Kelly Hayes
Raymond James executive Tom Mullins released his first campaign video Tuesday as he races to succeed Darden Rice on St. Petersburg City Council.
Mullins’ video, “Playing Defense,” highlights his priorities for the city, opening with him playing basketball and emphasizing his goal to “defend” St. Pete against certain policies.
“I’ve played basketball all my life, and so I know sometimes defense wins the game,” he says in the video. “Same is true in municipal governance, sometimes playing defense is really what saves the day.”
Mullins continued, saying, “Policies like poor law enforcement against street crime, ‘not in my backyard’ anti-development regulations, high property taxes and empty virtue signaling have sent once great American cities into decline. I’ll keep policies like those out of St. Pete.”
Instead, Mullins emphasized his platform around smart-growth policies, new employment opportunities and affordability.
“We can continue to attract new employers and new jobs to the city, which enhance the quality of life for every resident,” he said.
Mullins has been an executive with Raymond James since the late 1980s, leading the firm’s investment banking practice for the transport and infrastructure industries, where he has developed particular expertise in the environmental service and transport sectors.
Mullins was born and raised in suburban Chicago. He graduated from Vanderbilt University and holds an MBA from Dartmouth College.
He joins a crowded ballot, which includes Lisset Hanewicz, a former prosecutor for the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office; Clifford Hobbs III; Douglas O’Dowd; and Jarib Figueredo. Two candidates, Lauren Hubbard and Wendy Wesley, have withdrawn from the District 4 race.
With his ties to Raymond James, he’s likely to have access to key donors and deep pockets.
Rice is leaving office because of term limits and running for Mayor in a race where she’s considered a frontrunner. She has yet to endorse in the race.
