Jeremy Matlow

My View

On June 22, 10 days after the Orlando shooting, Commissioner Nancy Miller made a motion to reconsider her vote on the closing times of restaurants and bars that serve alcoholic beverages.

As the cellphones of victims were still ringing on the floor of Pulse, Commissioner Gil Ziffer sent out an email, writing, “Only four hours away we’re seeing what can happen with bars open past a reasonable time.”

Commissioner Ziffer used the tragedy to launchintoan attack on the bar hours decision the commission passed in January.

This change is unproductive for a city aiming to attract and retain young talent and encourage innovative entrepreneurs. We cannot let one reckless individual’s action essentially put a city wide curfew on Tallahassee.

As a lifetime resident raised on the south side, I grew up dreaming of getting out of town and never coming back. I didn’t see Tallahassee as a city that held much hope or opportunity for me. It was a transient town where friends lasted four to eight years until they moved away to start their real life.

I traveled around the country and learned what really made Tallahassee stand out was the strength of our community. We didn’t have big industries or the entertainment draw that sent thousands of our young people to Austin, Portland or Asheville, but we did have a heck of a lot of people that cared about their neighbors.

When we decided to open Gaines Street Pies, I was armed with less than two grand in my bank account. It was the strength of our community that helped us raise the funds to open and supported us by eating pizza into the early mornings hours after last call. As we gear up to open our fourth business in four years, I can only be grateful that I have Tallahassee to call home.

City passes 4 a.m. bar closure time, sound ordinance

After reading Ziffer’s comments, I was overcome with disappointment. I was ashamed of our leadership. This wasn’t the time for casting blame and legislating lifestyle. It was the time to grieve and hold our children tight.

We are a town that can recognize hate and terror when we see it. We aren’t a city that victim blames innocent people who dared to go out and dance. Let’s call this what it is: the politics of fear.

Now is time to decide what we want to be as a city. Are we a town that cracks down on late night dancing and pizza cravings? Let’s be the city that supports the thousands of citizens who find entertainment in the night.

Are we a town that provides hope and opportunity? Let’s be the city that supported a poor kid from the south side’s dream of a pizza shop.

This community has done so much to support me; I hope the commission decides to support it when this vote is called.

Jeremy Matlow is a lifelong Tallahassee resident, and an owner of Gaines Street Pies, Warhorse, Northside Pies and Midtown Pies.