ASKED ME IF IT WAS OKAY IF HE HIRED HIM.

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THE GUY FROM IF WORK, SO I SAID, SURE.

EAST NOT -- HE'S NOT CONNECTED TO THESE GROUPS, HE'S NOT CONNECTED TO ALL THESE 401 -- THESE 501(C)(3)s, C4.

AS FAR AS WHO'S VYING FOR CONTROL, I THINK BOTH SIDES WANT CONTROL, AND WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL OF LISTENING TO EITHER SIDE COMPLETELY.

PROBABLY BOTH SIDES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TRUTH MANY THEM.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IS OUR CITIZENS ARE WAKING UP TO THE FACT THAT LIFE E IN TALLAHASSEE WAS PRETTY GOOD IF YOU DIDN'T LIVE.

>> -- IN OUR IMPOVERISHED AREAS.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH PEOPLE WHO WHO AREN'T DOING THE THINGS THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO PRISON OR ARE IN PRISON, AND I THINK YOU'RE SEEING AN AWAKENING OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT AND GET PEOPLE THEY LIKE, AND RESPECT.

>> MR. MATLOW, AGAIN, IF YOU COULD REFERENCE THE SITUATION AS WELL, PLEASE.

>> THANK YOU.

I'LL START THERE.

TO ANSWER YOUR BROAD OR QUESTION, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY ISN'T NECESSARILY TWO SIDES, RIGHT?

WE'RE SEEING ONE SIDE WHICH HAS BEEN THIS BIG MONEY ESTABLISHMENT SYSTEM THAT HAS DOMINATED LOCAL ELECTIONS, RAH RIGHT?

THEY TAKE A CANDIDATE, THEY ALL HAVE HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES, HUNDREDS OF LLCs, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FUNNEL BIG MONEY INTO THE CANDIDATES THEY SUPPORT.

HISTORICALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RECORD, MOST OF THEIR CANDIDATES HAVE SUPPORTED THEIR AGENDA.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE IF FUNNELING MONEY INTO CAMPAIGNS ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTS.

SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS FOR THE PARIS TIME THE ALL ACROSS THE CITY -- FIRST TIME ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY EVERYDAY PEOPLE ARE STANDING UP AND REALIZING THAT THE THEY CAN RUN TOO, THAT THEY DON'T NEED THE BACKING OF BIG, POWERFUL INTERESTS TO WIN.

AND IT'S NOT A SLATE.

THERE'S MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN EACH RACE.

THERE'S A BROAD OUTPOURING OF CANDIDATES JUMPING INTO RACES BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SEE TALLAHASSEE BE A BETTER PLACE.

THEY WANT TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS PROTECTED.

THEY DON'T -- THEY WANT TO SEE OUR TREES AND WATERWAYS PROTECTED.

AND IF THEY WANT TO SEE THE CORRUPTION AND THE GIVEAWAYS AND THE INSIDER DEALS STOP.

YOU LOOK AT DOAK CAMPBELL, AND THAT'S JUST ICE ON THE CAKE.

THAT IS -- ICING ON THE CAKE, SUCH A TESTAMENT TO HOW THINGS ARE OPERATING RIGHT NOW, AND WE'VE GOT TO FIX IT.

I'M SO PROUD OF EVERYBODY WHO STEPPED UP TO RUN FOR OFFICE, AND I HOPE A LOT OF THEM WIN.

>> A CONNECTED FOLLOW-UP FOR BOTH OF YOU.

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE ROUTINELY SEE THAT 3-2 SPLIT ON PARTICULARLY BIG ISSUES ON THE CITY COMMISSION SUCH AS DEVELOPMENT, ETHICS.

WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT.

COMMISSIONER MATLOW, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD SEEK TO CHANGE COURSE ON IF THAT 3-2 BALANCE SHIFTS TO PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES?

>> SURE.

WELL, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO DISPEL THE NOTION THAT EVERY VOTE IS 3-2.

85 PERCENT OF THE VOTES WE TAKE ARE DOING THE BUSINESS OF CITY OF TALLAHASSEE, MAKING SURE UTILITIES ARE PROVIDED, MAKING SURE OUR PARKS ARE TAKEN CARE OF, MAKING SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN THINGS APPROPRIATELY.

WHERE YOU SEE THE 3-2 VOTES ARE WHEN THE WORST DECISIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING MADE.

THAT'S ADDING WISCONSIN LANDNY TO THE URBAN SERVICES AREA, YOU SEE THOSE ON DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM.

YOU SAW THAT ON CLOSING THE THE LOBBYIST LOOPHOLE SO POLITICAL CONSULTANTS CAN STOP LOBBYING.

THOSE ARE THE ISSUES -- .

>> AND WHAT THE THE FIRST THING YOU'LL SEEK TO CHANGE COURSE ON IF A 3-2 BALANCE SHIFTS?

>> SURE.

IT'S CITY MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW?

OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER WAS INSTALLED IN THE DARK OF NIGHT.

I WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO PUBLIC ATTENDEES AT THAT MEETING.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT RIGHT NOW, HE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE BEEN CITY MANAGER IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR TWO VOTES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOW BEEN INDICTED.

WE NEED A RESET AT CITY, AT CITY HALL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE NEED TO LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND FIND THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND, MR. BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU'LL DO, AND I'D LIKE TO -- LOVE TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSE ON THE CITY MANAGER COMMENTS THAT MR. MATLOW JUST SHARED.

>> SO I'M NOT RUNNING TO FIRE THE CITY MANAGER.

I AM RUNNING BECAUSE AS A POLICE OFFICER, I WORKED IN THE AREAS OF BOND, LAKE BRADFORD, ALABAMA STREET, AREAS THAT LOOK THE SAME AS THEY DID TO 30 YEARS AGO.

IT'S AS IF YOU STEPPED OFF A TIME MACHINE.

IF REESE IS WILLING TO WORK WITH ME TO CHANGE THAT AND CHANGE THE STANDARD OF LIVE ANYTHING THOSE AREAS, HE IS WELCOME TO STAY PROBABLY.

IF HE'S AN OBSTRUCTIONIST IN THIS, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO VOTE FOR HIM TO TO LEAVE.

WAS THERE MORE TO THE QUESTION?

I'M SORRY.

>> YEAH.

