Gaines Street Pies owner files for City Commission

Jeremy Matlow, a homegrown entrepreneur best known for his local pizza pie empire, filed Friday to run for the City Commission Seat 3 currently occupied by Nancy Miller.

“I’ve lived here all my life and I know it can be a better city than it is today,” said Matlow, who grew up on Tallahassee’s south side. “A lot of people who live here feel they’re not being represented in the city government, and I believe they’re right.”

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Matlow, who moved to Tallahassee at age 3, said he wants to "bring bold new leadership to City Hall, with a focus on representing under-served communities and guided by progressive values."

Matlow is running against William Schack. Miller, who registered to run in April, announced today she will not seek a third term.

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He did not discuss his candidacy with Miller, said Ryan Ray, a Democratic communications strategist working on Matlow's campaign.

"We just felt now was the best opportunity to begin a conversation through the democratic process on how to move forward in improving the city," Ray told the Democrat.

Lisa Brown, the president and CEO of Tallahassee Leon County Credit Union, has been mentioned as a potential candidate. She has been seen around town being introduced to people by Drew Jones, a campaign consultant for Miller and other city and county commissioners.

A woman has held the commission Seat 3 for the past three decades. Debbie Lightsey represented the residents of that district for 20 years before Miller.

Matlow said he will campaign on a platform to end the deep economic divide in the city.

“Economic segregation and poverty are the big issues in Tallahassee that no one seems to want to talk about,” Matlow said. “I’ve seen it first-hand growing up here, and it hasn’t changed much since I was a kid.”

He also said he would reform the city's permitting process, and challenge the "insider establishment in City Hall which has overseen dysfunction and corruption now making national headlines."

A federal grand jury has spent the last several months investigating the city-county Community Redevelopment Agency and several business people who have won bids to build projects with city money. Subpoenas issued in the investigation also list City Commissioner Scott Maddox and two of his former business partners.

As a founder and managing partner of Gaines Street Pies, The Wilbury, and the Warhorse Whisky Bar, Matlow has been a driving force behind the revitalization of Gaines Street. Between those establishments and Midtown Pies and Northside Pies, Matlow employs about 75 people.

He also sits on the city's Code Enforcement Board, which reviews building code violations. He lives in Midtown with his wife, Sarah, and young son, Declan.

"Things have got to change," Matlow said. "We need a transformation in City Hall and we're going to do it with the help of everyday people all across this city."

Contact Jeff Schweers at jschweers@tallahassee.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffschweers.