Councilman Charles Bare Focuses on Grassroots Service in Re-Election Bid for District 2

Councilman Bare brings a broad and distinguished background in public service to his re-election campaign.

Earning his Bachelor’s degree in Legal Administration and Master of Public Administration from the University of West Florida, Bare went on to serve as a federal criminal investigator and special agent for the U.S. Department of Education.

Bare later served as Director of Governmental Relations at UWF and as a District Representative for Congressman Jeff Miller. A commissioned U.S. Army Reserve Officer, Bare also deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a Civil Affairs Officer in Iraq and a Director of Special Projects in Kuwait.

(Photo Credit: Councilman Charles Bare)

This unique blend of military logistics, federal investigation, and legislative advocacy informs the Councilmans approach to local governance.

Having previously represented Pensacola as an at-large councilmember from 2012 to 2016, where he also served as Council President, Bare is now utilizing his expertise to act as a watchdog for the City of Pensacola and District 2. Bare emphasizes direct, hands-on constituent service as a cornerstone of his office. Rather than relying solely on automated reporting systems like 3-1-1, he actively encourages residents to contact him directly so he can personally route their issues to the city administration and track them to completion. Grounded in a door-to-door grassroots approach, Bare notes that walking the neighborhoods allows him to identify hyper-local issues, such as missing streetlights or overgrown brush hiding encampments that official channels frequently miss. The councilman is committed to hearing his constituents. Bare views the public comment period as a dedicated time to listen rather than a venue for defensive debate.

(Photo Credit: Councilman Charles Bare)

The councilman refers to recent council discussions regarding a potential city curfew, noting that overwhelming public pushback shaped his stance. This demonstrates Bare's willingness to adapt his legislative votes based on citizen testimony. Bare advocates for rigorous procedural discipline within City Hall. He strongly opposes placing extensive or incomplete policy items, such as major land-use revisions or the recent Tree Ordinance on council agendas before advisory boards have conducted public reviews.

(Photo Credit: Councilman Charles Bare) Bare also brings a forward-looking strategy to city finances. Anticipating potential municipal revenue losses if state tax initiatives, such as Amendment 3, alter homestead exemptions, Bare is already exploring contingency plans. He advocates for considering developer impact fees to ensure that new economic development does not outpace or defund foundational city infrastructure. A primary focus of Bare's platform is prioritizing core municipal responsibilities over large-scale aesthetic redevelopments. The councilman highlights critical service needs across his district, advocating for enhanced police presence and traffic calming along long residential straightaways that suffer from chronic speeding.

Bare also calls for specialized, experienced leadership within the city's sanitation department to improve operational efficiency.

Regarding capital spending, Bare cautions against high-cost beautification initiatives that fail to address systemic needs. He opposed the $10 million Palafox Street redesign, arguing that the project's localized stormwater vaults neglected broader, connected drainage basins. Furthermore, the Councilman scrutinized the redesign's functional impact, warning that raised crosswalks would ruin the street's traditional parade routes. Rerouting those massive events to Jefferson Street, Bare noted, would ultimately trap vehicles in the downtown parking garage and severely limit vital public parking during major community events. District 2 presents distinct logistical challenges due to its non-contiguous boundaries and overlapping county pockets, requiring structured intergovernmental oversight.

Bare also highlights ongoing friction regarding shared resources and tax revenues. The Councilman has expressed frustration over the county setting the local gas tax without city input, and he points out that the County Commission frequently overrides the Tourism Development Council’s (TDC) board recommendations on bed-tax spending for city-based events. On utility management, Bare calls for proactive infrastructure maintenance from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) to prevent emergency sewer main failures, while carefully monitoring ongoing city franchise fee negotiations with Florida Power & Light (FPL).

(Photo Credit: WUWF)

To address local housing needs, Bare advocates for pragmatic solutions focused on Land Development Code reform and private developer engagement. He critiques housing programs capped at 120% of Area Median Income, maintaining that municipal resources must target lower-income working families. Voters in District 2 will have the opportunity to choose between Charles Bare and former Councilwoman Sherri Myers in the upcoming election. The Pensacola City Council election is scheduled for November 3, 2026, with early voting running from October 19 through November 1, 2026.

(Thumbnail Photo Credit: PNJ, Will Isern)