Josh Street Unveils Panama City’s Path Forward: A 10-Step Plan for Financial Strength and Growth

PANAMA CITY, FL - As a lifelong resident of Bay County, Josh Street, who is running to be re-elected to Panama City Commissioner Ward 4, has built deep roots in the community. He graduated from Bay High School, attended Gulf Coast State College, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from Liberty University. For 20 years, he has owned a local small business while managing his church’s finances and operations, giving him a firsthand understanding of fiscal responsibility. His wife, Johannah, a Respiratory Therapist and stay-at-home mom, has been married to him for 21 years, and together they are raising three children. During his 2021 campaign, Street listed infrastructure among his top three priorities, alongside improving the marina and quality of life.  Now, he is committed to bringing his experience to Panama City with a 10-step plan that prioritizes financial stability, infrastructure investment, and economic growth without raising taxes.

His plan begins by enlisting proven business leaders to review city expenses and establish efficiency benchmarks, ensuring every dollar is spent wisely. He will fight FEMA to recover interest costs and secure full reimbursement for hurricane-damaged roads, saving taxpayers $20 million. To address utility billing issues, he plans to modernize the system with meter replacements and technology upgrades, eliminating overbilling errors and saving $250,000 annually. Debt reduction is a priority—he aims to accelerate payments to pay off 50% of the city’s $150 million debt early, cutting interest costs by $4 million per year. He also intends to rebuild emergency reserves using investment income, adding $2 million annually to the city’s financial safety net.

Efficiency is a cornerstone of his vision. He will eliminate redundancies in government and non-profit housing programs, water/sewer services and foster stronger alliances between local emergency services, saving $1 million yearly. Selling surplus city-owned land and expanding public-private partnerships will generate an additional $1 million annually, while encouraging business growth will boost merchant fee revenue by another $1 million. Strengthening partnerships with non-profits for community programs and essential services will save $500,000 per year. Finally, he will improve city government efficiency by reducing meeting times, ending politically motivated distractions, and restoring confidence in elected leadership.

This 10-step plan reflects his commitment to Panama City’s future, drawing on his experience as a business owner and community leader. He believes Panama City can become a model of fiscal responsibility and community-driven progress.

In a 2024 statement to WJHG/WECP, he noted, “We’ve led these projects sequentially so we can keep building one off of one off of one until the infrastructure in the city is repaired.” This suggests a strategic approach to infrastructure improvements, often leveraging grant funding to avoid burdening taxpayers. Most recently, in December, the commission, with Street present, unanimously approved millions in grant funding for multiple local projects, including utility improvements in downtown Panama City, upgrades to 15 existing lift stations, and new park lights.

Some residents report Street is neglecting basic infrastructure needs like clean water and functioning fire hydrants in favor of “cosmetic” projects, such as the proposed Beach Drive multi-use path. 

During the Bay County Republican Party debate in March 2025, Street described the issues facing Ward 4, “We’ve got infrastructure that’s failing, we’ve got plenty of projects ahead of us that we have to complete, and we can’t stop at this point and time until we fix it.  Apathy sets in easily in organizations, especially in government. We should want leaders that are focused on results and getting things done. Not making excuses, not trying to kick the can down the field, but are willing to roll up their sleeves, get out there, get into the community, understand the needs and solve the problems that we have. Whether that be parking, whether that be a man hole in the bay, whether that be sewage spills, whether that be a pot hole or a drainage issue.  That’s what government for the people looks like. And that’s what people should expect.”

When asked “How do you balance the trade off of property rights and neighborhood concerns about maintaining the unique character of historic neighborhoods,” at the debate Street’s response was “We can’t just focus on one singular project in one singular neighborhood, we need to look at the ecosystem that exists here in Panama City and means every zoning decision that’s made, it has to be done with the residents input...at the end of the day it’s a sidewalk, yes there are a powerful few that don’t want it to happen, but at the end of the day the citizens of Panama City will have the final say.”

 

Election day is April 22nd. https://www.bayvotes.org/ 

(Bay County Coastal does not endorse candidates.)