Environmentalism and public transportation are at the top of the platform for Gainesville City Commission candidate Tom Cunilio.
The At-Large Seat 1 candidate said he looks forward to the March 24 election, after which he hopes to start implementing his platform.
If elected, Cunilio said he will resign from his job at the Florida Renewable Research Conservation and Development Council because he said the City Commission position is a full-time commitment.
He added that one of his opponents, incumbent Jeanna Mastrodicasa, is the assistant vice president for student affairs at UF.
Cunilio earned a bachelor's degree from UF in agriculture in 1979 and a master's in Spanish in 1988.
"I stayed in Gainesville even after I graduated. I still have a lot to learn," Cunilio said. "People were still teaching me."
Cunilio credits his three mentors, all of whom are retired UF faculty, for his continued education and activism in the community.
To alleviate traffic congestion and help Gainesville become more environmentally friendly, Cunilio wants to propose that UF freshmen be prohibited from parking cars on campus and that sophomores be required to enter a parking lottery.
He would like to propose a privatization of the bus system and an increase in the number of city bus routes.
Using his background in the environment and agriculture, Cunilio said he can help create jobs and stimulate the Gainesville economy.
When it comes to the controversial Charter Amendment 1, Cunilio said he is in favor of its passage.
"It's a bogus issue," he said. "Conservatives don't want to come to Gainesville because of all of the liberal sexual politics."
