Primary decision: Three-way race for District 5 seat on the Polk County Commission

Three candidates are vying for the District 5 seat on the Polk County Commission, including John Hall, Mike Scott and Ricky Shirah, in a race to be decided on Aug. 20.

The election for District 5 is considered a universal primary race, so voters of all party affiliations will decide who gets the seat. This happens when all candidates for an elected office are of the same party, and the winner of the primary has no challenger in November. In this case, all the candidates are Republicans.

The current District 5 office holder is Commissioner Neil Combee, who is vacating his seat to run for Polk County Property Appraiser.

District 5 borders Lake, Pasco and Hillsborough counties and encompasses portions of Lakeland and all of Polk City, among other municipalities.

John Hall

Hall, 69, of unincorporated Auburndale has eight years of previous commission experience.

He served for two terms on the commission before losing a reelection bid to Combee in 2020. Combee also had previously served on the County Commission and defeated Hall in the 2020 election by about 7 percentage points.

Hall owns Polk Community Association Management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Leo University.

Hall announced in 2017 that he would run for a seat on the Florida House after Combee left for an appointment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, The Ledger previously reported. But he soon changed his mind about running.

Hall said he thinks that the commission has unfinished business from his two terms. He mentioned two main areas of concern: water supplies and transportation. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Hall to the governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, known as Swiftmud, in 2021.

Hall would have to resign that position if elected to the Polk County Commission.

When asked about potentially favoring a building moratorium in Polk County to allow infrastructure needs to catch up with development, Hall said, “We can take a look at parts of the county to determine if a slowdown or moratorium is appropriate at this time.

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"Every development that is submitted for approval has to have adequate services such as water and sewer; along with that they are required to have transportation and school concurrency as well as approval from the Southwest Florida Water Management District," Hall said. "Only when they have met all of the criteria and paid their transportation and school impact fees can they be approved. At present, water is the issue that will keep some developments from being approved until water and sewer become available."

Earlier this year, Commissioner George Lindsey pushed unsuccessfully for a referendum on this year's ballot that would impose a half-cent sales tax for road construction.

“I am in favor of letting the people decide if they want to pay any additional tax for road construction and am adamantly opposed to the board making a decision to raise taxes without public input,” Hall said.

Polk County has very low road impact fees for an urban county, and the candidate was asked if he would propose a change.

“Polk County has just completed a new impact fee study and the new fee structure will be implemented soon," Hall said. "It cannot be implemented 100% all at once, so it is phased in starting at 50% of the new fee initially.”

Hall said, he would propose that the frequency of impact fee studies be changed to every three years ? up from the current five years ? to keep up with the fast-growing population and economy.

Regarding proposals for roads in rural areas, he was asked if the County Commission should assess whether such projects are appropriate from a fiscal and growth-management perspective.

“We should not be constructing new roads in the Green Swamp, and large development should not be allowed there either as it is the recharge basin for the Upper Floridan aquifer, which supplies the majority of our drinking water,” Hall said.

Overall, the four major issues that Hall sees facing Polk County are: transportation, water, public safety and growth and development. He said he was committed to solutions to all of them to ensure sustainable growth for future generations.

Mike Scott

Mike Scott, 42, of Lakeland grew up in Kathleen. He is the president and CEO of Right Trailers Inc., a Lakeland business that has grown to six locations in four states and employs more than 40 people.

In his boyhood, he learned to hunt and fish. He casts himself as hardworking, even at age 5, when he started a car detailing enterprise. Then in high school he launched a landscaping service.

He graduated from Santa Fe Catholic High School in 2000. He started college at the University of Florida and later graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He holds master's degrees in civil engineering and engineering management.

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After graduation, he worked more than 17 years in civil engineering across Florida. He also started Right Trailers, which sells trailers and repair services to contractors, landscapers and homeowners.

To address traffic in Polk County, there needs to be a strategic review of existing major arterial, minor arterial, collectors and local road systems, and a plan to support growth. He said he would work with the Florida Department of Transportation and the municipalities to expand roads and increase the availability of public transportation.