BEYOND THAT, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO, YOU KNOW, WITH THE -- >> THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO IS DEMAND THAT MAINTENANCE OF OUR IMPOVERISHED AREA IS AT THE SAME STANDARD OF MAINTENANCE OF OUR NICE NICER AREAS OF TALLAHASSEE.

IT IS NOT OKAY THAT YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN SAXTON STREET AND SEE BURNED-OUT LIGHTBULBS, NOT OKAY THAT ON HOUGHTON STREET THERE'S EMPTY LOTS WITH GARBAGE THROWN IN THERE.

I DON'T MEAN A BOTTLE, I MAN EVEN BAGS OF TRASH.

THAT WOULD NEVER BE ACCEPT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.

I WILL DEMAND THAT THAT STOPS.

>> THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'VE BEEN ASKING ALL THE QUESTIONS.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

WHAT'S ONE QUESTION YOU'D LIKE TO ASK YOUR OPPONENT?

ONE CAVEAT, IT CAN'T BE ABOUT PIZZA.

[LAUGHTER] WE COVERED THAT IN A PREVIOUS FORUM.

YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER ANSWER.

DAVID BELLAMY, YOU GET TO ASK THE FIRST QUESTION.

>> YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT GOES BACK TO WHAT I ASKED AT, AT TIGER BAY.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES WHY DO YOU SEEM SO MEAN?

I KNOW YOU SAY IT'S PASSION THAT GETS IT DONE, BUT WHEN THAT HURTS YOUR ABILITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND GET A COMPROMISE, YOU KNOW, WHY DO YOU ACT SO MEAN OR MAD?

>> AGAIN, THAT'S AN ODD QUESTION, RIGHT?

I DON'T PERCEIVE MYSELF AS MEAN.

WE WORK WITH EVERYBODY.

THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S EVER REALLY SAID I SEEM MEAN HAS BEEN DR. BELLAMY, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WHEN ALL THIS IS DONE, LET'S GO GET A CUP OF COFFEE.

THAT WAY YOU'LL GET TO KNOW ME.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, YOUR TURN.

>> SURE.

SO DR. BELLAMY JUST MADE A POINT, WHICH I 100% AGREE WITH, WHICH IS WE NEED TO INVEST IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED HELP THE MOST.

I GREW UP IN PROVIDENCE.

THIS INFRASTRUCTURE DOES LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME.

BUT YET BUDGETS ARE TIGHT AT THE CITY, BLUEPRINT AND THE COUNTY, SO WHERE WOULD YOU LOOK TO TAKE FUNDING AWAY?

BECAUSE WE NEED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GO INTO THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHERE WOULD YOU FIND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET?

>> SO FIRST OFF THERE ARE THINGS THAT THAT I WANT TO IMMEDIATELY DO WHICH IS RETURN THE QUALITY OF SOUTH SIDE TO THE QUALITY OF THE NORTH SIDE THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF MAINTENANCE.

THAT SHOULDN'T COST EXTRA MONEY.

WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE SERVICES.

WE JUST DON'T APPLY THEM IN THAT AREA.

WE DON'T -- TRASH GETS PICKED UP ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.

WHEN TRASH ENDS UP ON AN EMPTY LOT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, IT SHOULD GET PICKED UP.

IT'S JUST HOLDING THE CITY TO A STANDARD EVERYWHERE THE SAME.

AND I WILL SAY AS FAR AS EVERYONE, I'M THE ONLY ONE SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS NICE, I MEAN, WE HAD AN OUTSIDE ENTITY THAT'S AN EXPERT IF ON HR RELATIONS THAT SAID HE'S GOT TO HAVE A MEDIATOR OR MODERATOR TO MEET WITH PINKLY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE.

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

SO NUMEROUS NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN TALLAHASSEE AND LEON COUNTY ARE STRUGGLING WITH POVERTY.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

WHAT ROLE SHOULD LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES PLAY IN PROMOTING A MORE EQUITABLE PROSPERITY?

AND WHAT'S ONE SPECIFIC PLAN THAT YOU WOULD IMPLEMENT TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN THIS GENERATIONAL CHALLENGE?

AND YOU'VE GOT ONE MINUTE AND, DAVID BELLAMY, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> SO THE BEST WAY TO GET OUR IMPOVERISHED AREAS MANY BETTER SHAPE IS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH GOOD CAREERS.

AGAIN, A JOB WITH A MANDATORY MINIMUM WAGE OF $15 AN HOUR STILL ONLY GIVES YOU $31,000.

$21,000 A YEAR IS LISTED AT POVERTY.

THE ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH HAS A MORE FUNCTIONAL POVERTY RATING, SAYS IT'S $41,000.

SO TO EXPECT SOMEONE TO TOIL THEIR LIFE AWAY FOR $31,000 AT A BIG BOX SORE IS UNREALISTIC -- STORE.

WITH WE NEED TO PROVIDE CAREERS, AGAIN, WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR RETIREMENT, OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT.

AND AS MUCH AS BLUEPRINT HAS DISAPPOINTED ME WITH THE FSU MONEY, OEV DOES HAVE ABOUT 17 BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING TO COME TO TALLAHASSEE, MANY OF THEM WANTING TO GO TO INNOVATION PARK WHICH WAS MADE FOR INDUSTRY, OR THE AIRPORT WHERE YOU WILL NOT HURT THE QUALITY OF LIVES OF OTHERS AND THOSE PLACES WILL BE IN THE POOREST ZIP CODE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND MANY OF THOSE JOBS WILL BE JOBS THAT ALLOW PROMOTIONS, LEARNING A TRADE YOU CAN TAKE ELSEWHERE.

>> [INAUDIBLE] >> AND YOU'RE ASKING WHAT WOULD -- >> THANK YOU.

>> MY FIRST INITIATIVE?

THE CITY NEEDS TO ENCOURAGE THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER.

SAME QUESTION,MY MATLOW.

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE MANY TALLAHASSEE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS.

AND IF THEY COULD HAVE ACCESS TO ENOUGH CAPITAL, ENOUGH TRAINING, ENOUGH HELP, THEY COULD ACCOMPLISH THEM.

I STARTED MY BUSINESS ON GAIN STREET WITH JUST A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS IN MY POCKET.

THE PERMITTING PROCESS OF THE I CITY WAS SO ARDUOUS THAT I HAD TO DO CROWD SOURCING TO MAKE MONEY.

WE STILL DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO OPEN.

BUT AT THAT TIME THE CRA HAD A SMALL DOLLAR GRANT PROGRAM OR LOAN PROGRAM.

