Candidate for Board of County Commission, District 2: Douglas Greene
The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce recently asked each candidate running for the Board of County Commission to answer a candidate questionnaire that we could share with members and the community. Answers to each question have been copied and pasted exactly as they were submitted.
For additional information or questions, please contact the Chamber at (904) 261-3248
2026 Board of County Commission Candidate Forum
EXPERIENCE & LEADERSHIP
1. Why are you seeking election to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners?
Over the past 4 years I have been dismayed over the way our Government has managed growth, spending, and communications. Our tax receipts have increase from 119 million to almost 180 million over the past four years and the County is sitting on almost $300 million in cash, up approximately 100 million since 2021. Yet our County Commissioner claim we will be in a fiscal crisis if our most at risk residents get $1500 in property tax relief through an increase in the homestead exemption.
We have lived through traffic delays and road construction projects that were poorly planned and executed. Seen our property tax burdens sky rocket due to increased property assessments. My opponent claims he reduced property taxes over his 4 year term, but I can tell you it was a pittance compared to over $60 million in increased receipts.
We have seen disinterested County Commissioners who prioritize pandering to special interests over actually making hard decisions on where to spend our hard earned taxpayer dollars.
I'm running because I believe county government should reflect the same values that guide our families: common sense, careful planning, fiscal responsibility, and accountability. None of which I see from any of our commissioners, especially my opponent.
2. What experiences best prepare you to serve the residents and businesses of Nassau County?
For more than 44 years, I have built a career based on leadership, accountability, and service. After spending 18 years with Marriott, I proceeded to build and operate my own hospitality company, Haberhill LLC, in 2000, growing it into a successful business that at its peak owned five hotels, with 4,600 rooms, employing nearly 2,000 people, generating more than $300 million in sales and $84 million of operating profit.
Throughout my career, I learned that leadership is about more than managing budgets and businesses. It is about taking care of people and making responsible decisions, especially during difficult times. I embraced Bill Marriott’s credo which was “take care of your people and they will take care of your customers”.;
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the furlough of approximately 1,700 employees, I realized that I needed to help them with essential food and living expenses. As such, I personally funded more than $510,000 in emergency $300 gift cards to help workers and their families make ends meet while they waited for assistance. My belief was simple: leaders have a responsibility to take care of the people who depend on them for their livelihood.
3. What do you believe are the three most important issues facing Nassau County today?
Spending
Transparency
Managing Growth Responsibly
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & BUSINESS
4. How should Nassau County balance economic growth with preserving the character of its communities?
We need to develop, along with our citizens, a clear vision for the future of the County that we all agree to follow in making all decisions. Currently, there is no “vision”, at least none that I can figure out. Just a haphazard collection of growth decisions,spending and execution. Until we develop that clear vision, we will not be able to move forward in a responsible way.
5. What policies would you support to strengthen small businesses, attract quality employers, and create high-paying jobs?
Certainly, we pay lip service to attracting companies to this County. We say we want them, but when it comes to approving projects, we are woefully incompetent in our follow through. We need to be clear in our expectations and follow through on our commitments in a timely way. Developers and businesses need clarity in terms of timing, costs and regulations. The County is severely lacking in all three of these areas. When businesses cannot get this clarity, they go elsewhere.
6. How should the County prioritize investments in roads, utilities, broadband, and other infrastructure needed to support continued growth?
Candidate did not respond.
7. In 2022, nearly 68% of Nassau County voters approved up to $30 million in bonds for the Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program. What role do you believe the CLAM Program should play in Nassau County's future, and how would you balance land conservation, private property rights, economic development, and the needs of the business community?
Perfect example of good intentions gone bad due to government involvement. I am wholly supportive of land conservation. I believe, though, that the way the County went about creating and, so far implementing, this program, is horribly flawed. Both in the acquisition criteria and the determination of price paid for Land.
8. Nassau County recently adopted a temporary moratorium on data center development and established a fact-finding process to evaluate the potential community impacts of these facilities. What factors should guide the County’s final policy on data centers, and how would you balance potential investment and tax revenue with demands on utilities, neighboring properties, and the needs of existing businesses and residents?
I do NOT support new data centers. That said, I believe we need to create requirements, that, while very difficult, will provide a roadmap for data center developers to even be considered as follows:
- The developer must build their own co-generation power Nassau County will not provide access to its power grid.
- The new plant must provide excess capacity for the existing County grid such that our electricity costs will go down
- It must create meaningful documented jobs for residents of Nassau County
- Noise and environmental concerns have to be addressed (I will meet with residents and get their input on this).
- Water use cannot adversely impact existing County water
Even if a developer meets all these conditions I may vote against.
In ALL circumstances, I will meet with County residents and listen to your concerns and IF I vote for a development you will all know my reasons.
