The start of every school year is an exciting one here in Gainesville. Our streets become filled with some of the youngest and brightest that our country has to offer. The future walks on the grounds of UF, Santa Fe, and all of our other schools in Alachua County.

Local business owners are especially thrilled for the start of the new school year. Our food and beverage industry thrives and many can actually hire staff to keep up with demand.

Unfortunately, not every business was able to open their doors on the first day of school. Every summer, we lose businesses because of the lack of revenue during that part of the year.

As we move forward, I want to focus on business development that will create jobs and generate revenue year round.

The Gainesville Sun mentioned, in a recent article, that I knew I didn’t have a chance of winning. That isn’t entirely factual. I was ready to win up until the bitter end. I was standing right outside my precint, precint 16 Wilhelmina Johnson Resource Center, holding up a single flyer of myself. I was waving that puppy to everyone who walked by or drove by, including Mayor Lowe. I was cold, broke, unemployed, alone, but determined. I knew that my odds of winning, or even making the runoffs, were very low considering my lack of funding and name recognition.

The months following that haven’t been much easier. I am going through many personal and financial struggles. Within these struggles, however, I find motivation. Having the ability to honestly say, “I know what you’re going through,” to so many of our citizens, gives me the strength to push forward.

We are in a time where direct action is what is needed most. While so much time is being spent on discussion and details, our neighbors and neighborhoods are suffering.

I have tremendous respect for our current elected officials and my opponents. I will never claim to be better or smarter than anyone. What I do claim to be is someone who is different, unconventional, and unabashed.

I’ve only lived here in Gainesville for two years. I’ve only been involved in local politics for 6 months. The question is this: Do we need someone that has lived here for decades and acted discreetly? Or do we need someone who, in a matter of months, has demonstrated unapologetic tenacity and audacity?

We need action. We need accoutabilty. We need real courage. And I need your support!

“Give me a shovel so that I may begin to dig.
Join me in this digging, so that we may begin the work.
Let the back-breaking, sweaty, work we do now begin constructing our future.”

As my campaign progresses forward, new challenges emerge. Whether it is verbal conflict with an individual, political turbulence with my party, or financial concerns within my own camp.

Each day offers new obstacles to be negotiated. Though I try to maintain the most positive and peaceful approach, one thing is clear: I will never back down. I will never give up.

There seems to be some unspoken, and misguided, perception that certain individuals and groups have the right to speak and do as they will while others don’t.

It is this establishment, that has developed in both major political parties, that has moved forward in such a manner in which it has left many residents with the perception that they have been marginalized.

It is time that the concerns of all who live in our city be addressed. It is time that our government be more open and proactive in the governing of its people.

An aggressive investment in human capital and forced protection of our environment should be the main objective of all of us who seek elected office, not the office itself.

It is time for leadership that is willing and able to stand up to the most established and wealthiest in order to bring opportunity to our poorest and least represented.

That is the type of leadership I plan to bring to the City Commission. When others dare not, I boldly will.

The future we face is filled with many different challenges. Our current economy has caused some of the most divisive arguing that I’ve seen. Though our Gainesville Commissioners and Mayor have balanced the budget, cut back on expenditures, and passed a fire assessment at a lower rate than once discussed, I know there are residents that are still dissatisfied.

Meanwhile, several miles beyond the walls of City Hall, The “Desoto” Room, NW 8th Ave, 1210 N. Main St., and the Alachua County Administration Building, are children playing in dirt and concrete right outside of their deteriorating housing unit.

The one swing in the complex is broken so they entertain themselves anyway they can. Their parents yell at them to get inside their cramped apartment whenever police cars speed in. The uncertainty of why officers have arrived spurs the direct order.

Here, the only government officials these residents see are police officers and no free market dares to enter.

As the father of the children cuts my hair, I look at the wooded area in front of me behind the boundaries of the complex.

The exhaustive heat drifts me into a day dream. I envision a playground with a cushy field of grass incorporated in the wooded area. In this dream, I see a haven for the future I’ve just met face to face.

A friend and I were invited to attend the Gainesville Tea Party’s monthly meeting this past Saturday. Alachua County Commissioner Lee Pinkoson was an invited speaker. It was fairly informative.

Many of the members in attendance were very cordial. Some freely expressed their criticism of government. It was pretty much what I expected a Tea Party meeting to be.

At the end of the meeting, my friend and I walked out into the corridor of the Clarion. We spoke to people that we know and met some new ones.

REC member Harry L. Wise, donning a signature Tea Party T-shirt, approached my friend and asked to speak to him. My friend soon finished his conversation and approached Mr. Wise.

“Armando,” Mr. Wise barked, “I just wanted to tell you that you’re a…”

Unfortunately, I cannot finish Mr. Wise’s words. They were very profane and I like to maintain my site “PG” and cleaner. Essentially, Mr. Wise called Armando Grundy a piece of feces. He also added an overused expletive beginning with the letter ‘F’.

I understand the frustration of many. I know, firsthand, the burden and pain of economic loss. I agree that many elected officials of all parties at all levels of government have failed us. Currently, I’m having to deal with ambiguous and opaque behavior by members of my own Party.

That doesn’t, however, warrant me cursing out an appointed or elected official. That is completely unprofessional and counterproductive. Furthermore, it is especially more heinous when it is directed towards a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces.

The freedom of speech that we all enjoy and, often, take for granted, is one of the many freedoms that the dedicated men and women or our Armed Forces provide for us.

The reckless misuse of this freedom to spew hate, discontent, and ill-will is juvenile, unprofessional, and counter-productive.

Using it to insult someone who swore to defend it with his very own life is downright un-American.