WE RECEIVED A $10,000 LOAN FROM THE CRA.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CREDIT TO GO TO TRADITIONAL LENDERS, SO HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THAT ASSISTANCE, WE PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN OPENED.

SINCE THEN WE'VE CREATED OVER 100 JOBS.

$27 MILLION GOING TO LUXURY STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE SO OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR TOWN.

WHAT WOULD MY SOLUTION BE?

THE SAME THING I PROPOSED DURING COVID, MAKE CAPITAL AVAILABLE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT.

MAKE $10,000, 50,000 LOAN GRANT PROGRAMS AND MAKE THEM ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR CITY.

>> AND FOR A FOLLOW-UP, I'LL GO AHEAD AND STAY WITH YOU, JEREMY MATLOW.

DO WE HAVE A GENTRY GENTRIFICATION PROBLEM IN TALLAHASSEE, AND IF SO, WHAT'S ONE WAY YOU CAN HELP FIX THAT THAT?

45 SECONDS.

>> SURE.

IT GOES BACK TO DEVELOPMENT AND KEEPING THINGS LOCAL, RIGHT?

WE KEEP ENCOURAGING BIG, NATIONAL DEVELOPERS TO COME IN, CLEAR CUT, TAKE OUT NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVED THERE FIRST.

SO WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY HOW CAN WE GROW THAT COMMUNITY WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY KEEPING LOCAL WEALTH MANY LOCAL HANDS?

HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE WHEN COMMUNITIES ARE UPCOMING THAT THERE'S LOCAL HOMEOWNERS THERE ARE, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS THERE?

AND OUR TAX DOLLARS GOING TO SUPPORT KEEPING THAT MONEY LOCALLY OR ARE ALL OF OUR EFFORTS GOING TO YES ROUTE -- RECRUIT NATIONAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXACERBATING THE PROBLEM?

>> THANK YOU.

SAME QUESTION.

>> YES, WE DO HAVE A GENTRIFICATION IF PROBLEM.

FRENCHTOWN IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PREDOMINANTLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT HAS NO RESEMBLANCE TO THE FRENCHTOWN I GREW UP SEEING.

FIX POVERTY.

PEOPLE WITH MONEY DON'T GET DISPLACED.

FIX POVERTY, YOU FIX GENTRIFICATION.

THE CITY CAN ALSO DO IT THROUGH ORDINANCES, BUT SOME OF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE PROJECT SHOWS UP.

THE LAST THING IS WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT BUILDING HOUSES THIS CITY.

WE WANT 30,000 HOUSES OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, AND THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR IT.

MY MOTHER HELPED WRITE OUR FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS PASSED IN 1990, AND MY POOR SWEET MOTHER'S BEEN DEAD FOR 30 YEARS, AND WE STILL HAVE THAT SAME CONGRESSWOMAN PREHENCIVE -- COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

IF WE DON'T EXPAND, WE ARE CONTINUE TAKING OVER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TO STAY THERE.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND WE'LL STAY WITH YOU, DAVID BELLAMY, FOR ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CRITICIZED BY SOME CITIZENS AS BEING MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE BUSINESS AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAN TO ORDINARY CITIZENS.

IS THIS PERCEPTION FAIR, AND IF SO, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT?

30 SECONDS.

>> NOT BEING A GUY THAT DOES BUILDING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FAIR.

WHETHER OR NOT IT'S FAIR, THE PERCEPTION MUST BE CHANGED.

I DO THINK ONE THING THAT'S CLEAR IS IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND YOU'RE A DEVELOPER, YOU PROBABLY HAVE MUCH EASIER ACCESS TO HAVING YOUR SIDE HEARD.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE TO GO TO A CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND WAIT TWO HOURS FOR YOUR THREE MINUTES TO TALK.

SO I THINK THEY CERTAINLY HAVE MORE ACCESS.

WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO ALLOW THE AVERAGE CITIZEN TO HAVE MORE SAY IN WHAT IS DONE.

I'VE BEEN TO SOME OF THOSE EVENTS WHERE NOBODY OF IMPORTANCE COMES, JUST SOME MID-LEVEL MANAGEMENT TO HEAR IDEAS FROM CITIZENS, AND YOU THINK IT PROBABLY GOES NO WHERE AFTER THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COMMISSIONER?

IN YOUR RESPONSE.

>> IS OUR CITY MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY?

>> YEAH.

>> IS THAT THE QUESTION?

>> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REPEAT THE WHOLE THING.

>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

>> LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CRITICIZED AS BEING MORE RESPONSIVE TO BUSINESS AND THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY THAN TO CITIZENS.

IS THIS A FAIR PERCEPTION, AND IF SO, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT?

>> YEAH, 100% A FAIR PERCEPTION.

OUR CITY RIGHT NOW IS WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH DEVELOPERS, AND WE'RE SEEING REALLY A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION.

ON THE CANOPY PROJECT, WE SAW THE LARGEST FINE EVER ISSUED TO THAT DEVELOPER.

THE CITY DIDN'T BRING IT, BUT THE STATE HAD TO, RIGHT?

WE'RE PUSHING THINGS ALONG SO FAST THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HIT THE BRAKES AND SAY, WAIT, THERE IS ROOM TO COMPROMISE.

I WAS DISAPPOINTED WHEN NEIGHBORS BROUGHT GREAT SOLUTIONS AND OFFERED TO MAKE IT, PROTECT OUR WILDLIFE.

BUT YET THAT WAS OVERRULED.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE OPINIONS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NEGLECTED AND IGNORED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER MATLOW, YOU'VE WITH OFTEN DECRIED DEVELOPER GIVEAWAYS AND VANITY PROJECTS.

WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE DURING YOUR TENURE OF A SPOKE DEVELOPMENT YOU SUPPORTED -- SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT YOU SUPPORTED AND WHAT WAS ITS ECONOMIC IMPACT?

>> SURE.

DEVELOPMENTS I'VE SUPPORTED, I SUPPORTED SOME OF -- SUMMIT WALLS, I MOVED FORWARD WITH THE ENGLISH PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT.

WE LOOKED AT, WE SUPPORTED PROJECTS OUT NEAR VANDERMAN ROAD, LOTS OF ROAD PROJECTS, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

IT'S NOT ABOUT WHO DEVELOPS OR WHO GROWS, IT'S ABOUT HOW WE'RE USING OUR PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS.

