Candidate says his campaign is rooted in faith, service, and hometown pride, pledging to protect Plant City’s small-town character while supporting growth, public safety, and the city’s agricultural heritage.
For a lifelong Plant City resident who grew up just steps from his childhood church on Tyler Street, running for City Commission isn’t about politics – it’s about home. It’s about the streets he rode his bike on, the classrooms that taught him, the neighbors he still calls family, and the city that shaped every chapter of his life. Now, he’s stepping forward to serve in a new way.
Former firefighter Tony Smith announced his bid to run for the City Commission.
“Plant City raised me,” he said. “Every part of who I am came from this community- from Burney Elementary to Plant City High, from my church family to the people who watched me grow up. I just want to give back to the place that gave me so much.”
He credits his parents with instilling strong Christian values, respect for others, and a commitment to doing what is right, even when no one is watching. His father’s years as a Seaboard Coast Line brakeman underscored the importance of hard work and honesty. He also recalls performing as a child in the gospel group “The Happy Stars”- alongside future city leader Tim Lovett. “We didn’t know we were learning anything important back then,” he said. “But those moments taught me how to connect with people, how to be a part of something bigger than myself.”
His career reflects that same spirit of service. Retail management taught him responsibility and how to manage budgets. Becoming a firefighter taught him teamwork, courage, and how to stay calm when lives depended on it. Later, as an EMT educator and teacher, he learned how to support students from all backgrounds and bring people together for a common purpose. “Every step of the way, I was learning how to serve,” he said. “I believe all of that prepared me for this moment.”
He announced his candidacy ahead of Plant City’s Regular Municipal Election on April 7, 2026. Plant City’s Commission includes five at-large seats, meaning every registered voter in the city can vote for every commission seat, regardless of where they live. Each seat is designed by group number, from Group 1 to Group 5, and candidates must choose the specific group they are seeking when filing their paperwork. Smith will run for Group 3, the seat now held by Commissioner Bill Dodson, whose term expires in June 2026.
Serving as a commissioner comes with a three-year term and a salary of $10,326.23, as of October 2025. Newly elected commissioners take office at noon on the first Monday in June. To qualify, candidates must be registered voters who have lived within the city limits for at least one year.
Smith will submit the required paperwork to the city clerk between the qualifying window from noon on the 50th day before the election to noon on the 46th day, as enforced under state law.
“I’m learning the process just like anyone running for the first time,” he said.
As someone who has watched Plant City change but never lost its sense of community, he said his priorities are anchored in the city’s identity- its churches, schools, downtown, neighborhoods, and farms.
He imagines a city that grows, but carefully. One where the feel of Plant City- the traditions, the friendliness, the stability- remains intact even as new homes, roads, and businesses appear. “We can grow without losing who we are,” he said. “Growth should help our residents. It shouldn’t overwhelm them.”
Public safety is especially important to him. “I’ve lived it,” he said. “I know what our first responders face every day.” If elected, he said he will fight to ensure firefighters, police officers, and EMTs have the staffing, training, and mental-health support they need.
For Smith, campaigning is less about ambition and more about gratitude – a chance to give back to the community that shaped him from childhood.
For more information about Tony Smith visit electtonysmith.com.
