POLITICAL POINTS BLOG — WCJB TV20 provides regular updates on the latest news in politics, campaigns, and governance across North Central Florida.
Friday, Dec 12: Getting Schooled
GAINESVILLE – The Alachua County Legislative Delegation makes a late appearance today at the University of Florida’s “Eye Opener Discovery Lunch.” The event coincides with the end of Interim Committee meetings in Tallahassee and Fall Commencement Exercises at UF. While property taxes and congressional redistricting have generated the most headlines at the state capital this Fall, guests at this event may be just as interested in hearing about plans for Higher Education funding, possible state audits. and lawmakers’ perspectives on the next President of UF.
Thursday, Dec 11: Hedging Their Bets
OCALA – The announcement that a horse racing facility may be on its way to Marion County is driven in no small part by past, current and future events in the state capital. On Tuesday, CEO Lonny Powell of the Florida Thoroughbred and Breeders and Owners Association announced a long-term agreement with a group of financial backers formed by former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine and attorney John Morgan. They plan “to pursue development of a modern Thoroughbred racing and entertainment complex in Marion County.”
The FTBOA has a non-profit license to race horses, which comes in handy. As would a live racing facility in the middle of The Horse Capital, especially if other racetracks close up shop.
The owners of Gulfstream Park in South Florida unsuccessfully pursued “decoupling” legislation in the last state regular legislative session, and currently filed a lawsuit to allow it in Leon County Court. Decoupling would allow Gulfstream to separate its live horse racing activities from its gambling operation. The prospect of no live racing in the entire state is a major concern to those in the horse industry who lobbied hard against the decoupling legislation, and expect it to come back again next year if it fails in court.
Although he plans to continue to fight decoupling for now, Powell was quoted in an FTBOA release as saying, “Everybody needs to give up on the idea that you’re going to force them (the owners of Gulfstream) to stay in the business of live racing. They’re in our rear view mirror.”
Wednesday, Dec 10: You Gotta Have Art
Gainesville City and Alachua County Commissioners hold a Joint Meeting Wednesday to better define where plans stand to create a Cultural Center for the Eastside.
Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker, back from a three-city tour of existing cultural centers and their programs, wants to expand arts programs in East Gainesville. One problem has been no money for a facility to host the programs. The last City Commission discussions in August suggested the Duval Early Learning Center as a home to some programs. but Alachua County Schools’ spokesperson Jackie Johnson told TV20, “There are no plans to turn Duval into an arts center.”
Tuesday, Dec 9: Certain Conditions
GAINESVILLE – Controversial Alachua County School Board Member Tina Certain may be ready to file to run for County Commission. Sources attending the Alachua County Labor Coalition dinner on Monday night say Certain announced her intention to file. The District 2 seat representing Northwest Alachua County will be an open one, as incumbent Marihelen Wheeler has said she will not run again.
The existing field, however, won’t be a pushover. Former High Springs Commissioner Byran Williams and Deeper Purpose Community Church Pastor Adam Joy have already filed as Democrats. Former County Jail Director Robert Woody has filed as a Republican.
Conditions may be right for Certain to make a change. As Vice Chair of the School Board, she faced criticism for her handling of a public meeting in which a resident was nearly thrown out as well as multiple comments on social media. Certain defended her statements during a State Board of Education meeting in Tallahassee last month. She was first elected to the School Board in 2018.
Friday, Dec 5: Early Birds in Marion
OCALA – A couple of races for the Marion County Commission are already getting interesting. Longtime District 2 Commissioner Kathy Bryant has said she will not run for re-election and two candidates have already filed to run for the seat: County Commission Legislative Director Matthew Cretul and Belleview business owner Mike Crimi.
Incumbent District 4 Commissioner Carl Zalak has not yet filed to run for re-election but is widely believed to do so. That hasn’t stopped a bunch of other Republicans from filing so far: Randall Alvord, Jeff Bairstow, Clint Barkley, and Sherri Lynn Meadows. In case no Democrat runs, Anthony Barriner-Massa filed as a candidate with no political affiliation, which would effectively close the primary to GOP voters only.
Thursday, Dec 4: Show Me The Money
GAINESVILLE – City Commissioners today will receive the latest plan for a massive renovation project for the NE 8th Ave/Waldo Road corridor. City Staffers, following previous direction from Commissioners, scaled down the $84 million dollar proposal to $53 million. The biggest change is dropping plans to build a new MLK Center in favor of renovating the existing facility.
City staffers have been making some progress trying to sell Citizens Field to the School Board of Alachua County, but some hurdles remain.
Otherwise, staffers still have not identified where roughly half of the $54 million will come from. Some of it could come from the hoped-for $5.5 million pricetag for Citizens Field, but even that comes with strings attached; the City would remain on the hook for remediation, stormwater, stadium parking lot, and utility connection costs.
Wednesday, Dec 3: What’re You Talkin About, Williston?
WILLISTON – TV20’s Mistie Webb reports on the blowup during Tuesday night’s Williston City Council meeting. Tensions between Council members Debra Jones and Alexa Haniff-Riccio flared when Riccio felt her comments were being interrupted by Jones. “Do not interrupt me, nobody interrupts you when you flap your mouth with a bunch of crap so please do not interrupt me while I am talking,” Riccio declared just before Mayor Charles Goodman called for a recess. Just at that moment Police Chief Mike Rolls approached Riccio to escort her out of the room.
The discussion was over this weekend’s Light Up Williston public holiday event. It is scheduled to start at 6:30 Saturday at Heritage Park.
Tuesday, Dec 2: Chamberlin’s Bill Waits in the Wings
TALLAHASSEE – The package of property-tax relief bills advanced by the Florida House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday did not include the one proposal by a NCFL lawmaker.
HB 149, designed to start the tax cut process by rolling back property tax levies to the 2022-2023 levels, was filed by GOP Rep. Ryan Chamberlin of Belleview. It has not moved since it was assigned to the Select Committee on Property Taxes in late October.
The four Constitutional Amendments that moved on Tuesday have already passed out of that committee. They include proposals to eliminate all property taxes and remove them specifically for seniors. Since property taxes are a primary source of their funding, local government officials across the state continue to oppose the proposed changes.
Tuesday, Dec 2: One Vote Matters
TRENTON — Incumbent City Commissioner Russel Williams won re-election to the Group One Seat by easily outdistancing two challengers, but he avoided a runoff election later this month by one vote.
Williams earned 82 votes to Terry Livesay’s 41 and Nikki Deen’s 39, which pushed him over the threshold of 50% Plus One by that single ballot.
Despite a recent controversy over the City Commission slashing the Public Safety Department budget, the turnout was only 15%.
Monday, Dec. 1: Trenton Votes
TRENTON — The last two local elections of 2025 are all but wrapped up. In Trenton, emotions are running high after the City Council voted to essentially dissolve the Public Safety Department last month. But only one seat on the City Commission is actually contested on Tuesday, and that incumbent, Group One Commissioner Russel Williams, voted against the resolution. Nevertheless, he is being challenged by Nikki Deen, an administrator at Palms Medical Group, and retired businessman Terry Livesay.
Voters in Waldo face even less drama. Only one candidate filed for each of the three open seats. Incumbent Shannon Boal keeps his seat on the City Council; Carolyn Wade’s spot will now be filled by Wendy Vivas, and Jerome McIntyre takes over for Rick Pisano.
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