Derrick Jones Jr. is betting that West Park voters are ready for a younger voice at City Hall — and a different approach to how city government gets things done.
The 26-year-old South Florida native is running for West Park Commission Seat 1, campaigning on three central themes: affordability, accessibility and accountability.
During a recent interview with Hy-Lo News, Jones laid out his case for voters, pointing to what he described as dysfunction among city leaders, stalled development, rising housing costs and a need for greater investment in West Park’s parks and young people.
His central argument is that West Park does not necessarily need more fighting at City Hall. It needs leaders who can disagree, negotiate and still finish the work.
“Disagreement is OK. Democracy is made for disagreements,” Jones said. “But once we get to the point where we are stopping what needs to get done, then there’s a bigger issue at hand here.”
Who is Derrick Jones Jr.?
Jones is a South Florida native and a 2021 graduate of Florida A&M University, where he studied political science and public administration.
His professional background includes work for former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert and approximately three years with Congresswoman Frederica Wilson’s office. Jones said much of his congressional work involved constituent services, including helping residents navigate immigration, veterans’ issues, housing, health care and food insecurity.
He also described himself as a mentor and youth advocate, saying his family’s emphasis on service helped shape his decision to enter politics.
Jones’ family has political and community ties to West Park. His grandfather previously served as the city’s mayor for six years, and his uncle is Florida state Sen. Chevron Jones.
But Jones said he does not view the race as an opportunity to build his own political profile.
“I’m not going into the seat for me,” Jones said. “I want residents to look at where we were, and I want residents to look at where we are.”
His three priorities
Jones has organized his campaign around affordability, accessibility and accountability.
Affordability
Jones said rising housing and living costs are among the biggest challenges facing West Park residents — including younger residents trying to establish themselves in South Florida.
He supports bringing more affordable housing to West Park and working with developers to identify opportunities for new projects.
Jones said the city has already had developers come before the commission with ideas for affordable housing, but he believes disagreements among commissioners have prevented some proposals from moving forward.
“Rent or even affording a place to live is crazy,” Jones said. “It’s hard for me to find a decent living place, whether that’s here or anywhere you look in South Florida rent is high.”
On Day One, Jones said he would begin by taking a close look at the city’s budget to identify areas where spending could potentially be reduced.
His goal, he said, would be to determine whether the city can cut unnecessary expenses and ease financial pressure on residents.
Accessibility
Jones wants West Park to expand programs for young people, including STEM initiatives and opportunities connecting youth with education and employment.
He also proposed using city facilities, including the library and Mary Saunders Park, as potential hubs for students.
For Jones, accessibility is not limited to youth. He said residents of all ages should have access to city services and resources.
Accountability
Jones’ third priority is accountability within city government.
He said residents should expect elected officials and city management to focus on completing the city’s business rather than allowing disagreements to derail meetings and projects.
“My job is to make sure that we’re collaborating,” Jones said. “My job is to make sure that at the end of the day, when we walk out the meeting, that we had a productive meeting.”
Jones wants to make collaboration his calling card
Jones repeatedly returned to one issue during the interview: the relationship among West Park’s elected officials.
He declined to identify one commissioner as the cause of the conflict, instead saying the problem is broader.
“I don’t think it’s just one collective individual,” Jones said. “I think it’s just individuals as a whole just not being able just to see eye to eye, which is just causing the hold up.”
Jones said his approach would be to treat disagreements as part of governing rather than reasons to stop governing.
His preferred process: identify the disagreement, understand the other side’s position, negotiate and find a way forward.
“Just because we disagree, it just doesn’t mean that we don’t like each other,” he said. “It just means that we’re just at a stopping point and we can move past it.”
That philosophy is at the heart of his pitch to voters.
Mary Saunders Park would be a Day One priority
Jones identified the condition of Mary Saunders Park in Carver Ranches as one of his biggest concerns.
He said the park has personal significance because it was a place he visited growing up and described it as “the heart of our city.”
If elected, Jones said he would make improving the park a top priority, including pursuing grants and looking for ways the community could assist with cleanup and beautification.
“I want to bring more beautification to the city,” Jones said.
