Escambia County Commission District 2 race has two candidates running for the seat currently filled by incumbent Mike Kohler. The information below was completed solely by the candidate at the request of the Pensacola News Journal and appears unedited.
IF A CANDIDATE DID NOT RETURN A QUESTIONNAIRE BY DEADLINE, THEIR Q&A WAS NOT PUBLISHED.
Name: Glenn Dorsey
Office you’re seeking: Escambia County Commissioner, District 2
Party: Republican
Occupation: CEO of myHomeSpot.com and other closely held corporations
Education: Business Administration. Florida Real Estate Broker. Florida Community Association Manager. Inactive Florida Mortgage Broker. Inactive Georgia Real Estate Broker. Inactive Missouri Real Estate Broker. FAA Private Pilot.
Why are you running for this office?
I am running because District 2 residents deserve responsive leadership focused on essential county services. County budget revenues increased over 32% in the last 4 years while roads continue to deteriorate, drainage problems remain unresolved, and blight affects our neighborhoods and commercial corridors. My priorities are to repair roads and drainage systems, clean up blight, reduce unnecessary spending, provide meaningful property tax relief, and make county government more transparent and accountable. I will hold regular town halls, report directly to residents, and remain accessible throughout my term. I want residents to see measurable improvements in their neighborhoods and know how their tax dollars are being spent.
What experience do you have that makes you qualified for this office?
As a CEO, I started, built, operated, and sold a multi-state, multi-location real estate and property management business serving thousands of tenants. Today, I lead a community association management company serving more than 10,000 residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. For approximately 30 years, I have built and managed businesses, prepared budgets, created jobs, supervised employees, negotiated contracts, managed properties, and remained accountable for financial results. My work has given me practical experience with budgets, infrastructure, maintenance, insurance, contracts, regulatory compliance, land use, housing, and the issues affecting residents and their neighborhoods. I understand how to establish priorities, control costs, measure performance, solve problems, and require accountability. These are the same management principles needed to oversee a large county government and protect taxpayer resources. More importantly, I have common sense.
In your view, what is the role of county government?
The primary role of a county commissioner is to set policy and help ensure the community’s long-term success. Commissioners should establish clear priorities, adopt a responsible budget, oversee county administration, and hold government accountable for measurable results. County government must effectively provide essential services, including public safety, roads, drainage, infrastructure, parks, emergency services, land-use planning, and code enforcement. These are the basics and what property taxes were intended to accomplish. A commissioner should remain accessible to residents, protect taxpayers, make decisions transparently, and ensure public resources support legitimate community priorities.
What is your position on the statewide property tax referendum and, if it passes, how would you address the reduction in revenue?
I support meaningful property tax reform. Property owners should not face continually increasing tax bills simply because property values rise. Local government should control spending before asking taxpayers for more money. The county should begin preparing now for the possibility of reduced property tax revenue. I would require every county department to identify efficiencies, eliminate duplicative programs, justify vacant positions, and present options for reducing spending. I would protect public safety, roads, drainage, and other essential services while reviewing discretionary spending, administrative growth, outside contracts, subsidies, and programs that do not produce measurable public benefits. I would also pursue available grants, improve purchasing and contract management, sell or repurpose unnecessary county property, and require new growth to pay its fair share of infrastructure costs through lawful impact or mobility fees. Waiting until revenue declines would force rushed decisions and create unnecessary disruption. Responsible leadership requires planning now, establishing priorities, and building a county government that can provide essential services without continually increasing the burden on property owners.
What do you think the county should do to address housing affordability?
The county should address housing costs and supply without transferring the entire burden to existing taxpayers. First, the county should make the development review process consistent and predictable. Delays and uncertainty increase construction costs that developers pass to buyers and renters. Second, the county should encourage appropriate infill development and a broader range of housing types in areas with adequate roads, utilities, drainage, and public services. Land-use decisions must respect existing neighborhoods and avoid placing additional development where infrastructure cannot support it.
Third, the county should identify surplus public property that could support workforce or attainable housing through competitive and transparent partnerships. Any agreement should include enforceable affordability requirements, performance deadlines, and real protections for taxpayers. Fourth, the county should coordinate with housing organizations, employers, and responsible developers to expand homeownership assistance, rehabilitate deteriorated housing, and improve access to available state and federal programs. Finally, the county must address infrastructure limitations, blight, and property taxes because each affects the total cost of housing. Housing affordability requires responsible growth, an adequate housing supply, efficient development, and accountable use of public resources.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Glenn Dorsey for Escambia County Commissioner District 2 Q&A
Reporting by Glenn Dorsey, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Glenn Dorsey, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
