With Mayor Jerry Demings stepping down due to health concerns, Orange County is entering a turning point. His departure doesn’t just mark the end of an administration — it opens a conversation about what kind of leadership the county needs next, especially as tourism continues to shape nearly every corner of our community.
by Kevin Seraaj, J.D., M.Div., OrlandoAdvocate.com
For years, Demings has been the steady hand guiding the county through the complexities of the Tourist Development Tax (TDT). He understood both its power and its limits. Florida law tightly restricts how TDT dollars can be used, and under his watch, Orange County followed those rules while still pushing for transparency and public involvement — including the creation of the Citizen Advisory Task Force, the first of its kind in the tax’s 45‑year history.
But as we look ahead to the next mayor, the question becomes: who is ready to take on the challenges that Demings acknowledged with creation of the Task Force but couldn’t fully solve?
Orange County needs a leader with foresight — someone willing to rethink old assumptions and push for changes that match the realities of a fast‑growing region. The TDT is a perfect example. It funds convention centers, stadiums, arts organizations, and Visit Orlando’s massive marketing campaigns. Those investments have helped make Orlando one of the world’s top travel destinations. But they’ve also highlighted gaps that the next mayor will have to confront head‑on.
Tourism brings jobs, but it also brings congestion. It fuels economic growth, but it strains housing affordability. And while TDT dollars can build grand venues, they can’t be used to fix the roads leading to them or support the workers who keep them running. Under the law those are “TDT-ineligible” expenses. That disconnect has created real pressure — and real frustration — in the community.
The next mayor must be ready to do what hasn’t been done before: push for legislative changes, rethink how tourism revenue fits into the county’s broader needs, and advocate for a system that supports both visitors and residents. That means exploring new tools, like a dedicated tourist transportation tax, and pushing state leaders to modernize laws written for a very different era.
It also means demanding accountability from organizations that receive public funds. Recent concerns about Visit Orlando’s financial handling of showed how important transparency is when hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are involved. Demings responded by opening the door to public oversight. The next mayor must be willing to keep that door open — and widen it.
Most of all, Orange County needs a leader who understands that tourism is only one part of the story. The county’s future depends on balancing the needs of an industry that brings in millions of visitors with the needs of the people who call this place home. That requires courage, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
As voters prepare for the upcoming election, the question isn’t just who can manage the TDT. It’s who can see beyond it — who can lead Orange County into a future where growth doesn’t come at the expense of quality of life, and where the benefits of tourism are shared more broadly across the community.
Mayor Demings helped build the foundation. Now Orange County needs someone ready to build what comes next.
- Kevin Seraaj
- Kevin Seraaj
- Kevin Seraaj
- Kevin Seraaj