THE GIVEAWAYS ARE $80 MILLION TO THE NORTHEAST GATEWAY, A ROAD PROJECT FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BUILT YET WHEN IT'S SKIP STARK STREET WHERE CHILDREN WALK ON DIRT SIDE STREETS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE SIDEWALKS.

HAY NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LET OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS CAN CREATE.

>> THANK YOU.

DAVID BELLAMY, YOU'VE A TAKEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM SOME OF THE BIGGEST DEVELOPERS IN TOWN.

WHAT SHOULD VOTERS TAKE AWAY FROM THAT.

>> I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE WITH SURPRISED THAT THEY GAVE TO ME.

JEREMY CALLED MANY OF THEM CRIMINALS.

JEREMY EVEN MADE A VIDEO ONE TIME SAYING I'M COMING AFTER YOU, SO AND SO.

TO THINK THAT THEY WOULD SUPPORT ME OVER HIM IS, I MEAN, WHY WOULDN'T THEY?

THEY SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISEDED A BIT.

THAT IS A BED JEREMY MADE.

HE COULD HAVE WORKED ON RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOSE FOLKS, AND INSTEAD HE'S MADE THIS BED HE HAS TO LIE IN.

I HAVEN'T PROMISED ANYBODY ANYTHING IN THIS RACE.

ALL I'VE SAID IS I'M RUNNING, I'LL BE FAIR, I'LL BE HONEST, I WON'T PLAY FAVORITES, AND PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY WITH JEREMY THAT GAVE THEM THE LAST TIME ARE GIVING TO ME IN THIS TIME.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, ONE OF MY NUMBER ONE FUNDRAISERS IS JEREMY.

YOU CAN'T THREATEN PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND EXPECT TO WORK WITH HEM IN THE FUTURE AND BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY SUPPORT YOUR TO OPPONENT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE SHIFTING OVER TO THE LIGHTNING ROUND NOW.

WAY WORKS IS I'M LOOKING FOR ONE-SENTENCE ANSWERS, OFTEN TIMES IT'S A YES OR NO QUESTION, SO YOU CAN GIVE ME A YES AND THEN AN ANSWER WITH A SENTENCE.

YOU CAN INCLUDE AN AND, MAYBE EVEN A BECAUSE, BUT NOT TOO MUCH OF A RUN-ON SENTENCE.

START SIMPLY, HOW MANY CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS HAVE YOU ATTENDED, HOW MANY HAVE YOU SPOKEN AT AND WHAT TOP TO THETICS?

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> I'VE PROBABLY BEEN TO HUNDREDS, IN MORE CONTEMPORARY TIMES 5-6.

I DON'T SPEAK AT THEM, BUT I WATCH THEM ON ON THE INTERNET A FEW DAYS LATER.

>> OKAY, I THINK I KNOW YOUR ANSWER.

>> I'VE BEEN TO A LOT.

[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT DOES THE WORD PROGRESS FOR TALLAHASSEE MEAN TO YOU?

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> IT MEANS ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY.

AND THE NEGLECTED COMMUNITIES FINALLY GET INVESTMENT.

>> DAVID BELLAMY, WHAT DOES THE WORD PROGRESS MEAN FOR TALLAHASSEE TO YOU?

>> I WAS ADOPTED ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY FROM IF HARLEM COUNTY, KENTUCKY, SO I HAD EQUAL ODDS OF BEING IN A COAL MINE RIGHT NOW AS I DO A DOCTOR.

TO ME, PROGRESS MEANS EVERYBODY HAVING AN EQUAL CHANCE TO SUCCEED THE WAY I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO BECAUSE, AGAIN, FAITH COULD HAVE -- CAN FATE COULD HAVE TAKEN ME ANOTHER WAY.

EVERYBODY NEEDS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.

>> WHAT'S ONE PLEDGE YOU WOULD MAKE TO VOTERS THAT YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH IF ELECTED?

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> I WILL CHANGE THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR IMPOVERISHED AREAS' INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> JEREMY MATLOW.

>> I WOULD PLEDGE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEIR CONCERNS WILL BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EVERY POLICY WE MAKE GOING FORWARD.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT SALE OF TALLAHASSEE'S PUBLIC UTILITIES?

>> HECK, NO.

NO WAY.

>> DAVID BELLAMY IN.

>> NO.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE DONE WITH THE OLD TPD SITE ONCE THEY MOVE TO NORTHWOOD?

DAVID THE BELLAMY.

>> I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE FOR ANOTHER GEORGIA BELL DICKENSON TYPE OF APARTMENT FOR OLDER FOLKS ON A LIMITED INCOME.

>> OKAY.

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY COME TO THE TABLE AND DECIDE WHAT KIND OF PUBLIC FACILITY IT COULD CONTINUE TO BE.

>> WHO ARE YOU ENDORSING AT THE TOP OF THE CITY TICKET IN THE MAYOR'S RACE?

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> ANY OF THE CANDIDATES THAT'S NOT MAYOR JOHN DALY.

>> OKAY.

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> I AM NOT ENDORSING ANYBODY.

I'VE GOT MY HANDS FULL WITH THIS ONE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION, WILL YOU ATTEND THIS YEAR'S TALLAHASSEE CHAMBER CONFERENCE AT AMELIA ISLAND?

WHY OR WHY NOT?

DAVID WELLMY -- BELLAMY.

>> I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THAT CONFERENCE, AND I'M NOT GOING.

>> I'LL BE KNOCKING ON DOORS TALKING TO VOTERS.

IT'S RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION.

>> WHAT'S THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE ON THE SOUTH SIDE?

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> SIDEWALKS AND STORM WATER IMPROVEMENT.

>> DAVID BELLAMY.

>> CAREERS, CAREERS, CAREERS.

EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FOLLOW.

>> ALL RIGHT.

CITY MANAGER SERVES AT THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COMMISSION.

REESE GOOD'S BEEN SERVING AS CITY MANAGER SINCE 2018.

WHAT LETTER GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM THIS YEAR AND WHY?

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> C+.

I THINK MOST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY WORKS WELL.

I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BOUGHT NATURAL GAS YEARS AGO.

AT THE CURRENT RATE OUR YOU ITS WOULD BE UP 50%.

REESE HAS GOT TO REALIZE WHEN HE THINKS HE DESERVES IT OR NOT, HE HAS AN IMAGE PROBLEM THAT HE MUST FIX.

