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Issues
The $27 Million Doak Deal
Kristin has been an advocate for economic growth and creating new jobs for 12+ years. This is why she fought so hard against the $27 million giveaway of our tax dollars for the Doak Campbell Stadium.
Kristin sat in City Hall and listened to speaker after speaker imploring the Mayor to keep $27 million working for our entire community, only to have their voices fall on deaf ears. Even with so many other pressing needs in our community, John Dailey made the decision to invest in a stadium.
Dailey supported the proposal from day one, even going as far as to say "You’re either for FSU or you’re against FSU."
John Dailey’s rushed decision on the Doak Deal cost us thousands of jobs throughout the community. To make matters worse, the return on our investment of $27 million was 34 jobs.
Growth and Development
Kristin will continue to support innovative and responsible land use policies that enable growth, maintain our quality of life, and ensure we have the capacity and services to support our current and future residents.
We can grow in a responsible way, but we need to make sure we understand the full impact of development and are prepared to address those issues. Kristin has advocated to improve our Comprehensive Plan process, which needs to be more efficient, effective, and transparent. She successfully advocated for a joint workshop with the city to revamp the Comprehensive Plan process for large scale amendments, which will occur this fall. Kristin believes that we can do better, and we need a mayor and commissioners who are willing to dig in, work with the community and make the necessary changes .
When dealing with growth and development, it is critical that we get it right the first time. If commissioners write one blank check after another, we’ll end up paying for it, literally. Cascades Park was a clean-up job, fixing problems created by development that hurt businesses and damaged homes. Kristin believes in getting it right the first time, which is why she studies the issues and listens to our community before making a decision.
As mayor, Kristin will continue to advocate for innovative and sustainable construction materials and new technology like 3-D printed homes. She will work to improve the city’s permitting process to make it more efficient and reduce costs for owners and contractors.
Economic Development
As Mayor, Kristin will lead the effort to ensure we spend our economic development dollars to serve the whole community, as she has for more than a decade. Together, she will work with Tallahassee businesses and leaders to attract good-paying jobs, jobs you can depend on to help your family and your business. She is focused on growing our economy, creating new jobs, and investing in workforce training programs.
Kristin has served on the Innovation Park Board for 12 years and served as chair for 3 years. As Chair from 2013 to 2015, Kristin worked closely with FSU and FAMU to restructure Innovation Park giving both Universities access to state funding for their existing facilities at the park and undeveloped land for future expansion. For example, FAMU has received more than $70 million from the State for the Centennial Building since 2015, funding they were previously not eligible to receive.
Kristin is currently the Chair of the North Florida Innovation Labs Oversight Committee at Innovation Park, a project she’s worked on for eight years. A project like this doesn’t happen overnight. It takes vision, hard work, and collaboration. For the first time, entrepreneurs will be able to grow their business right here in Tallahassee, helping us create new jobs, retain talent, attract new businesses, and grow our economy. This is a huge win for our community and region! The NFIL is expected to generate over $20 million in economic impacts and create over 600 new jobs.
Building on the work that has already been accomplished, as mayor, Kristin will encourage both the City and County to work with all partners to support new training programs and work to create more apprenticeship programs. This must include working with the State of Florida and the Department of Economic Opportunity to resolve any issues that slow the process and impede our efforts to grow new jobs.
Environment
Years before her time on the County Commission, Kristin began blazing the trail on environmental issues in Tallahassee and Leon County. She served as the first President of Sustainable Tallahassee, a non-profit dedicated to promoting environmental, economic, and social sustainability through education and collaboration. After her election to the Commission, she quickly honed her skills to tackle some of the county’s most critical environmental needs.
She spearheaded a County strategic initiative to ensure water projects are implemented holistically to protect water quality and quantity. She led the effort to implement a new fertilizer ordinance that utilizes best practices by the state and other municipalities. Components of the new ordinance included training programs for commercial applicators, public education training, and a summertime moratorium on fertilizer application during certain conditions. As mayor, she will use her experience as a county commissioner to improve communication between the city and the county to improve water quality.
Kristin also served on the Growth, Environment, Planning and Agriculture Committee and the Water Policy Committee for the Florida Association of Counties.
Because of these initiatives and her support for clean-energy policies, she was recently endorsed by The Climate Cabinet. As Mayor of Tallahassee, she will accelerate progress at the city to move to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050 and an all-electric fleet by 2035. The Climate Cabinet wrote in their endorsement that “Dozier’s proven track record of advancing the transition to electric and low emission vehicles, her commitment to sustainability, and years of experience as a county commissioner will help move Tallahassee forward.”
Kristin has long been an advocate to bring new industries to our region such as the farming and manufacturing of Industrial Hemp, a sustainable alternative that can be used in construction and development.
