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Dodson Seeking Re-Election

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By RAY REYES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

PLANT CITY - Commissioner Bill Dodson announced Tuesday that he is running for a third term on the city commission.

Dodson, 56, said he is seeking re-election because he would like to continue being "part of the solution" for issues that affect the city and its residents.

"I've never been one to sit on the sidelines watching the process unfold," Dodson said.

The city faces a host of challenges in the coming years, Dodson said, and a key issue is the state's property tax reforms and their effect on local governments.

"We're anticipating it's going to be less revenue," Dodson said. "We don't know what the circumstances are yet, but I'd like to be a part of that. Those are the issues I like to sink my teeth into. My background speaks to that."

He was first elected to the city commission in 2002 and was unopposed for a second three-year term in 2005. Dodson served as mayor from 2003-04.

Throughout his years in office, Dodson said he has built a reputation of being a conservative businessman who has sought smaller government and lower taxes.

He said he thinks that residential and commercial developers must share the cost of development so growth is not "borne on the backs of our citizens."

"I apply those principles to every decision I make," Dodson said. "After six years, those values and principles I brought into the arena of public policy are still in place."

As of this week, no one other than Dodson and Mike Sparkman had publicly announced intentions to run for city commission. The qualifying period is Feb. 11-15, and the nonpartisan city election is April 8.

"I had already made up my mind I was going to run for office whether someone opposes me or not," said Dodson, who also is the senior vice president of Florida Brick and Clay in Plant City. "I'm going to approach this re-election campaign in an earnest and forthright manner and go at it as if I had 10 people I was running against."

Dodson arrived in Plant City from Durham, N.C., in 1974 and served as assistant city manager.

He left Plant City for a few years to become the assistant city manager in Temple Terrace, then city manager for Enfield, N.C.

He returned to Plant City in 1979. He was on the city planning board for about 24 years, including 22 years as chairman.

Dodson is married to former Florida Strawberry Festival queen Silvia Azorin and the couple have two children, Austin, 30, an artist and graphic designer who lives in Philadelphia, and Brittney, 27, a behavioral analyst in the autism field who lives in San Francisco.

Dodson said raising a family in Plant City for more than 30 years made it easy for him to become fond of his adopted hometown.

"It's a community that embraces family," he said.

That community pride is another reason why Dodson said he is seeking re-election.

"That's the basis for all the affection," he said. "I came from North Carolina, and I didn't know a soul. But Plant City truly became my home."

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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