>> OKAY -- >> I ALSO EXPECT HIM TO TREAT SUBRD NATES WITH RESPECT, AND THAT'S WHY I GIVE HIM A LOWER GRADE.

>> OKAY.

JEREMY MATLOW?

>> I GIVE F HIM A U FOR UNSATISFACTORY.

>> NAME ONE SPECIFIC THING THE CITY IS NOT SPENDING MUST HAVE MONEY ON AND ONE IT'S SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY ON.

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> TOO MUCH MONEY ON LUXURY STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS AND DEVELOPER GIVEAWAYS AND NOT ENOUGH MONEY ON BASIC NEIGHBORHOOD INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> DAVID BELLAMY.

>> SO I DON'T THINK WE KNOW WHAT WE DON'T SPEND ENOUGH MONEY ON, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WE'VE HAD AN AUDIT.

IN THE SHORT TERM THE, YES, TOO MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT ON PSU.

THE -- FSU.

WHAT WE SPEND TOO LITTLE ON, AGAIN, WE DON'T MAINTAIN ALL OF TALLAHASSEE AS WE DO MAINTAIN SOME OF THE NICER AREAS, AND THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

>> OKAY.

WHAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST THING YOU'VE DONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE?

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> I THINK BEING A POLICE OFFICER.

I MEAN, WHEN YOU SHOW UP AT SOMEBODY'S DOOR, SOMEONE'S CAR WRECK AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING.

WHEN YOU'RE DOING CPR ON SOMEBODY IN FRONT OF THEIR FAMILY, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING.

I RETURNED $20 TO A HOMELESS MAN WHO WAS BEATEN AND ROBBED OF THE ONLY MONEY -- >> OKAY.

>> -- I FELT LIKE I WAS SERVING MY CITY EVERY NIGHT I WENT HOME.

>> JEREMY MATLOW, 30 SECONDS ON THAT QUESTION.

>> PASSING THE CLEAN ENERGY PLAN TO TRANSITION OUR COMMUNITY TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUPPORTING OUR TWO SOLAR -- [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE LIGHTNING ROUND.

BACK TO WFSU.

>> YES.

AND A ITEM THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF OTHER CONTEXTS IN THE COURSE OF OUR CONVERSATION HERE.

STARTING WITH YOU, MR. MATLOW, WHAT WAS YOUR POSITION -- I THINK WE KNOW -- ON THE RECENT ALLOCATION OF $27 MILLION TO RENOVATE DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM FROM THE MONEY REQUIRED TO BE SPENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS?

BUT BEYOND THAT, EXPLAIN WHY YOU DID NOT FAVOR IT.

>> YEAH, SURE.

THE LUXURY STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS AT DOAK CAMPBELL WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EGREGIOUS WASTE OF TAXPAYER FUNDS AND, FRANKLY, BETRAYAL OF THE PUBLIC TRUST THAT WE'VE SEEN.

OVER THE LAST YEAR.

THIS MONEY WAS MEANT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE ASKED THE VOTERS TO TRUST OUR GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE 12% FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENTS.

IF STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS WERE ON THE AGENDA, IT COULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON A BALLOT.

IT BUDGET.

SO WE TOOK MONEY AWAY FROM SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES, AWAY FROM RECRUITING NEW BUSINESSES TO OUR TOWN AND, FRANKLY, A WIDE RANGE THAT WE COULD USE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS FOR.

BUT WE DIDN'T GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY TO PROPOSE ALTERNATIVES.

THE CITY COMMISSION AND COUNTY COMMISSION WERE GIVEN ONE WEEK'S NOTICE BEFORE EVEN POPPED UP ON AN AGENDA.

I FOUND OUT ABOUT IT WHEN A REPORTER ASKED ME IF I KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

I HADN'T HERALD.

THAT'S THE WAY THINGS ARE BEING COOKED UP BEHIND THE SCENES AT BLUEPRINT, AND THAT NEEDS TO COME TO AN END.

>> DAVID BELLAMY, YOUR THOUGHTS AGAIN ON THAT PROJECT AND AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT LED YOU TO THOSE CONCLUSIONS.

>> I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THAT VOTED FOR BLUEPRINT THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GO TO THE BOOSTERS.

EVEN BOOSTERS LIKE MYSELF NEVER THOUGHT MONEY I VOTED FOR ON BLUEPRINT WOULD GO TO THAT.

BLUEPRINT ORIGINALLY WAS JUST FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

PROBABLY SHOULD GO BACK TO THAT.

I DO THINK A BETTER LEADER, MORE EFFECTIVE LEADER COULD HAVE FIXED PROBLEM.

I MENTIONED THAT JEREMY WOULDN'T EVEN RETURN THE CALLS OF THE BOOSTER PRESIDENT.

AND AND HE ACTUALLY MADE FUN OF ME, WHY WOULD I CALL HIM?

A, HE CALLED YOU, AND B, IF WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE ENTITY ASKING FOR THE MONEY, I COULD HAVE SAID I'LL DO MY BEST TO STOP THIS IF YOU DON'T COMPROMISE FOR 10.

IF YOU'LL COMPROMISE, WE'LL MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE FRONT STEPS.

THE COMMUNITY HAD SHOWN A WILLINGNESS, BUT THE TAKE NO PRISONS, SCORCHED EARTH ALL OR NOTHING LEFT US PAYING $27 MILLION TO FSU PLUS 14,000 FOR A HOSTILE WORKPLACE INVESTIGATION.

I THINK THE BETTER LEADERSHIP COULD HAVE NIPPED THAT IN THE BUD EARLY ON.

>> OKAY -- >> BUILD COME PROMICE, BUILD COALITIONS.

>> TERRIFIC.

WHICH LEADS US INTO A FOLLOW UP, MR. BELLAMY.

NOW THAT IT IS A DONE DEAL, WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO INSURE THAT BLUEPRINT INVESTMENT PAYS OFF FOR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO DON'T ATTEND THE FSU FOOTBALL GAMES?

>> I DON'T THINK THEY CAN.

FSU'S OFFERED TO OPEN IT UP FOR MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS.

I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO ENOUGH FOR $2347.

I -- 27 MILLION.

WE DIDN'T WORK THAT OUT AHEAD OF TIME.

AGAIN, IF I WAS THERE, I WOULD HAVE SAID TO THE MEDICAL SCHOOL, HEY, YOU'VE GOT A PSYCHIATRY RESIDENCY COMING.