Jones also said the city should explore ways to make parks more useful to young people, including potential technology and computer-learning spaces.
Economic development: State Road 7
Jones sees the State Road 7 corridor, particularly the area around U.S. 441 and Pembroke Road, as one of West Park’s strongest opportunities for commercial development.
But he said attracting businesses will require the city to demonstrate that it can operate effectively.
“If we can’t work with each other, how is anybody else going to want to come here and work with us?” Jones said. “We can’t even get our own house in order, and we want other people to help come.”
Jones said stalled development agreements represent a missed opportunity for the city.
He believes better collaboration among commissioners could help move those projects forward.
What does Jones say about taxes?
Jones said he is open to reducing the city’s millage rate and easing the tax burden on residents, but he cautioned that West Park must account for the revenue it could lose.
The candidate said property taxes represent a significant portion of West Park’s revenue and argued that any tax reduction should be accompanied by a plan to replace lost funding.
His position is essentially: reduce taxes where possible, but don’t do it without understanding how the city will pay for essential services.
Jones also said the city needs to be more proactive about financial planning and budgeting.
“I’m always open to alleviating that tax pressure off of residents,” Jones said. “However, before we do that, we need to make sure that we have a plan in place just to replace our funding.”
Infrastructure and public safety
On infrastructure, Jones said West Park should continue work on drainage and sidewalks while addressing speeding in residential neighborhoods.
He said residents have raised concerns about drivers speeding through their neighborhoods and have suggested additional speed bumps and stop signs.
Jones said public safety is another area where he is satisfied with the services provided by the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
A young candidate’s argument
Age is one of the biggest questions surrounding Jones’ candidacy.
At 26, he acknowledged that critics have questioned whether he has enough life experience to serve on the commission.
Jones does not deny that he is young. Instead, he argues that his age gives him a direct connection to some of the issues facing younger West Park residents, particularly housing affordability and employment.
“She could be absolutely right,” Jones said of the criticism that he lacks the necessary life experience. “But I have the energy, I have the fire, I have the drive, I have the tenacity needed and the fight.”
Jones said his generation brings a willingness to challenge established ways of doing things.
“Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I don’t know the issues that are going on in my city,” he said.
What voters should watch
For voters evaluating Jones, his campaign presents a relatively clear contrast: a young candidate with government experience who says West Park’s biggest problem is not a lack of ideas, but a lack of cooperation.
His platform includes:
- Affordable housing: Work with developers and examine city spending to identify ways to reduce financial pressure on residents.
- Youth programs: Expand STEM, education and employment opportunities for young people.
- Parks: Make improvements to Mary Saunders Park a priority and pursue grant funding.
- Economic development: Focus on the State Road 7 corridor and stalled development opportunities.
- Infrastructure: Continue drainage and sidewalk improvements while addressing speeding.
- Government accountability: Push commissioners and city officials to complete city business.
- Collaboration: Build relationships across the commission and work through disagreements instead of allowing them to halt city business.
- Fiscal responsibility: Consider tax relief while ensuring the city has a plan to replace lost revenue.
Jones’ broader argument is that West Park needs to move from arguing about problems to solving them.
“We are lacking solution-seeking people on our dais,” Jones said. “We’re just dealing with people who just keep bringing up problems.”
His measure of success
If elected, Jones said he does not want residents to judge his tenure by his name recognition or personal accomplishments.
He wants voters to judge him by whether West Park is measurably better four years later.
“The work that I will put into the city is not to build up Derek’s name. It’s not to build my credibility. It’s to make the city better,” Jones said.
Jones said his experience working across local, county and federal government has taught him where to go to get things done. Now, he wants to bring that experience home to West Park.
“I know where to go and how to get things done,” he said.
The West Park Commission Seat 1 race includes Jones and Katrina Touchstone, according to VOTE411’s current voter guide.
Jones is encouraging voters to learn more about his campaign at derrickjones.vote and through his social media platforms.
For voters, the question heading into Election Day is ultimately whether Jones’ promise of collaboration, youth-focused leadership and a fresh approach to City Hall is enough to earn their vote.
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