Both Todd Marks and Aakash Patel made their cases to Chris Ingram
With Florida’s August 26 primary date getting closer and closer, more than just the big races for US Senate and Governor are up for grabs. Important local positions that might not be household names but have an impact on communities are also in the offing. To that end, Chris Ingram welcomed Hillsborough County Commissioner candidates Todd Marks and Aakash Patel to his show on Monday morning to discuss Hillsborough County, their platforms, and their own backgrounds in an effort to help voters make a more well-informed decision on August 26.
Todd Marks has known Chris Ingram for years, dating back to their time in northern Virginia. As the owner of Westchase Law in Tampa, Marks employs a number of attorneys as well as their support staff. Therefore, Todd Marks knows a great deal about running a business and keeping people employed.
Marks is strong on immigration, and once ran for State House with an emphasis on trying to keep immigration more secure. More local to Hillsborough County, Marks starts his platform by saying “I’d like to see people succeed.” That means bringing in a higher quality of jobs to the area as well as better employers, and it also means putting an emphasis on providing affordable housing to people such as teachers and veterans. Having some experience in corporate law, Todd Marks knows of ways to incentivize developers to build more than just luxury condos and housing.
Next, Chris welcomes Marks’ opponent in the Republican Primary in Aakash Patel. Chris has known Aakash for the better part of the last decade. Patel, a Florida State graduate, is the founder of Elevate, Inc, a social media and marketing business that provides consulting to new businesses in the Tampa Bay area.
Patel wants to make education a priority in Hillsborough County, and he wants to get this started early. Early learning initiatives, as opposed to the K-12 education that does not fall under the County Commission’s purview, can be handled by the Hillsborough County Commission. The county needs all the help it can get with education, and through better management of resources and clearer goals Patel believes he can lead by example in this regard.
Listen to the Chris Ingram Program, weekday mornings from 10-noon on News Talk AM 820.