YOU WANT THIS MONEY, YOU IMMEDIATE TO HAVE A WAY TO FIND THE PSYCHIATRY RESIDENTS SERVE IMPOVERISHED AREAS, CLINICS THERE.

WE'RE AT LEAST GOING TO GET SOMETHING BACK IN TIME -- IN RETURN.

>> SAME QUESTION HERE, MR. MATLOW.

>> I MEAN, LARGELY, I THINK WHAT BLUEPRINT NEEDS TO DO GOING FORWARD IS BRING THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UNDER THE SUNSHINE.

STATE LAW REQUIRES COMMITTEES OF THAT SORT MEET IN PUBLIC, AND THEN MAYBE WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT THIS WAS COMING, WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHETHER THEY WERE CONSIDERING IT BEFORE IT GOT TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

IF THE PUBLIC HAD MORE NOTICE, I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE SHOWED UP EARLY BEFORE THE TRAIN LEFT THE STATION.

IT WASN'T UNTIL THE SECOND OR THIRD MEETING THAT THE PUBLIC SHOWED UP BECAUSE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE FRONT END SO THESE TERRIBLE DECISIONS DON'T CONTINUE.

>> TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT CAN SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE IT'S A INSTANT CAN CONCERN -- A DISTANT CONCERN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STRUGGLE WITH EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE OTHER CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ALSO STRUGGLE WITH.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING A RECORD HEAT WAVE IN EUROPE AND REALLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

SOME TALLAHASSEE RESIDENTS ARE OPENING UP THEIR HIGHEST UTILITY BILLS EVER AFTER A STRETCH OF 100-DEGREE DAYS.

HOW URGENT IS THIS PROBLEM, AND WHAT CAN WE DO -- WHAT CAN THE CITY DO TO ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

DAVID BELLAMY.

>> SO ONE THING THE CITY'S DONE IS PLEDGED TO GET TO ALL RENEWABLE RESOURCES, I THINK, BY 2050.

AND THE CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS WE'RE BUYING ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE GOING TO ALL ELECTRIC OR HYBRID FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

THE CITY, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WHEN WE DO, INCENTIVES TO PUT THINGS UP SUCH AS SOLAR PANELS.

I THINK WE'VE ALSO GOT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING WE HAVE MORE IMMEDIATE CONTROL OVER, AND THAT'S THE QUALITY OF OUR WATER.

OUR SEWER SYSTEM'S BEEN UNDER A CONSENT ORDER FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

WE DUMP MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF RAW SEWAGE INTO OUR OWN DRINKING WATER CISTERNS.

WE'VE GOT TO FIX THAT.

THE WATER ADVOCACY GROUP CAME AND ASKED JEREMY TO HELP THEM MAKE THIS MORE PUBLIC, AND HE VOTED WITH A POLICY THAT MAKES IT SO WE CAN HAVE A CONSENT ORDER GIVEN, AND THERE'S STILL NO PRESS RELEASE BY THE CITY.

WE CAN HAVE A BIGGER EFFECT ON OUR OWN WATER BY MORE TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR SEWER SYSTEM.

THERE WAS A BIG ARTICLE IN IT TODAY.

WE DUMPED 600,000 GALLONS OF RAW SEWAGE INTO A TRIBUTARY TO A LAKE MUNSON ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO, AND WE WONDER WHY NOW IT'S A BIG PILE OF ALGAE.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> MR. MATLOW.

>> THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THE ENTIRE PUBLIC IS NOTIFIED WHEN THERE ARE SPILLS.

BUT LOOKING AT CLIMATE CHANGE, THIS HAS TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE ISSUE.

IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT'S FAR IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE DON'T ADDRESS IT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE TOO LATE.

I WAS PROUD TO BE ENDORSED BY CLIMATE CABINET THAT'S WORKING ON ISSUES JUST LIKE THIS, BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO LOCALLY, WE'RE SO FORTUNATE TO OWN OUR TO OWN UTILITY.

WE ARE LITERALLY IN CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE.

SO, YES, I DID ADVOCATE AND SUPPORTED THE TRANSITION TO 2050, BUT WE WERE PUSHING TO GET IT DONE EVEN SOONER.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE PLAN WHEN IT COMES BACK.

HOW CAN WE DO IT BY 2040, BY 2035.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR FOOT ON THE GAS GAS TO ACHIEVE THIS.

CURRENTLY, WE ARE ADDING SOLAR FARMS.

ALL CITY-OWNED BUILDINGS ARE SERVED BY SOLAR POWER.

OUR ENTIRE FLEET IS GOING TO BE ELECTRIC BY 2035.

WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, BUT THIS IS SO URGENT, WE NEED TO MOVE FASTER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FOLKS, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NONCONTROVERSIAL TOPIC OF EARTH9 THICKS.

AND ON ETHICS REDUCTIONS -- RESTRICTIONS, TALLAHASSEE CITY COMMISSIONERS VOTED 3-2 THIS YEAR NOT TO LET VOTERS DECIDE THROUGH A REFERENDUM ON WHETHER TO EXPAND THE INDEPENDENT ETHICS BOARD'S JURISDICTION TO BLUEPRINT 2020 AND THE CRA.

SO SHOULD THIS GO TO VOTERS FOR THEM TO DECIDE?

ONE MINUTE, STARTING WITH YOU, MR. MATLOW.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I SUPPORTED THAT INITIATIVE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU SIT AS A CITY OFFICIAL, IF YOU'RE SERVING AS A CRA BOARD MEMBER OR AS BLUE PRINCE, I'D LIKE OUR COUNTY COLLEAGUES TO COME ONBOARD AS WELL BECAUSE WE NEED INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT.

WE'VE SEEN TOO MUCH IN THIS COMMUNITY TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S NOT INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT.

WE SAW HOW IT OPERATED, THE POLITICAL -- SCOTT MADDOX OPERATED.

HOW THEY WERE INSTALLING PEOPLE THAT WOULD DO THEIR BIDDING AT TOP-LEVEL EXECUTIVE POSITIONS.

YOU READ THAT IN THE NEWSPAPER, IS AND YOU'RE BLOWN AWAY.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF TALLAHASSEE?

PEOPLE VERY MUCH WANT TO SEE SOME SORT OF OVERSIGHT.

>> THANK YOU.

MR. BELLAMY -- >> I AM FINE WITH IT GOING WITH TO THE VOTERS, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE SOLVED BY CITY THE COMMISSION AT THE NEXT MEETING.

