About Paula: Paula DeBoles-Johnson, is a graduate of Florida A & M University. She and her husband of nearly thirty years, Cpt. David L. Johnson (Retired) have two extraordinary adult daughters, Zemoria and Zenani. Currently, Paula serves in dual capacities as the Employee Engagement and Performance Manager with Leon County Government and Executive Director of the Capital City Youth Development Corporation – a nonprofit she founded in 2003. She has extensive experience in nonprofits, program management, community development, contracting, grants management and training. She has spent most of her career working in nonprofits organizations as well as state and local governments. Her passion for improving the lives of Leon County citizens has been clearly demonstrated through her work with a myriad of organizations, to include the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, Timothy Training and Development Center, Girl Scouts of Gateway Council and the Tallahassee Human Relations Council. 

OT: Why are you running?

PAULA DEBOLES-JOHNSON: I am running for two reasons. The first reason is for real change, especially as it relates to economic development in Leon County. Since the late eighties, I have lived, worked, raised children and volunteered thousands of hours within this community and there are still areas of our county that have literally had little to no economic advancement. People feel locked out of the chance to create or grow their businesses and provide for their families.  Our residents are suffering due to lack of affordable housing, low wages and limited access to training that will prepare them for future opportunities.  

Secondly, I believe that my work and experiences with our community and in county government make me the ideal candidate for this office.  Many people are hoping that we can. ‘get things back to the way they were pre-pandemic,’ but old ways don’t open new doors. That kind of thinking will never get us to a point where we can provide pathways for affordable housing, good paying jobs, opportunities for entrepreneurship, enhanced social service opportunities, especially as it relates to mental health and making sure that our environment is protected. We need new voices, officials that are interested in a viable path forward that works for all community members. I have been here, working, building, collaborating, advocating, raising funds; whatever was necessary to move this community forward. My hope is that the people of District 5 are just as ready for a new voice and different perspective as I am. 

OT: What are the most important issues to you?

PAULA DEBOLES-JOHNSON: There are a lot of concerns that I would like to address if elected. Initially, I would like to tackle the following: 

• Reducing crime, especially as it relates to gun violence. Violent crimes are on the rise in Tallahassee, and gun violence is particularly pervasive. As a former member of both the TPD Citizens Police Academy, the Tallahassee Human Relations Council, and current member of the TPD Citizens Advisory Committee, I have often heard residents share their fear and frustrations concerning this complex issue. While both our Sheriff’s Office and Police Department do a fine job of working together to find solutions, there is still lots of work to be done. This will take all of us, especially those of us who are most significantly impacted. This is a very complex issue that will require a myriad of different approaches and partners including the school board, city/county funding and partnerships, more jobs, juvenile justice, the courts and our community members at the table helping to assist in finding creative solutions. 
• Economic opportunity and helping small businesses would be next on my list of priorities. We have all witnessed the effect of the pandemic on our small businesses. While I am extremely proud of the hard work of the County in getting financial support to our local businesses, many owners closed their doors for good. There were also many businesses that were not able to access funding for various reasons. Now is a great time to educate and train the next generation of entrepreneurs. We can expand current partnerships and use federal funds to prove education, grants and microloans, mentorship, so that the foundation of these small businesses are strong and able to withstand the unexpected.  
• Living wages would definitely be a priority. Combatting this issue would also impact food insecurity, address homelessness, affordable housing, reduce the need for many other social services, and allow more access to physical and mental health options. People want to work. However, we must offer opportunities that provide decent pay, long-term sustainable, employment, and good benefits. 
• Protecting our environment for our future generations, and ensuring the overall environmental health of our community is safe is also very important. 
• Many of our community members do not fully understand how critical tech and broadband expansion is, especially for minority communities. Many of our students in Title 1 Schools still have limited access to the latest technology and lack access to affordable internet service. Those that do oftentimes have limited or slow access. Even with great partners that provide discounted services, many parents can’t afford these services. The digital divide is widening for many families. If we don’t improve access and infrastructure now, many of our Leon County residents will continue to be left behind. 

I look forward to the continued discussions from our community about these and other issues that they have raised. I will always make myself available to listen and learn from our residents. This is how we make our county one that we can all be proud of.  

(Editors Note: Paula reached out to us and explained that at this point she is unable to offer an option on several of our questions, due to being a current Leon County employee and those questions applying to pending decisions before the Leon County Commission) 

OT: As you go about campaigning for this office, what restrictions (if any) will you be using for what type of money you will be accepting from potential campaign donors? 

PAULA DEBOLES-JOHNSON: Our goal is to run a grassroots campaign, funded by those who know of my record and my family’s record of innovation, hard work, integrity, and inclusion. Over the years many people have shared that they hoped that I would run for office and that I would be a great candidate for this seat. My hope is that their support will manifest financially.