DIAZ FOR MAYOR LLC
LAKELAND, FLORIDA

In 2012, I made the decision to pursue my dream of owning my own small business. Currently, my wife, Melissa, and I own and operate the Once Upon a Child store in North Lakeland. Over the years we have been blessed to work with some extraordinary people and to have the opportunity to create jobs in this city. We have received Gold Standard recognition for our store among other Once Upon A Child locations and we have been awarded Best of the Best Consignment Store by the Lakeland Ledger in 2016 and again in 2017. My wife, two children and me are so grateful for the opportunities we’ve had living and working in Lakeland. It is this very gratitude and desire to help others that I decided to run for office in 2017. Aside from my family, there is no greater reward than helping those around me.It is a part of who I am and it is what I love to do. Given the opportunity to serve as your mayor, I will continue the tradition of service that has defined myself and my family for generations. Our city is a living entity, in need of constant attention, support and investment to ensure continued prosperity and growth. Living and working in this great city has given me the opportunity to see the boundless potential it possesses. Lakeland is a great city, a beautiful city that is home to great people and thriving businesses. But if we are to continue that trend we must not just look for new improvement ideas, we must also look for better ways to put those ideas into practice. My vision for the city of Lakeland is one of job growth, increased safety and a greater efficiency within our government. This city has no shortage of talent, no shortage of ambition but often our biggest obstacle is ourselves. As I talked to people throughout this city, who live, work or own businesses here, I repeatedly heard concerns about Lakeland falling behind other cities and missing out on key opportunities. Having served the citizens of Lakeland and Polk County as a law enforcement officer and now as a small business owner, I consider myself heavily invested in this city. I chose to run for Mayor because I want to introduce fresh ideas and a new approach to a local government historically hindered by inefficiency. Fellow Lakelanders, if we continue to do things the way we have always done them we should expect little more than what we already have. Lakeland is a great city and while it works well for some, we can make it work better for ALL of its citizens. Join me in this path to a greater Lakeland and consider making me your next Mayor. Let’s work together to make Lakeland an even better place to live, work and play. As a small business owner living and working in Lakeland, I understand the challenges and opportunities associated with doing business in our city. There are several key areas we can improve that will foster growth in both small and large businesses and make Lakeland a better place to work. I believe that while job creation is important, we must attract new business sectors and higher wage opportunities for our citizens. We will explore every opportunity in search of new, cost effective ways to improve the services Lakeland Electric and develop additional services, such as municipal high speed internet, that would benefit businesses and residents alike.