ORLANDO, Fla. – For the first time in decades, thousands of people in the city of Orlando will have a new person representing them at City Hall.
Five people are running to replace District 3 Commissioner Robert Stuart, who is retiring after 20 years in office.
District 3 includes neighborhoods like Baldwin Park, Audubon Park, Rosemont and College Park.
News 6 anchor Lisa Bell sat down one-on-one with each of the candidates in the non-partisan race: Samuel Chambers, Roger Chapin, Chris Durant, Kimberly Kiss and Mira Tanna to ask each of them the same set of questions and dig deeper on certain topics as needed.
Election Day is Nov. 4, with early voting from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2.
To find your polling place, head to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections website.
Here’s the conversation with candidate Chris Durant.
DURANT: I grew up here locally, right down the street from here in Rosemont. That’s what I call home. That’s the soil I grew from. And I love it here. I love the neighborhoods I live in. I love District 3, Orlando. My first job was with the City of Orlando at the Rosemont Community Center. I was working as a summer camp counselor. So, I’m very rooted in this city. Also, I went to school here locally at Victory Christian Academy all the way up to my senior year from second grade. So, I love this city. It’s where I call home. It is special to me, and I want to give back in a big way. I have four sisters. Kishana, Nicole, Karina, Kiara. My parents are immigrants. My mom is from Jamaica. She came to America when she was 14 years old. My dad is from Guyana in South America and he came to America when he was eight years old.
BELL: And you were born in Orlando?
DURANT: Yes, ma’am, born Orlando, my birth is actually in the Orlando Sentinel. In 2001 and I’m 24 years old. I’m a youth sports coach, coach of basketball, and I mentor young kids. I also volunteer, but for work, I do real estate, I do real estate wholesaling.
BELL: Why did you decide to run for District 3?
DURANT: I decided to run because I owe this community everything. It’s invested so much into me. It’s given so much to me that I believe it was time for me to give back in a big way and some of those organizations that invested in me was, one, my neighborhood in Rosemont. They did so much for me. They helped build and shape my story. And I felt like I needed to give back and return that investment. Also, another program I was in, that mixed cops and kids together, called Dueling Dragons of Orlando, was really pivotal and instrumental in making me who I am today. And I wasn’t on the path that I was on 10, 15 years ago. It was because a mentor of mine that I was very close to, she ended up getting shot and killed at the Princeton Walmart less than a mile away from here. And when she died on Jan. 9, 2017, it was heartbreaking for me and for all that knew her. And on that day, after all the interviews like we’re doing now at the Rosemont Center, I walked home. And on the walk home, I still remember to this day, I made a promise to myself and to God that I would dedicate the rest of my life to public service in honor of her and what she did for me.
BELL: You’re talking about Officer Debra Clayton?
DURANT: Yes. Yes, ma’am. Officer Debbie Clayton. She was very instrumental to me and to who I am today. She believed in me more than anyone else. She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself, and now I’m seeing it. And I believe it’s time that I give back to this district, that I extend my, her legacy of public service, and I give it back in a big way.
BELL: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the City of Orlando?
DURANT: Number one, I believe, is housing affordability. It’s becoming increasingly unaffordable to live here. 1,500 people are moving here per week, according to a report, and we’re not meeting the need of those people when it comes to our supply of housing. So, I believe we need some policy reform when it comes to zoning in the city of Orlando and I want to bring that. We also need to work with small-scale developers in bringing that affordable housing here.
BELL: What type of policy reform?
DURANT: I believe in zoning reform. When you go through Rosemont, you see all types of variety of housing. You see single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, it doesn’t stop. And I believe we need that diversity in all of our neighborhoods. I believe that’s instrumental in making our city more affordable.
BELL: What would you work to change on day one?
DURANT: Number one is our commitment to partnering with law enforcement in our community. I believe that’s really important when it comes to public safety. I mean, it was instrumental in my life and so many of the lives of my peers. So, I believe we need to dedicate ourselves to making our community safer by partnering with law enforcement more. More community engagement, more community-oriented programs, so that it’s not an adversarial relationship with law enforcement. It’s not us versus them, but us together versus whatever issue we’re facing.
BELL: You feel like that’s lacking right now?
DURANT: Uh, yes, ma’am. The city of Orlando is doing a good job at addressing this issue, but I believe I have what it takes to push it even more and bring more initiative to this.
BELL: What is your vision for the City of Orlando, say 15 years from now, in the year 2040? What does it look like to you?
DURANT: When I look at the city 15 years from now, I believe I want a more vibrant, walkable city. I want a more bikeable city. I want a city that caters to our youth and the next generation. And that’s another reason why I’m running, because I believe Orlando can’t wait to address the problems the next generation will inherit, which is the dangerous and jeopardizing roads that we have here. You can’t walk, you can’t bike, and we’re one of the most dangerous pedestrian areas in the nation. So, I believe we need to become a more walkable and bikeable city. And that’s my vision, and it starts with our Main Street corridors. We need to make them more walkable and bikeable, and also connecting our neighborhoods, the invisible glue that ties us all together. Rosemont isn’t really connected to College Park and I believe that we need to become more connected when it comes to walkability, bike-ability, and affordability.
BELL: Gov. DeSantis has called for property tax reform, as well as some other state officials, saying they should be cut, if not completely eliminated. Do you agree with that? And how would, do you feel the city should respond to that?
DURANT: When you look at the City of Orlando in our budget, you’ll see that we invest more in our police and firefighters and our public safety officers than we collect in property taxes. And also, the majority of the City of Orlando’s general revenue comes from property taxes, so you eliminate that, you eliminate what makes this city safe, you eliminate what makes the city connected and vibrant and I believe it’s a necessity to have collection of property taxes so I disagree with the governor in that case. I believe it’s important that we collect property taxes and that we’re working with the residents that live here to make their community safer and I believe that’s a public good that we are collecting.
BELL: Some people may say you’re 24 years old, you don’t have the experience that’s needed to be a city commissioner. What would your response be to people like that?
DURANT: Number one, I believe my age is actually an asset rather than a liability, and I’ll tell you why. It’s because my best years are ahead of me, and that’s the same for us as a neighborhood, as a city, and as a district. Our best years are ahead of us only if we start electing candidates to reflect that. And I’m not short in experience. I sat on an advisory board for Orange County Citizens’ Corps as the mayor’s representative, Mayor Jerry Demings. I give so much to my community, and I believe I could give so more at my young age, and I believe our city needs that. We need a fresh perspective. We need someone with energy, accessibility, and willing to give their all to the city. And I believe that’s me. Our city’s best years are ahead of us, and so are mine and I believe that’s a great connection.
BELL: Is there anything you would like to share with our viewers that I didn’t ask you about?
DURANT: I’m not related to Kevin Durant, so that’s number one. I have the famous last name, but I’m not related to him. I’m great at basketball. That’s why I became a youth sports coach, coaching basketball for young kids. But I’m related to him, and I’m trying to think of something else. I love playing chess.
For more on this race and full conversations with the other four candidates, head to clickorlando.com.