Today the city of Tampa is holding elections for various offices, including the District 3 Citywide seat of the Tampa City Council.  For this seat, I endorse Seth Nelson.

Seth Nelson is a friend of mine, and a man dedicated to his 6-year-old son, Kai.  He is a lifelong citizen of Tampa, where he attended Hillel grade school and Wilson Middle School.  In 1988, Seth graduated Plant High School.  After earning his bachelor’s from the University of Wisconsin he returned to the area where he taught underprivileged children at an alternative school.

In 2001, Seth graduated from University of Florida’s College of Law.  He then served as a law clerk to Judge John C. Godbold of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Seth later opened up his own law firm, where he practices family law and represents children with special needs.

Seth’s endorsements have included The Tampa Police Benevolent Association, Tampa Fire Fighters Local #754, Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, and Florida State Representative and former Tampa City Council member Shawn Harrison.  Additionally, the St. Petersburg Times endorsed Seth and stated the following:

Seth Nelson sets himself apart from this crowded field of name-droppers. He understands what the city has done right in recent years, from cutting crime to developing downtown. And he sees how the city can improve by strengthening relationships with neighborhood groups and the business sector.

The 40-year-old lawyer has a solid grasp of city issues for a first-time candidate. He has a reasonable plan for streamlining some land development codes. And, like every candidate this year, Nelson promises to examine the budget for consolidation ideas and other cost savings. But he shows a more responsible approach by calling for continued investment in infrastructure and other capital projects. Nelson is right that the city cannot merely cut its way into a new period of economic growth.

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For Tampa City Council District 3, the Times recommends Seth Nelson.

Keep in mind that the polls close at 7:00 p.m., so give yourself plenty of time to vote for Seth Nelson.

I’m proud to share that this weekend I ran Tampa’s traditional Publix Supermarkets Gasparilla Distance Classic 5K.  This is my first 5K in over a decade, and though I certainly did not break any records (I finished in 33:48), I did achieve my personal goal of completing the event without stopping or walking.

Charity partners of the run included Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Wheelchairs for Warriors, and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital.  Since the first event in 1978, the Gasparilla Distance Classic Association, Inc., has donated approximately $2.8 million to charities and other local community partners.