City Commission, Seat 1
Jack Porter is the current City Commissioner for Seat 1. She was elected in 2020, when she won as a first-time candidate against Elaine Bryant, who briefly served as Commissioner after former Commissioner Scott Maddox vacated his seat due to federal corruption charges.
Commissioner Porter sits on the Commission with three other Commissioners and the Mayor. As Commissioner, it is her job to work with her colleagues to govern and represent Tallahassee, similar to how Congress functions at the federal level. The Commission is in charge of making decisions like: approving the City budget (over $1B), setting property taxes and utility rates, and establishing short- and long-term goals for the City.
In 2020, Commissioner Porter ran for office to “restore and bring dignity to working people”. Since joining the Commission, she has sided with fellow Commissioner Jeremy Matlow to vote ‘no’ against items approved by the majority. The consistent 3-2 vote split represents a lack of cohesion on the Commission and is a barrier to progress.
Porter is facing challenges from Louis Dilbert, a director of student affairs and higher education at FAMU, and Rudy Ferguson, a local Pastor and nonviolence advocate.
Below are some pros and cons for each contender.
Jacqueline “Jack” Porter
Top priority: Contract negotiations with Tallahassee Firefighters
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Advocate for safe streets and zero traffic fatalities (albeit, she didn’t call on City intervention until after a notable traffic and 160+ regional traffic fatalities) | Consistently votes ‘no’ on items without providing an alternative that could deliver a ‘yes’ |
| Dedicated to fighting for a wage increase for Tallahassee’s Firefighters | Seldomly attends public events hosted by the City |
| Supports better protections for renters and using publicly-owned land to encourage affordable housing development | Not always responsive to constituent concerns/emails |
| Takes accountability for the bitter split on the Commission and seeks advice on how to improve collaboration | Continued failure to address leftover resentment from her 2020 campaign |
Louis Dilbert
Top priority: Addressing homelessness and the lack of affordable housing
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has a detailed platform and vision for Tallahassee, which involves providing every resident with the opportunity to achieve a good education, earn fair and equitable wages, and if they choose to do so, raise their family in a safe environment | Has not raised enough funds to be viewed as competitive to the political insiders that offer support, endorsements, funding, etc. |
| Values moral principles like stewardship, service to others, and personal accountability | Not well-known |
| Wants to address the division on the Commission and believes Mayor Dailey should lead the efforts to bridge the divide | |
| Believes the City needs to establish a reserve fund for future weather disasters to help restore impacted communities |
Rudy Ferguson
Top priority: Addressing gun violence and improving public safety
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Well aware of the issues plaguing some of Tallahassee’s most vulnerable residents | Has not issued any substantial policy solutions |
| Supports underground power line installation to prevent prolonged power outages | Heavily reliant on political/financial support from Grow Tallahassee, which could impair his judgment, if elected |
| Believes elected officials must follow standards of high ethical conduct | Endorsed his opponent after failing to advance in the 2022 primary, when a few months prior, he said his opponent engaged in “inappropriate behavior” with a close family member |