Estamos en un momento crucial para la comunidad Hispana. Muchos de los desafíos que nos afectan será abordado por los funcionarios electos que eligimos en Noviembre.

Ahora es el momento para que la comunidad Hispana en Gainesville actuar y votar.

Las Primarias en Agosto será la oportunidad perfecta para que nuestra comunidad demuestre cuán fuertes son nuestras voces.

Ahora es el momento de que nuestros funcionarios electos se den cuenta de que si existimos y que si votamos.

Ahora es el momento para que nuestra comunidad exigir la representación.

Ahora es el momento de darnos cuenta de que nuestro futuro está en nuestras manos!

I would like to express my unequivocal, sincerest, and deepest heartfelt condolences to the Ochsenius Family.
The news of this tragic event surfaced during a time when I hadn’t been paying close attention to non political news stories. I had heard of what happened but had not read thoroughly into the case.

After finally catching up today, I realized that I know some of the family members of Sebastian Ochsenius. I had the pleasure of working with them at Sonny’s BBQ on Archer Rd. I consider them friends.

Sebastian’s death has affected me as a resident but has even more of an impact on me because I know the family. I’m shocked at the nature of the tragedy. I can’t grasp how something like this could happen to one of our residents in our community.

I have offered my complete support to the Ochsenius Family. Right now, I’m asking for your support and help as well. If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact The Alachua County Sherriff’s Office

This isn’t about politics or votes. This is about justice for a local teenager and his grieving family.

I am a United States Marine first and foremost. No matter what happens in my life, my oath to protect the people of our nation against any and all enemies will never waiver. This oath has deeper meaning when it involves my community. Gainesville is my city and all who live and work here are my neighbors. It is my solemn oath to protect and defend everyone from injustice.

I will be making a request to the Alachua County Sherriff’s Office, The Gainesville Police Department, The Gainesville City Commission and the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners and ask that they ensure that all necessary resources are made available to solve this case.

I ask for your help in this matter as well. Contact Sherrif Darnell, Chief Jones and our elected county and city commissioners.

Let them know that we will settle for nothing less than Absolute Justice for Sebastian!

First, I would like to offer my congratulations to Garret Garner on his new position with the City of Gainesville. I’ve had an opportunity to interact with Garret on a couple of occasions and am certain he will do an excellent job.

Our current City government is going through a transitional period during a very challenging time. Our new Mayor and a new City Commissioner has been elected. Next year, three more seats on the City Commission will be up for grabs.

As we move forward to face these challenges, it is important for our transitioning City Commission to be able to address the concerns of all of our residents. Having an aide that actively engages in policy making and strategy could make a huge positive impact in several ways that would benefit our residents.

Also, Mr. Garner is taking on a new dynamic and more specific role than his predecessor. He is, in a way, establishing a new office and setting the standard for his successors.

An elected official that seeks to introduce a new role in the city government should bring on someone who is very qualified and a confidante. Someone like Mr. Garner. This will help ensure greater success of the newly developed role.

Former Gainesville City Mayor Thomas Bussing has been very vocal this past week. The Gainesville Sun seems to have found his comments to be very newsworthy. I was in attendance at the two Town Hall meetings in which Former Mayor Bussing made his comments. My perception is that Mr. Bussing’s comments echo a longing for the past. A past that didn’t face the specific and daunting challenges of our present or our future.

As many of you may already know, I am pushing for an amendment to our local ordinance that would allow the bars and clubs in our city to stay open for an extra hour.

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to team up with Fred Sowder and John-David Curtis Feldman on this effort. Their help and energy has been invaluable in this effort.

We are now nearing a very critical phase. The Gainesville City Commissioners will soon be reviewing the proposed amendment and voting on it.

We need everyone’s help and support.

The purpose behind the “Soft Close” concept is to allow bars and clubs to stop serving alcohol at 2:00 AM but give the owners and managers an extra hour to completely close their business. This will allow for a more natural egress by the patrons.

Volunteers from my campaign team will be hitting the streets soon in order to get more petitions signed.

We still need everyone’s help and more signatures for our E-Petition

The fact that so many residents are struggling financially is indisputable. What I will dispute, however, is the notion that there has been “NO belt tightening in the city government.” This is just a false statement. There have been cuts across the board and city government position vacancies are being left open.

Is there room for more cutbacks? Perhaps yes. The important thing to consider, though, is the impact that a cutback or elimination of a city service will have on a particular segment of residents.

If one has been fortunate enough to become successful through personal merit, undoubtedly that person can argue against spending on social programs.

If a child, however, has not received the proper education or opportunity to become self sufficient and successful, do we simply say “too bad”?

I don’t believe that is a prudent position for a city government to take. Private business makes profit, not opportunity. Many of our struggling residents need a fair opportunity to achieve success. Many of our social programs, which have been touted by fundamental conservatives as “pet projects”, are intended to provide opportunity and direction for the lower income, undereducated, unemployed, and underemployed residents in our city.

While many of us have been forced to operate within a reduced budget, we’re not being sued on a steady basis, we don’t have to address the grid or pipe breaks, etc. There are so many costly challenges that the city faces that aren’t even a thought in many of our minds.

While many attack the spending, I want to focus on the revenue. Even if we stopped spending on everything but police and fire, we’d still have to spend on other essentials that make our city livable. We would still need to collect taxes.

A broadened tax base would allow more people in Gainesville to contribute. A Progressive Goods and Services tax incorporated into our current taxation plan would spread the burden shouldered by our property owners. Let’s start there and then look into where we can scale back.

A future of an economically strong, vibrant, and safe city begins with us.