ANY COMMITTEE OR BOARD THAT YOU SERVE ON WHERE THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU ARE A CITY COMMISSIONER SHOULD COME UNDER THE ETHICS BOARD.

I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE EVEN HAVE THAT ARGUMENT.

WHEN WE ASK THE QUESTION, THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T SUPERVISE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

WHY ARE WE EVEN ASKING -- OF COURSE WE CAN'T SUPERVISE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

BUT ANYTHING THAT A CITY COMMISSIONER DOES AS A CITY COMMISSIONER SHOULD COME UNDER THE ETHICS BOARD.

BRING IT TO A VOTE IF YOU WANT, BUT I'D RATHER SEE THE CITY COMMISSION DO IT ITSELF THE NEXT MEETING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

AND A FOLLOW-UP HERE AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THAT TOPIC SINCE WE RECENTLY SAW ANOTHER MAYOR AND FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER INDICTED FOR CORRUPTION CHARGES.

WE SAW THE FBI INVESTIGATION, THE CONNECTIONS TO THOSE ENSNARED AND HOW IT BECAME A CAMPAIGN ATTACK LINE.

SO STARTING WITH YOU, MR. BELLAMY, IN 45 SECONDS COULD YOU TELL US IS IT FAIR GAME TO AFFECT YOUR -- ATTACH YOUR OPPONENT TO GILLAM AND MADDOX?

AND WHY?

>> I THINK WHEN HE USED TO SAY I'M AWFUL AND ANYBODY WHO USED TO DEAL WITH MADDOX IS AWFUL, I THOUGHT THAT WAS TERRIBLE.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT HIS CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GILLAM, THEY ENDORSED EACH OTHER, THEY WERE ON FLYERS WITH EACH OTHER, USING JEREMY'S RATIONALE -- NOT MINE -- THAT RELATIONSHIP MAKES HIM INELIGIBLE TO BE A CITY COMMISSIONER.

HE SHOULD RESIGN RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T THINK THAT HE KNEW WHAT GILLAM WAS DOING.

I DON'T THINK HE APPROVEDS OF WHAT GILLAM WAS DOING, BUT IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO TO CON THAT JUST BECAUSE I KNEW IF SCOTT MADDOX DOESN'T MEAN I'M A CRIMINAL EITHER.

I'M NOT A BAD GUY.

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GILLAM ARE WAS MUCH MORE STRONGER POLITICALLY THAN MINE EVER WAS WITH MADDOX, AND TO BE THE SAYING I'M MAD IS TO BE SAYING HE HIMSELF IS BAD.

>> YOUR RESPONSE, MR. MATLOW.

>> SURE, I DID SUPPORT GILLAM AGAINST RON DeSANTIS THE, AS DID THE MAJORITY OF TALLAHASSEE.

THE CRITICISMS ABOUT SCOTT MADDOX AREN'T ABOUT WHETHER DADE BELLAMY'S FRIENDS WITH SCOTT MADDOX CAN, IT'S ABOUT WHETHER THE MACHINE THAT A LET SCOTT MADDOX FUNNEL IF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, BY SETTING UP POLITICAL COMMITTEES AND THE WAY THEY OPERATED WAS PART OF THE LARGER PROBLEM WE WERE EXPERIENCING IN TALLAHASSEE.

DAVID BELENY -- DAVID BELLAMY COULD HAVE LOOKED AT MY POLITICAL CONSULTANT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YET HE CHOSE SOMEONE WHOSE OFFICE WAS AT SCOTT MADDOX'S OFFICE UP UNTIL THE YEAR MADDOX WAS ARRESTED AND THEY TRY TO SAY THERE'S SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM.

THEY'RE NOT SUPPORTING MY CAMPAIGN.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

>> ONE LAST QUESTION.

THE LEAGUE'S GOING TO GIVE IT HERE.

>> OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

GO AHEAD AND START WITH YOU, JEREMY MATLOW.

DURING ETC.

OCTOBER 27, 2021S, MEETING, THE CITY ADOPTED A -- IN A 3-2 VOTE WHICH SUPPORTS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE INCLUDING ABORTION.

WITH THE OVERTURNING OF ROE V. WADE, WE ARE SEEING PROSECUTORS THIS MANY CHARLOTTE, ATLANTA -- IN CHARLOTTE, ATLANTA AND INDIANAPOLIS PLEDGING NOT TO USE PUBLIC RESOURCES TO SUE ABORTION PROVIDERS.

NEW ORLEANS, MEANWHILE, IS AMONG THE FIRST CITIES TO DIRECT POLICE NOT TO INVESTIGATE ABORTION CASES WITH SEVERAL OTHERS FOLLOWING SEAT -- SUIT.

DO YOU THINK THE CITY SHOULD PURSUE THESE ACTIONS OR OTHERS IN THE WAKE OF THE RULING?

ONE MINUTE.

>> SURE.

AND I WAS ON -- I SUPPORTED THAT MOTION WHEN WE SAW WHAT WAS COMING DOWN FROM THE COURTS BEFORE IT EVEN CAME TO FRUITION.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ATTACK THAT WE'RE UNDER RIGHT NOW, THE ATTACK ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS, THE ATTACK ON TRANS RIGHTS, THE ATTACK ON GAY RIGHTS.

PEOPLE ARE UNDER ATTACK IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT THEM.

FRANKLY, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE SUPREME COURT RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR CONFIDENCE IN THAT COURT COMPLETELY.

IT'S ERODING THE FABRIC OF OUR VERY DEMOCRACY.

IF SO WHEN WE FACE SUCH INJUSTICE, WHEN WE SEE RIGHTS OF WOMEN BEING TAKE AEN AWAY THAT ARE SO FUNDAMENTAL TO WHO THEY ARE, THEIR BODIES, AND OUR TRANS MEN AS WELL, WE HAVE TO STAND UP AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN POSSIBLE.

DO WE HAVE TO INVESTIGATE, ARREST AND PROSECUTE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY?

NO, WE DON'T.

OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE LEADING THE WAY, WE SHOULD STEP UP AS WELL.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'D ADVOCATE ON THE -- FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO CALL FOR A VOTE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> OKAY.

>> DAVID BELLAMY, SAME QUESTION.

>> SO I THINK IT WAS A BAD DECISION.

I DON'T LIKE ABORTION, BUT IT'S FOR RELIBERTIES REASONS, AND MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS SHOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO TO WITH WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS SOMEBODY CAN OR CANNOT DO.

THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC IN THIS CITY IS NAME AFTER MY GRANDMOTHER, SALLY BELLAMY.

SO I THINK IT WAS BAD.

I ALSO WORRY WHAT'S GOING TO BE NEXT?

ARE GAY RIGHTS NEXT?

YOU ALREADY HEAR PEOPLE RUMBLING ABOUT GAY MARRIAGE.

ARE WE REALLY GOING TO LOOK BACKWARDS?

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THERE WAS A TIME WHEN IT WASN'T OKAY.

I'VE SUPPORTED GAY MARRIAGE FOR 30 YEARS, I'VE BEEN TO OFFICIANT AT A GAY WEDDING.

I WORETY -- WORRY THE PRECEDENT THAT SETS THAT WILL SET US BACKWARDS WITH ON ALL SORTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS THAT HAVE JUST BECOME SO BASIC NOW.

>> ALL RIGHT, YOU MADE IT TO CLOSING TIME.

THAT MEANS YOU'VE GOT 90 SECONDS TO TALK DIRECTLY TO VOTERS.

YOU CAN CERTAINLY SHARE YOUR WEB SITE, AND, MR. BELLAMY, YOU GET TO START ON THIS.

90 SECONDS.

>> YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY CAME HERE IN 1918, MY MAYOR -- MOTHER WAS THE MAYOR IN THE '80s, I WAS A POLICE OFFICER IN THE '90s, MY FATHER WAS A PHYSICIAN HERE, I'M A PHYSICIAN HERE.

MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO A MEETING IN 1984, AND I'VE BEEN SERVING THE CITY EVER SINCE.

I LOVE THIS IS CITY.

BUT I STARTED REALIZING THAT SOME OF THE AREAS AREN'T AS GOOD, AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN OUR CITY HAS SAME OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.

I GOT TIRED OF SEEING THAT WE HAD THE POOREST ZIP CODE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

I WAS TIRED OF SEEING WE HAD THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA CRIME RATE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

AND I ACTUALLY VOTED FOR JEREMY HOPING HE WOULD FIX THESE BUT I THINK, WELL-INTENTIONED HE MAY BE, HE HAS FOCUSED ALL HIS EFFORTS AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR IMPOVERISHED, AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CRIME RATE.

AND IT IS TIME SOMEBODY GOES TO WORK AT CITY HALL AS OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO SAYS MY ONLY ROLE IN LIFE, IN BEING HERE IS TO BRING WITH UP THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR IMPOVERISHED.

I KNOW IT SOUNDS LIKE A CLICHE, BUT DOING THAT IS A TIE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.

AS I TALK TO BUSINESS PEOPLE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT HAVING THE POOREST ZIP CODE AND THE HIGH CRIME RATE MAKES IT HARD FOR THEIR BUSINESSES TO GROW.

IT'S HARD TO GET EMPLOYEES THE COME HERE.

AND WE FIX THAT A, THE CITY GROWS.

WE TRIED TO HIRE A HR EXPERT FOR THE HOSPITAL, AND HE WANTED TO COME HERE FROM OUT OF TOWN, BUT HIS WIFE SAID WE'RE NOT MOVING TO TALLAHASSEE, THE CRIME RATE'S TOO HIGH.

THERE'S SOMEBODY I KNOW OF WHO HAS A FRIEND IN ISLAMABAD AND THE GUY SAID, I DON'T KNOW, A CHANCE OF GETTING SHOT IN TALLAHASSEE IS GREATER THAN IT IS IN ISLAMABAD.

SOMEBODY NEEDS TO FOCUS THAT AS THEIR ONLY REASON FOR BEING THERE, AND I'LL DO THAT, AND I WILL BRING RESULTS.

>> THANK YOU.

JEREMY MATLOW.

>> THANK YOU.

I'M JEREMY MATLOW AND WOULD LOVE TO EARN THE ENTIRE CITY'S SUPPORT.

I THINK WHAT YOU SAW IS MY OPPONENT REALLY HASN'T LAID OUT ANY POLICY DIFFERENCES FROM US.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCES WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE ARE HIS WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE SAME SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT THAT GOT US WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND HIS SUPPORT FOR, FRANKLY, RIGHT-WING, ESPECIALLY EXTREME POLITICIANS.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TALLAHASSEE IS BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHERRINGF YOU THINK OUR NEIGHBORHOODS NEED A LOUDER VOICE, OUR SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES NEED A LOUDER VOICE, IF YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY WHO DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING AND IF YOU THINK DOAK CAMPBELL STADIUM WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION AND YOU WANT TO SEE US GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, I'D ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

REELECT ME, AND LOOK ACROSS THE BALLOT.

I'M JEREMY MATLOW, YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT JEREMYMATLOW.COM.

THANK YOU.

>> WELL, THANK YOU TO THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TALLAHASSEE, WFSU PUBLIC MEDIA AND, OF COURSE, OUR CANDIDATES FOR JOINING US FOR THIS PROGRAM.

AND YOU CAN FIND A REPLAY OF THIS FORUM ON OUR YouTUBE PAGES, ALSO AT TALLAHASSEE.COM AND WFSU.ORG.

THE RECORDED BROADCAST WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, JULY 21ST, AT 11 A.M. ON WFSU, THAT'S AT 88.9 FM.

>> AND OUR NEXT LIVE WEB STREAM FORUM WILL BE TOMORROW, JULY THE 11ST, AT 1 P.M -- 2 19TH AT 1 P.M., AND IT WILL BE WITH THE LEE CANDIDATES FOR LEON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 4; LORI LAUGHLIN COX, SUSAN ELAINE HODGES AND ALER L -- ALEXANDER L. BELLAM.

>> YOU CAN LOOK FOR ALL THE LATEST ON ELECTION NEWS AT TALLAHASSEE.COM CAN.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND OUR SPECIAL ELECTIONS SECTION OF THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT WITH INTERVIEWS WITH ALL THE CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOTS THAT HAD BEEN PRINTED AND INSERTED IN THE SUNDAY, AUGUST 7TH, EDITION.

SO BE SURE TO GRAB A COPY OF THAT.

BEYOND THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR CANDIDATES, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THOSE OUT THERE IN FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA LAND FOR WATCHING, AND THE EXCELLENT CREW HERE AT WFSU.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

♪ PLEASURE.

♪ ♪