First-time candidate Brian Jones, a Republican, and Johanna López, a Democrat who has previously won elected seats on the school board and in the statehouse, are vying to become Orange County commissioner of District 4.
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The winner will succeed term-limited Maribel Gómez Cordero, district commissioner since 2018. The commissioner’s post is for four years and will pay a salary of $135,474. .
Democrats and Hispanics are voting pluralities in the district which includes the communities of Avalon, Chickasaw, Rio Pinar, Union Park and Waterford Lakes.
López, the first Hispanic elected to the Orange County School Board and a former district teacher of the year, also served two, two-year terms in the Florida House and then decided this year she would run for the Board of County Commissioners.
López boasts a heady list of endorsements from dozens of community leaders and organizations, including both Orange County May Jerry Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. She also received backing of groups sometimes politically in conflict with one another like the Central Florida Hotel Lodging Association and unions representing tourism workers.
Jones has the endorsement of the Orange County Republican Party.
And, Jones noted, López also holds a firm edge in campaign funds.
“I know I’m the underdog and it’s going to take a small miracle,” he said. “But underdogs can win.”
López raised about $90,000 and has $23,000 left. Jones raised about $12,500 and has $1,750 left.
The race also features a third candidate, Isabella Arthur, who is mounting a write-in campaign. She said she is running because residents deserve leaders who are willing to ask “hard questions” about decisions shaping the future.
López, 54, lists on her campaign website several issues she would focus on, including housing accessibility, smart growth and expanding transportation but does not provide specific proposals or ideas for addressing them.
Jones, 57, serves on the Orange County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and has led the not-for-profit community group, the Avalon Park Foundation, for nine years.
The two candidates participated in an hour-long League of Women Voters forum in September during which they outlined their qualifications, took turns fielding questions on a variety of topics and appealed to league members for votes.
A telecommunications professional, Jones said he would seek to improve communication between District 4 residents and county government. He said he would maintain an “open-door policy,” stay accessible to residents and create an advisory network of HOA leaders, business owners, non- profit leaders, school representatives and public safety partners.
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On his website, Jones lists a range of priorities and says green spaces are essential to a healthy and vibrant community; a strong economy is built through smart, sustainable growth that benefits everyone; and addressing the issue of homelessness requires a compassionate, coordinated, and results-driven approach.
He does not list specific proposals to address those issues.
Both would support and prioritize strategies aimed at improving the inventory of affordable housing units.
On Amendment 3, the property tax measure
Jones said he supports it, saying it offers needed tax relief to home-owning taxpayers. To address the expected loss of operating revenues, Jones pledged to help identify budget inefficiencies, eliminate waste and prioritize funding of core government functions before he would vote to approve new fees to make-up for budget shortfalls.
As a lawmaker, López opposed the legislation creating the amendment. In the league forum, she said home-owners deserve property tax relief “but the way Amendment 3 is structured is not acceptable for our community.” She said the measure would reduce funding for public safety, libraries, infrastructure and debt service on existing bond obligations.
On data centers
López supports the county’s cautious approach on large data centers which power artificial intelligence processes.
“It’s something that is going to affect our environment. It’s a lot of noise. It can affect our water. It can affect our air. It can affect our quality of life,” she said in a candidates’ forum. “I think we have to say no to data centers but, once again, even though I think that way…my constituents are going to tell me how to lead this conversation.”
Jones said he initially was in favor of data centers but after listening to debate and researching the issue he’s changed his view. “I believe Orange County right now has bigger fish to fry,” he said. “It’s not that we’re never going to approve data centers…Again we have a lot more issues on the table to address before we start adding data centers to the list.”
Diversifying uses for tourist taxes
“There’s been some drama around TDT,” Jones said at the forum.
But Jones said tourism tax dollars are important to providing cultural amenities for county residents and keeping the tourism industry healthy.
“We need to prioritize investments,” he said when asked about diversifying uses for the millions the tourist tax generates. “Does it strengthen our economy? Does it create jobs? Does it improve infrastructure connected to tourism?”
The lion’s share of TDT has been spent building, expanding and operating the giant convention center on International Drive and promoting the region’s attractions, experiences and opportunities.
Lopez said the county has to be careful in managing tourist tax revenue, which has soared to record heights in the last year. “I want the TDT money to stay here in Orange County,” she said, worried other lawmakers might try to redistribute the largess around the state.
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