Regarding the half-cent sales tax proposed for road construction, Scott said, “We have to acknowledge that we are growing and it is not slowing down. I would evaluate the county’s budget ... to understand where there may be areas of surplus and areas of deficit.”

After an evaluation, he would provide best ways to fund infrastructure improvements, he said.

Regarding building new roads in rural areas such as the Green Swamp, he said, “This question goes back to long-term planning for the county. It is not a secret that we need to update the county’s long-range plans and the comprehensive plan.”

For healthcare in the rapidly growing county, he said the residents deserve access to prompt, quality care, which means more medical offices and clinics, ambulatory services, imaging and radiology centers, mental health centers and hospital expansions. He said more emergency departments are especially needed.

“We must be in continual communication with our public health officials, executives, and senior staff of these facilities to see how we can support them,” Scott said.

While the Polk County School Board is responsible for education, he said, the County Commission has a responsibility to work with the School Board in support, and to help with issues they face.

“Our schools are the first to feel the impact of accelerated growth, and we as a county must work together with our School Board to make sure that we have the proper staff-to-student ratios, classroom availability and accessibility to extracurricular activities where our children can grow and thrive in a space that is comfortable and safe,” Scott said.

For residents with housing insecurity, he said affordable housing can be addressed with grants and programs available to communities that assist the federal Housing and Urban Development department with the reduction of poverty and homelessness.

“These programs and grants provide funding for emergency shelters, transitional and permanent housing,” he said. “We also need to look at accessing grants and programs ... to ensure that citizens have access to affordable housing, the internet and education.”

Scott said the county plays a vital role in attracting businesses that can offer both long-term employment and living-wage opportunities.

"This one of the fastest growing counties in the State of Florida. I believe that there are three pillars that we need to reinforce that will serve and support Polk County moving forward: smart growth, strategic development and strong communities," Scott said.

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“A building moratorium is one of many tools that can be used to manage growth but is not necessarily the best tool,” he said. He added, “Water supply is a factual reason to consider a building moratorium."

A growing county has the need to be developed, but in a manner that does not overtax the land, infrastructure and resources, Scott said. He would "promote infill development" to "redevelop vacated and underutilized lands."

For impact fees in an urban county such as Polk, he said, “Impact fees are a necessary revenue stream for a county" and setting them should be "a result of an economics calculation," which he would do leveraging his engineering background.

Additionally, he said he would support first responders. But strong communities also are about creating an environment where residents come first.

Ricky Shirah

Shirah, 70, of Lakeland is the owner of a towing business. He has previously run unsuccessfully for various offices, including the County Commission, School Board and the Florida House. He also applied to be an interim Lakeland city commissioner following the resignation of Phillip Walker, who campaigned for the Florida House.

A Polk County native, Shirah has run as a Democrat in his previous campaigns but is now a Republican. He has mentioned rampant development and affordable housing as issues of concern to him in previous interviews.

“I've lived here all my life,” he said in April 2023 announcing his run for the District 5 seat. “I've seen all the changes in Polk County, and I don't like what I see. You're not going to stop growth, but I think it should be controlled a little bit better.”

A critical issue for Polk County is balancing growth with environmental sustainability, Shirah added.

“Protecting natural resources and promoting green practices in development can ensure long-term environmental health,” he said. “Encouraging sustainable agricultural practices, preserving green spaces, and implementing renewable energy initiatives can also enhance the quality of life” and “foster bipartisan support for environmental stewardship.”

Regarding a possible moratorium on growth, he said "Now, I’m not about to say we should put the brakes on growth by raising taxes. People are already feeling the pinch in this economy. Instead, we should be looking at alternative funding — state and federal grants, or public-private partnerships — to make sure our infrastructure can handle the growth without hitting residents’ wallets.

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"In some areas, especially where there’s flooding, weak infrastructure, or concerns about water supply, we might need to slow things down a bit until we’ve got the resources in place. But putting a blanket moratorium on growth could hurt our local economy and limit opportunities for folks here," Shirah said.

He said Polk County's transportation infrastructure has been strained because of rapid population growth.

