The election for Wilton Manors’ mayor is still more than 14 months away, but the race is already on. City Commissioner Paul Rolli has officially filed his candidacy for the November 2026 vote.
He sat down for a one-on-one interview with The Gazette. No topic was off limits and Rolli, who has also served two years as vice mayor, discussed everything from the library to city leadership to why he is declaring his candidacy so early (which requires more financial reporting and oversight). Some comments have been edited for space and clarity.
“I’ve been talking to residents one-on-one. I decided it was easier to come out early. I can plan for my campaign and it tells other people who’s already in the race.”
Rolli is running to replace incumbent mayor, Scott Newton, who is not running for reelection. He says his three main priorities are infrastructure, growth, and public safety. He sees the use of AI as an underused tool that can deliver some city services while reducing manpower.
“I’ve been here 20 years and a lot’s changed in 20 years. What’s going to happen in the next 20?”
In terms of development, the city is five years into a major update of its code and zoning. While many major projects have been approved, there are no shovels in the ground. Rolli says it may be time to update again.
“I think we do. We need to get input from experts,” he said, referring to developers and other growth and real estate experts. A round table discussion is planned for September.
“[People] blame the commission because there are no shovels in the ground. Once a project is approved we have no control over the developer. There are a lot of issues with tariffs and cost of materials.”