HOUSING & WORKFORCE
9. Workforce housing continues to be one of Nassau County's greatest challenges. What role should County government play in expanding housing opportunities while maintaining responsible growth?
Candidate did not respond.
10. How can the County better support workforce development and strengthen partnerships with schools, colleges, and employers?
Candidate did not respond.
GOVERNMENT & LEADERSHIP
11. How will you ensure transparency and public trust in County government?
I WILL NEVER CLAIM IGNORANCE OF ANYTHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO COUNTY CITIZENS
I will clearly communicate with citizens on these topics through regular monthly Town Hall style meetings
TO DEMONSTRATE MY COMPLETE LACK OF SELF INTEREST, I PLEDGE TO DONATE 100% OF MY SALARY AS COMMISSIONER TO LOCAL NASSAU COUNTY CHARITIES (THINK BARNABAS, PURPLE DOVE) AND REFUSE MY PENSION IF I SERVE TWO TERMS.
I WILL NEVER EVER ABDICATE MY RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS NASSAU COUNTY RESIDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO REPRESENTING THEIR INTERESTS DUE TO IGNORANCE OR INEXPERIENCE. THIS INCLUDES BUDGET REVIEWS,CASH NEEDS,RESPONSIBLE AND APPROPRIATE BORROWING, PROPERTY TAX BURDENS, ARCHAIC CODE ENFORCEMENT, RESPONSIBLE, FAIR AND UNBIASED DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
12. Describe your leadership style and how you approach differing viewpoints when making decisions.
I like to ask a lot of questions, make sure I thoroughly understand all of the issues involved and all of the costs implications; however, when I make decisions regarding budgets and spending, I don’t just go away and let staff execute with impunity. I see that happening in this County. A perfect example of this is the oversight on spending under $100,000. There is no required bidding or other checks and balances related to these items. In 2026 alone, there are approximately 600 items that will cost under $100,000, totaling a whopping $13 million. County staff do not have to bid this nor do they need Commissioner approvals to spend it. I intend to introduce a new policy, if elected, that will reduce this amount to $25,000 so as not to abdicate responsibility for these expenditures. I will require monthly reviews of spending versus the budget and constantly challenge staff to find savings everywhere’.
13. What role should regional partnerships play in addressing countywide challenges?
We need to work with regional partners, particularly other Counties and the State to share what I call best practices. I have found that when we work together to come up with the best ways to operate, we are all successful
14. Florida voters will consider significant property-tax reform on the November ballot that could provide additional relief to homesteaded property owners while reducing revenue available to counties and municipalities. Do you support the proposed reform, how do you believe it would affect homeowners, businesses, renters, and local government services, and what steps should Nassau County take to prepare while continuing to fund public safety, infrastructure, conservation, and other essential services?
I absolutely support the reform. I believe the County needs to drastically reduce spending and the only way to do that is to give the County less in taxes.
Put simply, the homestead exemption for non-school taxes will increase from $50,000 currently to $250,000. In other words, anyone with over a $250,000 assessed value will save over $1500 annually in property taxes (depends on Millage rates) on their property tax bill. This will not impact property taxes related to school funding since the exemption will remain where it is. Commercial and non Homestead residential property assessment increases will be capped at 5% versus 10% currently
Scare Tactics Already Begun. Clearly, the County does not want to lose precious tax revenues, so they are aggressively fighting this exemption increase. Their arguments are as follows:
- Tax Cut for the Rich. False. While it is true that persons in the County that have assessed values over $250,000 will see a reduction of their property taxes, the largest beneficiaries of this increase are average everyday County citizens to whom $1500/year or
$125/month is very impactful. With affordability a major issue these days, these savings provide additional money for core everyday needs such as gas, food and electricity, etc.
There will be cuts in core services. I do not believe the core services listed in the ballot above will need to be cut. However, in advance of the vote in November, the County has put forth a budget that significantly slashes services that are important to residents. I believe this is being done to sway votes against the reduction.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE & PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
15. Have you ever received, or do you currently receive, compensation, advertising revenue, sponsorship income, monetization revenue, consulting fees, in-kind benefits, or any other thing of value connected to online content in which you discuss local government issues, public policy matters, elected officials, candidates, or campaigns? If yes, please describe the source and nature of the compensation, the issue or candidate involved, and whether the financial relationship was publicly disclosed.
NO
CLOSING
16. What specific accomplishment would you hope to achieve during your first term?
Reduce spending to 2021 levels adjusted for inflation and population growth
Take care of our firefighters who have been taking it on the chin for too long.
17. Is there anything else you would like Nassau County's business community to know?
I am a businessman through and through. We need to start operating the County in a business like fashion - trim the waste, attract talented people, while at the same time treating our customer, the citizens of our County, with transparency, respect and dignity.