Leading up to the 2026 Florida primary (August 19) and general election (November 3), Tampa Bay 28 contacted qualified candidates in Tampa Bay area races. We asked candidates the same three questions and asked for responses to be provided by July 17. These are the candidates' responses to the questionnaire.
Amber Stephens
Background(provided by candidate):
I was raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by two proud Air Force Veteran parents. My father’s career allowed me to experience many communities, shaping my appreciation for service and connection. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the University of Hawaiʻi and my Master’s Degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University, where I met my husband. After 15 years of professional experience, I became a full-time mom. We moved to Florida for my husband’s career and proudly planted roots in Oldsmar in 2018, where we are raising our three young children.
Why are you running for office?
My interest in public service began long before I called Oldsmar home. In college, I served in student government and volunteered on local political campaigns. Those experiences showed me the impact local leaders can have when they listen, serve, and work directly with their communities. They inspired me to one day step up and be part of the solution.
After serving on numerous City boards over the past six years, I realized I do not want to offer recommendations. I want to help make the decisions that shape the future of the community I love, while ensuring our residents’ voices, needs, and hopes are reflected in those decisions. For me, this is not about politics; it’s about service. It’s about giving back to the community I love and working to ensure Oldsmar continues to be a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.
In your own words, what differentiates you from your opponents?
What differentiates me is that I am not new to serving Oldsmar. I have spent years listening, learning, and working alongside our community before seeking this position. I believe leadership is earned through showing up, building relationships, and following through.
My commitment to serving Oldsmar began long before I decided to run for City Council. I have proudly called Oldsmar home for eight years, and for the past six years, I have dedicated my time to serving our community through volunteer leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, a member of the Planning Board, and on numerous city boards, committees, and organizations. I am also a graduate of the Janice Miller Citizens Academy and Pinellas Citizens’ University.
These experiences have provided me with firsthand insight into how our City operates and the importance of listening to residents, collaborating with City staff, and making thoughtful, responsible decisions. My background in speech therapy and behavior analysis has strengthened my ability to: communicate, bring people together, understand different perspectives, and work toward practical solutions.
If elected, I will bring proven experience, community knowledge, and a commitment to continued service as an accessible, engaged, and dedicated representative for Oldsmar residents.
Explain what you see as the most important issue facing our community and how are you uniquely qualified to address that issue?
After careful thought and consideration, I believe one of the most important issues facing Oldsmar is preparing for potential property tax reform and the impact it could have on our City’s long-term financial future. We must be proactive and make responsible decisions that protect the services residents value while continuing to invest in our infrastructure, public spaces, and quality of life.
My six years of service on City boards have given me a firsthand understanding of how local government works and the importance of listening to residents. As Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, I have helped create opportunities for community input, including: Parks and Recreation surveys designed to help staff understand which programs, facilities, and services that residents value most. I have also participated in focus groups led by our City Manager to better understand resident priorities.
I will bring this experience to the City Council by focusing on: fiscal responsibility, continued transparency, and collaboration while making thoughtful decisions that protect Oldsmar’s quality of life for the future.
Jessica H. Villafana
Background(provided by candidate):
In 1976, we moved from New York to Florida. I attended school in Pinellas County. In 1990, I received my Bachelor's of Social Work from USF. I started my career at Bayfront Medical Center and transitioned to BayCare Health System in 1999. I bought my home in Oldsmar in 2002. I began attending Oldsmar Historical Society functions in 2014. I joined the Women's Club of Oldsmar in 2018. Since 2024, I’ve been serving on two citizen boards- the Planning Board and Code Enforcement Board. Serving on those boards has made me interested in serving on Council as an elected official.
Why are you running for office?
As I approach retirement in the next few years, my desire to be of service is still there. I've been contributing by serving with the Women's Club of Oldsmar and the citizen volunteer boards but would like to do more that adds to the future of Oldsmar.
In your own words, what differentiates you from your opponents?
I think my career experience brings a high level of patience and an ability to see the long-term goals for our city. The ability to build relationships of cooperation is a bedrock of my character and something that I see as a strong asset that I would bring to council. As part of Gen X, I can serve as a bridge in the community between older and younger members of our community. I am pragmatic and can work with what we have and work toward an even better future.
Explain what you see as the most important issue facing our community and how are you uniquely qualified to address that issue?
Infrastructure improvements across our community to mitigate stormwater flooding is the issue that I feel is most important. The 2024 hurricanes was a huge wake up call. It's going to take time, money and patience to get these projects done. I think my pragmatic approach to large scale projects will be an asset to the council. Having been involved with many large projects in my career, keeping the end goal in mind while addressing the nitty gritty details has been something that I excel at and feel I would bring that ability to council.
Fraser Young
Background(provided by candidate):
Fraser Young is a corporate risk manager and former bank auditor with bachelor's degrees in Economics and Finance and a decade in financial services, including roles at two global banks. Fraser and his wife, who grew up in Oldsmar, chose the city to raise their two toddlers because of the safety, the city facilities, and the green space. He has spoken at City Council against oversized development and has used public records requests to put city spending on the record. He is running to bring an auditor's scrutiny to City Hall and to keep Oldsmar the place his family chose.
Why are you running for office?
I am not a career politician. My wife and I chose Oldsmar to raise our two toddlers, and we plan to be here for decades, so I have a long-term stake in every decision this council makes. The next council faces real revenue pressure from the property tax amendment on the November ballot and real development pressure on our infrastructure and green space. My profession is reading budgets and contracts and catching bad deals before they become losses. Oldsmar deserves a councilmember with that training before the hard votes arrive, not after.
In your own words, what differentiates you from your opponents?
I am not a career politician. My wife and I chose Oldsmar to raise our two toddlers, and we plan to be here for decades, so I have a long-term stake in every decision this council makes. The next council faces real revenue pressure from the property tax amendment on the November ballot and real development pressure on our infrastructure and green space. My profession is reading budgets and contracts and catching bad deals before they become losses. Oldsmar deserves a councilmember with that training before the hard votes arrive, not after.
Explain what you see as the most important issue facing our community and how are you uniquely qualified to address that issue?
Money, and how carefully this council handles it. If the property tax amendment passes in November, Oldsmar could lose a significant share of the revenue that funds police, fire, water, and stormwater. Every dollar of waste will matter. Here is what waste looks like. Through public records requests I documented more than $200,000 in city payments since October 2020 to the Upper Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, a chamber that primarily serves Hillsborough communities. At the center of it is a business assistance contract that pays the chamber $34,000 a year, billed quarterly, with no KPIs, no targets, and no measurable results required. By its own description, the chamber leads economic development for Oldsmar. After 35 years of downtown debates, what has that delivered? Residents deserve an answer before the next check goes out. Finding contracts like that is my profession. I spent a decade as a bank auditor and corporate risk manager, and I will bring that scrutiny to every budget line and every contract on the agenda.
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