“Expanding and improving mass transit options, including bus services and potential rail connections, will help alleviate this burden,” he said. “Investing in smart logistics solutions and working with both public and private sectors can optimize traffic flow and support the county's growing logistics sector.”

He was against a half-cent sales tax for roads.

"I understand the push for better road construction, especially with our county’s rapid growth, but I don't believe a half-cent sales tax increase is the right move at this time," he said. "The recent debate between Commissioners George Lindsey and Neil Combee, whom both I respect, highlighted just how divisive this issue is, and ultimately, the commission voted against the increase.

"I think we should focus on the comprehensive plan we’ll begin next year to address these issues more strategically," he said. "We also need to continue leveraging successful initiatives like the Citrus Connection, which has already brought municipal relief to areas like Lakeland, Bartow and Lake Wales, with projects like the 'Squeeze' showing real promise."

In regard to impact fees, Shirah said, "On average, the impact fees for the Transportation Zones saw an increase of approximately 20% over this and next year. The proper management of these fees is key to ensuring sustainable development and maintaining the quality of our infrastructure."

For road building in rural areas, he said, "Consider how the project might alter the rural character of the area. Road expansions can lead to increased development pressure, potentially changing the landscape and the way of life in rural communities. ... Particularly in sensitive areas like the Green Swamp, the environmental impact must be carefully assessed ... for habitat destruction, water quality issues and impacts on wildlife corridors.

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"The Green Swamp is crucial for the region's water supply and flood control, so protecting its integrity is vital," Shirah said.

He also would consider implementing transportation demand-management strategies, such as incentivizing carpooling, telecommuting programs or adjusting traffic patterns, which can reduce the need for road expansion.

Also, “With a growing population, Polk County must prioritize expanding access to healthcare, especially for indigent care and mental health services."

He said strengthening partnerships with local hospitals, clinics and mental health providers can enhance service delivery.

“As Polk County expands, it's essential to align land development and school planning to accommodate new residents,” Shirah said.

“Ensuring that new developments include provisions for school infrastructure can help prevent overcrowding,” he said. “Supporting a balanced approach to public, charter schools, and voucher programs can offer parents more choices in education while maintaining quality standards and equitable funding.”

For affordable housing, he said Polk County faces significant challenges, exacerbated by the rapid population growth.

“Expanding county assistance programs and incentivizing developers to include affordable units in new projects can help address shortages,” he said. “Collaborative efforts with local organizations and public-private partnerships can enhance housing availability for low- and middle-income families.”

Polk County's economic development relies heavily on key employers like Publix, Mosaic and the School District.

“The county government can play a vital role by creating a business-friendly environment,” Shirah said.

He said he would support incentives for new businesses and workforce development programs as well as promote public-private partnerships and engage with the community and businesses to sustain economic growth and add jobs.

Campaign Contributions

Since declaring his candidacy for the current race in September 2023, Hall has received $84,734 in campaign contributions as of Aug. 15, including $1,000 from developer Al Cassidy and more than a dozen $1,000 contributions from his family’s corporations. 

Other developers at the $1,000 level include: County Commissioner George Lindsey, Bob Adams, Grenelefe Resort Development, Center State Development II, CBD Real Estate Investment and Heath Construction & Management run by Planning Commission member Rennie Heath.

Utilities include Grenelefe Water Utilities and TECO. Other donations were from Marcia Lightsey, wife of Cary Lightsey of Lightsey Cattle Company LLC. Other agricultural donors included C.B.M. Groves Inc. Of Lake Wales.

Scott has accumulated $35,801 in campaign contributions. His donors include Frankie Miller, a Port Hatchineha resident who opposed the Creek Ranch development and a high school on the property. He also gained $3,000 from the Realtors Political Action Committee of Orlando.

Nearly all of Shirah’s donations were his own money, county records show. His campaign contributions totaled $23,470.

Correction

An earlier version of this story overstated campaign contributions for John Hall because it incorrectly included some from his 2016 campaign. Since declaring his candidacy for the current race in September 2023, he has received $84,734 in campaign contributions.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Three compete for District 5 seat on the Polk County Commission