Last month, Mark Franks, the Mayor of Shalimar, was elected president of the Florida League of Cities.
It’s been more than a decade since Northwest Florida was represented in the league’s leadership. Former Pensacola City Councilman P.C. Wu served 2013-2014. Franks admits he was hesitant to run coming from a small town. The town of Shalimar, located in between Fort Walton Beach and Niceville, has a population of about 737 people according to the 2020 census.
But Franks was inspired when he read a biography of President Jimmy Carter and his humble background.
“I'm, like, OK, this guy became president of the United States and he came from a town,” said Franks. “Our countries start with small villages and towns. Big cities offer a lot, but there's also something to say about small, small towns, and I'm so proud to not only represent the, the region, but also small towns across the state.”
The Florida League of Cities is the “united voice,” as it states on the website, for cities, towns, and villages throughout the state. The organization offers both advocacy and training for local leaders.
Franks has been involved with the Florida League of Cities for years and served on the League’s Board of Directors and contributed to several committees. He was also president of the Northwest Florida League of Cities in 2022. As president, he wants to work on relationships between citizens and local governments.
“I feel like there may be a disconnect between what our cities actually offer and what the residents think we do,” he said. “I think overall cities offer a lot.”
There’s been a conversation statewide about local governments and how they operate between the state’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) audits of local governments, including the City of Pensacola, and property taxes. Florida voters will have a say on reducing property taxes on the general election ballot in November.
There are some educational resources on the Florida League of Cities website regarding the property tax issue. The league says Amendment 3 is “not a tax cut, it’s a tax shift.”
Franks said he’s for tax relief, but wants a “responsible” plan.
“Most of the people I talk to, they want to see some kind of property tax relief,” he said. “The problem is there's got to be a plan to back that up. How do we move forward with that relief? And that's just not happened yet.”
Home rule is important to Franks and the league.
“We have 411 municipalities and we're so different and that's why we're big believers in the home rule,” said Franks. “We don't want a centralized state. Pensacola all the way down to Miami … extremely different municipalities, and I feel like that they need to have some control on how they govern.”
As president, Franks said he wants to work on municipalities being transparent with their constituents.
Okaloosa County recently partnered with local municipalities to distribute information on Amendment 3 and a breakdown of what’s at stake. The information is shared via social media and also on the county’s website. Communication and education are part of Franks’ mission as the league’s president.
“If you reduce revenue, there are consequences, and we need to make sure residents understand what those consequences could be,” he said in a follow-up email. “My focus will be on making sure that conversation is informed, transparent, and grounded in the services people rely on.”
Franks also wants to make sure cities have a voice when it comes to legislative proposals.
“Whatever happens with the ballot or future legislative proposals, cities need to be part of the discussion because these decisions have a direct impact on local communities,” he said.
Leading an organization representing 411 municipalities means meeting with people from all walks of life. Franks has developed relationships with mayors and council members in the region and is looking forward to strengthening relationships across the state.
“When you can work with people well … I don't care what your political background is, whether you're red or blue, if you can sit around and get and be able to get things done. That's what it's about,” he said.
Franks is also looking forward to learning from other leaders — of both small towns and big cities. And teaching others about what makes Shalimar and the region special, he said.
“I'm just super proud to represent Northwest Florida and I know there's some challenges ahead, but I firmly believe we're going to persevere and I'm super excited for what's ahead for the 411 municipalities around the state,” he said.