Kristin will advocate for the implementation of a citywide composting program and work to expand commercial recycling and public transportation.
Crime / Gun Violence
In a 2019 study of Florida’s safest cities, Tallahassee ranked 126 out of 134 cities surveyed. This is an issue that impacts everyone in Tallahassee, especially those living in communities directly impacted by crime and gun violence. Kristin understands this is not simply a law enforcement issue and has been a strong supporter of our human service nonprofits, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and the newly formed Commission on the Status of Men and Boys.
Kristin has been a strong advocate for Sheriff McNeil’s ‘All In’ program and for the creation of the Commission on the Status of Men and Boys, which was based on the Anatomy of a Homicide Report. These programs have and will continue to create partnerships and address long standing issues in new and effective ways. She worked closely with Sheriff McNeil after he was first elected to identify partnerships and address reentry and recidivism. In recent years, LCSO and their partners have created new programs that are having a real impact in our community. Kristin is confident we will have the same success through the Commission and, most critically, take action to provide alternatives for those who are expelled from school and are at risk of engaging in criminal activity.
However, we cannot expect our Law Enforcement partners to solve these issues alone. Kristin believes all of us must work together to address the conditions that lead to criminal activity and support local programs to reduce our crime rate and gun violence that has impacted our city for far too long. Our Law Enforcement partners protect our community every day and we should all be grateful for their service. Kristin supported increased funding for LCSO in recent years and does not support cutting funding for LCSO or TPD. As a County Commissioner, Kristin has not had the opportunity to work directly with the Tallahassee Police Department. However, she appreciates their work and especially the steps they have taken to engage the community and create new programs to address mental health.
Poverty
As of 2020, Leon County's poverty rate was 20.7%, which is 7% higher than the State average. In fact, Tallahassee’s 32304 zip code had the highest poverty rate in Florida in a 2015 Harvard survey, with 32301 not far behind.
Kristin supports efforts by the City and County, as well as community organizations and business community to reduce poverty in Tallahasee and Leon County. However, she also knows more can and must be done to help our neighbors who are struggling to support themselves and their families.
As a County Commissioner, Kristin consistently advocated for increased funding for the Community Human Services Partnership, additional grants for local non-profits and increased funding for homelessness programs.
As mayor, Kristin will work with our community partners to identify new, creative solution to address food insecurity, provide more jobs and training programs, and support investment in neighborhoods that have historically been left behind. She will work to implement the City's Neighborhood First plans and work with our communities to identify where those investments should be made.
Affordable Housing/Homelessness
For years, Kristin has advocated for both the County and City to increase the supply of affordable housing.
Kristin believes that both the County and City should build on already established programs, such as the Community Land Trust, and increase the amount and type of property donated to the Trust.
As Mayor of Tallahassee, she will propose reforms to the City’s permitting process that expedites affordable housing projects. To accomplish this without impacting other projects, she will explore options to have a dedicated staff to review affordable housing projects.
She will support smart and responsible land use policies that enable growth, maintain our quality of life, and ensure we have the capacity and services to support our current and future residents.
In addition to other strategies to increase the supply of affordable housing, there is one way to make housing more affordable for local people- jobs! Good paying jobs with benefits that enable people to afford rent, to purchase a home and support themselves and their families.
Data indicates that an individual must make $19/hour to afford the average rent in Tallahassee, and many of our local jobs pay less than that. With current inventory levels not keeping pace with the need, she knows that more must be done. Kristin believes that we should work to increase wages, recruit new businesses, and expand and grow new local businesses so more people can find good jobs and afford a safe and secure home.
LGBTQIA+
Kristin is committed fully to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and working to create a safe and inclusive community. During Kristin’s first campaign for the Leon County Commission in 2010, she advocated for the passage of our Human Rights Ordinance that codified non-discrimination laws for LGBTQ+ individuals in Leon County and Tallahassee.
Kristin has supported the expansion of employee benefits, including parental leave for all parents and adoptions, and many programs offered by Leon County, such as recognition of Pride Month at the Leon County Libraries.
As mayor of Tallahassee, Kristin will continue to be a strong advocate for everyone in our community and do whatever possible to protect the rights and safety of our LGBTQ+ neighbors. We need to do more in Tallahassee to protect trans children and defend them from attacks coming from our state government. As mayor, Kristin will use her position to uplift and fight to protect the trans community.
Kristin is proud that a majority of her campaign staff identifies as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Kristin would establish an LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee that reports to the full City Commission instead of the current committee that only reports to the Mayor's staff.
Helping to create a welcoming community helps with the recruitment and retention of new businesses. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will help to grow our local economy.