Polk County Commission, District 2

Wilson: First and foremost, public safety is always going to be Priority 1. There are many priorities, the main goal is making sure we are providing the best level of service we can to the residents of Polk County.

Quinn: My top priorities are protecting Polk’s drinking water access, preserving agriculture and rural life, as well as conserving the natural landscapes of the Florida Wildlife Corridor that support our communities, threatened wildlife, and aquifer recharge. I also support a moratorium on new hyperscale data centers until Polk has clear standards to protect water, infrastructure, utilities, and taxpayers.

Wilson:  I think I still have a lot to contribute. I have eight years of experience in county government. I know how county government works. I understand the legislative mandates and how policies work. I have forged a good working relationship with our local legislative delegation.

Quinn: I am running because Polk needs practical, resilient planning that protects residents before approving more high-impact growth. As a third-generation Polk resident, I have seen rural land, water, and community character disappear without adequate infrastructure or accountability. I want to protect drinking water, preserve agriculture and rural life, and make sure growth decisions strengthen Polk instead of simply developing it.

Wilson: I think we have seen some great changes at animal control, but that is an area that falls under the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Quinn: The shelter issue needs prevention, transparency, and a public-health approach. I support accessible spay/neuter, community cat/TNVR programs, owner-support and shelter-diversion services, stronger rescue partnerships, and an animal welfare advisory board. Polk should evaluate separating animal control from the Sheriff’s Office, allowing deputies to focus on law enforcement while trained animal-welfare professionals manage sheltering with clear county oversight.

Wilson: Currently, there is not a land use designation for data centers in the county.

Quinn: Yes. I support a countywide moratorium on hyperscale data centers until Polk defines them as high-impact uses and adopts clear standards to prevent backdoor approvals. These projects can strain power, water, aquifer resources, roads, emergency services, and ratepayers. Polk must require full cost responsibility, no local tax breaks, water limits, noise/heat controls, backup fuel safety, and cumulative impact review.

Wilson: I think there are a lot of things the commission has done well. All of the commissioners have the same goal, to do what is best for the residents. Is everyone going to agree with all of our decisions? No. But we will continue to look at all sides of an issue and vote accordingly.

Quinn: The Commission has done well advancing some voter-backed conservation work, including Environmental Lands acquisitions and landowner conservation outreach. What I would change is the short-sighted approval of local tax breaks for the Fort Meade hyperscale data center, and Polk Regional Water Cooperative decisions made without enough public scrutiny of long-term aquifer, brine disposal, debt, and ratepayer risks, including possible $300/month bills by 2032.