Manimala seeks Hillsborough Commission District 5 seat

Neil Manimala, a Democrat, is running for Hillsborough County Commission District 5 (At Large) in the Nov. 3 general election. Republican Stacy Hahn also seeks the seat.

Asked why he is running, Manimala said in our candidate questionnaire: "I am running to build a more affordable, less congested, and healthier Hillsborough County. Families in Riverview, Ruskin, and Apollo Beach feel the strain of growth every day on U.S. 301 and Big Bend Road."

Candidate information

Party: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "I am a Democrat. Traffic, flooding, and healthcare are not partisan problems. Potholes do not check your voter registration, and neither will I. …"

Occupation: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "I am a board-certified urologist. I care for patients across eastern and southern Hillsborough County, in Brandon, Riverview, Plant City and Sun City Center. … If elected, I will stop seeing patients and serve as a full-time commissioner."

Family: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "My parents came to this country from Kerala, India, in the 1980s. My father worked as a respiratory therapist and my mother as a nurse. They traded day and night shifts to raise my younger brother and me in Valrico. … My wife, Rachel, is a nurse. We are new parents to a baby girl, and we share our home with a rescue dog named Benji. …"

Education: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "I am a product of Hillsborough County public schools, from Buckhorn Elementary in Valrico to King High School in Tampa. … I earned my bachelor's degree and my medical degree at the University of South Florida. I completed my general surgery internship and my urology residency at USF, and I am board-certified in urology. …"

Experience and public service

Manimala said in our questionnaire that this is his first campaign for public office. He said: "My fellow physicians elected me to lead the Hillsborough County Medical Association as its 123rd President. I also have a record of service on public health boards for county government, including the Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board. …"

He is a member of the American Planning Association, according to Florida Politics.

On the issues

Differences from opponent: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "My opponent has sat on the School Board for eight years, and I respect her time as a politician. The difference is who we will answer to. I came up through medicine, not politics, and I will answer to the people of Hillsborough County. … I will fix the traffic, stop the flooding, protect the healthcare safety net that keeps working families out of the emergency room, and make sure developers pay their fair share of infrastructure costs."

Rays stadium deal: Manimala said in our questionnaire: "The deal passed in August. Now the job is to demand accountability and transparency. … But $360 million is coming from the Community Investment Tax, the half-cent sales tax voters renewed for roads, public safety and infrastructure. … I will make sure no South County road, fire station, or drainage project gets pushed back to pay for a stadium. …"