Santa Rosa County Commission District 2 has six candidates running for the seat currently filled by incumbent Kerry Smith. 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: Reni (Renee) Johnmeyer
Office you’re seeking: SRC Commissioner District 2
Occupation: Owner and operator of Johnmeyerworks, a cleaning service and odd jobs
Party: Republican
Education: High School and 2 years Bible College
Various: Leadership Institute courses
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running because Santa Rosa County deserves transparent, accountable leadership. About six years ago, I noticed signs for a new housing development near my home and asked my commissioner about it. His response was, “I wish I knew.” I later learned that he had been involved in purchasing nearby lots, reselling them to developers, and supporting rezoning that allowed greater housing density.
That experience motivated me to become more involved in county government and land-use decisions. Residents deserve honest answers, responsible growth, and confidence that public officials are serving the community — not personal interests. I’m running to restore trust between the board of county commissioners and citizens, protect taxpayers, and ensure the public’s voice is heard before decisions are made.
What experience do you have that makes you qualified for this office?
I am service oriented and have a servant’s heart for our community. I have given freely of my time and resources. I have experience managing household and school PTA and fundraising budgets, where I learned to distinguish wants from needs and prioritize spending responsibly. I currently serve as a Republican precinct committeewoman, have volunteered as a poll watcher, and am Vice Chair of the Emerald Coast Republican Liberty Caucus. I regularly attend BOCC meetings, study county policies and land-use decisions, and advocate for residents. I am prepared to ask difficult questions, listen to citizens, protect taxpayers, and provide transparent, accountable leadership.
In your view, what is the primary responsibility of the Santa Rosa County Commission?
The primary responsibility of a County Commission is to serve the public well by managing taxpayer dollars wisely and ensuring essential county services are provided effectively. Including oversight of infrastructure, proper public safety. Land use changes and responsible county growth that is in the best interest of the community.
Commissioners must listen to citizens, make transparent decisions, remembering they are public servants—not dictators.
In your view, what is the greatest challenge of the Santa Rosa County Commission?
Santa Rosa County’s greatest challenge is that the rapid growth has outpaced our failing infrastructure. My other concern is the obvious decline in public trust.
I will prioritize roads, proper drainage and utilities are in place for all new developments. I will require development to help cover costs of the surrounding neighborhoods and community that it directly impacts. I also support regularly reviewing the Land Development Code to make sure it is working for our community.
I will push to deploy a long-term planning team including citizens. I believe meaningful public involvement is essential to a thriving economy and transparency.
Growth should follow infrastructure—not overwhelm it. I will support responsible development only where roads, proper drainage, utilities, schools, and emergency services can accommodate it, while strengthening impact fees, enforcing development standards, and requiring realistic infrastructure plans before approving higher-density projects.
How would you as a commissioner balance ongoing growth and the infrastructure needs that support it?
I would balance growth with infrastructure by not letting the development outpace our road systems, our available drainage, our utilities and emergency services. The development is quickly impinging on all of the above. I am disappointed that I am hearing of neighborhoods with no fire hydrants being built regularly. I am hearing of 4 homes sharing a septic tank and the county is maintaining this. As well as swells being part of new homes landscape hoping to keep flooding from happening. I think a hard look into better solutions and available alternatives is a must. I also think we as a county need to reinstate road concurrency.
What is your position on the statewide property tax referendum and if it passes how would you address the reduction in revenue?
This is a critical issue for Santa Rosa County, and it deserves a thorough answer. Leadership requires a calm, steady hand during uncertain economic times. A lot will happen between now and November that will shape the conversation around this referendum. Nobody likes taxes—including me—and while I oppose heavy property tax burdens that can hit our seniors hard and cause financial burdens. The reality is that a community requiring protection and services must be funded responsibly. The voters of Florida will make their decision, and as leaders, we must be prepared to handle the outcome. If the amendment passes, we must quickly bring citizens and experts to the table to audit county assets, including identifying surplus county property that can be liquidated to bolster our emergency reserves. However, one-time fixes aren’t enough to solve three consecutive years of reserve dipping. We must encourage commercial development and major industrial hubs—leveraging Santa Rosa County’s prime location. This way new business growth pays its fair share rather than piling more pressure on residential taxpayers. Our community’s success enables their commercial success, and our tax structure must reflect that balance. No matter the voter’s choice I am prepared to make the necessary decisions and adjustments to the county budget, while looking for other avenues of income.
How should Santa Rosa County best address the factors that have forced county commissioners to dip into reserve funds for the third straight year.
Santa Rosa County must address recurring budget shortfalls by identifying the spending increases driving them. Prioritizing essential services and eliminating waste before considering new taxes or fees is essential. Reserve funds should be used for true emergencies and one-time needs, not to balance routine expenses year after year. After meeting with the current tax collector Stan Nichols, I know that many of these cautions are already being addressed.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Reni ‘Renee’ Johnmeyer for Santa Rosa County Commissioner District 2 Q&A
Reporting by Reni (Renee) Johnmeyer, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Reni (Renee) Johnmeyer, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
