Two Osceola County Commission seats are on the Nov. 3 ballot. The two District 2 candidates, the incumbent and a former local mayor, did not face primary fights.
The questions below are based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race were asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates' answers were fact checked and only edited for space considerations.
Olga Gonzalez (Republican)
Age: 75
Occupation: Nonprofit founder and volunteer community-service leader, Church & Community Assistance Program, Inc. (CCAP)
Residence: Kissimmee
Political background: Kissimmee City Commissioner, 2016–20 First Latina elected mayor of Kissimmee, 2020-24
Local board/agency background: Former ex officio member of the Kissimmee Utility Authority Board of Directors; Osceola Homeless Task Force, City of Kissimmee, Housing; Osceola Council on Aging Board of Directors; Lakeside Estates homeowners association board leadership.
Why should the voters of your district elect you as a candidate of change?
I am asking voters to bring my experience and commitment to service to the Osceola County Commission. I served eight years in Kissimmee city government and have spent more than 27 years helping local families through CCAP.
I understand the challenges facing working families, seniors, small businesses, and people struggling to keep a roof over their heads. My priorities are responsible spending, affordable housing, safer communities, and growth that benefits existing residents. I will listen, ask difficult questions, and hold county government accountable for results. Public office is an opportunity to serve, and I will bring that commitment to District 2.
What do you feel are Osceola County’s three most pressing problems and give a brief explanation of how you’d advocate they’d be solved:
Housing affordability and housing instability: I will advocate for more housing that working families and seniors can afford, faster and more predictable permitting, and partnerships with builders and nonprofit housing providers. Public incentives should include enforceable affordability requirements. I would also strengthen eviction-prevention efforts and connect families to employment and housing services before a temporary setback becomes homelessness.
Traffic and infrastructure keeping pace with growth: I would advocate for road, drainage, and transportation improvements based on clear priorities and measurable results. Development decisions must account for infrastructure capacity, and new development should contribute its fair share of legally authorized infrastructure costs. We must coordinate with cities and transportation agencies to improve daily travel for residents.
Household financial pressure and access to opportunity: I would support workforce training, apprenticeships, small-business development, and stronger connections between employers and job seekers. Reliable transportation and access to childcare are essential to helping people work. I would also review county spending carefully and improve coordination among service providers so resources reach families effectively.
What are your solutions for Florida’s housing affordability issue?
We need to increase housing choices while helping residents remain in their homes. I would support appropriately located starter homes, townhomes, apartments, and senior housing, with infrastructure planned alongside development.
I would advocate for efficient permitting, rehabilitation of existing housing, and partnerships that produce lasting affordability. State and federal housing funds should be used with transparent reporting and clear outcomes. I would also work with state leaders on insurance affordability and support homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention. Families need a realistic path to stable housing and, when possible, homeownership.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: Yes.
Through my years of serving our community, I have seen how difficult it is for seniors on fixed incomes and working families to keep up with housing costs. Expanding the homestead exemption would provide meaningful property-tax relief and help homeowners remain in their homes. I also believe tax relief must go hand in hand with responsible budgeting. As a county commissioner, I would review spending carefully, reduce waste, and prioritize essential services such as law enforcement, fire rescue, roads, and drainage. My goal is to help residents keep more of their hard-earned money while protecting the services our community depends on.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the County Commission should address in Osceola County?
Protecting water quality and managing flooding as Osceola County grows. Our lakes, wetlands, and drinking-water resources are essential to residents’ health, recreation, and quality of life. I would advocate for stronger coordination on stormwater management, maintenance of drainage systems, wetland protection, and development decisions that account for flood risk. Preventing environmental damage is more responsible and less costly than asking taxpayers to repair it later.
Viviana Janer (Democrat, incumbent)
Age: 55
Occupation: County Commissioner
Residence: Osceola County
Political background (offices/seats held with dates/years): Osceola County Commissioner, 2014-present
Local board/agency background (i.e., advisory committees such as Planning Commission): Metroplan Orlando, Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission (SunRail), LYNX, the Tourist Development Council. Have also served on the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council and Value Adjustment Board. Served as Chairwoman of the County Commission in 2016, 2020, 2023, and 2025.
Why should the voters of your district elect you to another term?
Since 2014, I’ve been proud to bring people-first leadership to the County Commission, creating over 3,200 units of affordable housing for our working families and seniors, improving drainage and infrastructure, investing in our parks and libraries, ensuring our Seniors have the services they need, standing with our first responders to keep us safe, and investing in education and jobs so everyone can thrive in Osceola County.
What do you feel are Osceola County’s three most pressing problems and give a brief explanation of how you’d advocate they’d be solved:
Housing affordability: Continue to work with public private partnerships to bring more affordable housing as well as supporting rental assistance for our seniors that are on a fixed income.
Road congestion: We have made the largest investment in county roads in the history of Osceola County with road widenings, intersection improvements and sidewalks for pedestrian and bicycle safety. Will continue to work on partnerships with the State, Metroplan, and Private entities to improve our roadways.
Flooding during storms: My District 2 has been hit hard during heavy rain events. Drainage is a top infrastructure priority, and while no one can guarantee to make an area 100% flood proof, we can work on making it more resilient. I have championed investment in over a dozen projects to protect homes and neighborhoods from flooding, improving outdated engineered drainage with new design and in some cases new outflows.
According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
I completely agree that is why I spearheaded the creation in the county of public private partnerships bring more affordable housing to the residents of Osceola County, this has led to the creation of over 3,200 units but more are needed. A prime example of these partnerships is Buen Vecino. Buen Vecino has 60 units and seniors pay only 30% of their income as rent made possible by a partnership with the Osceola Council on Aging, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Osceola County and others. A lot has been accomplished, but there is still much work to be done in this area, and I would like to continue to work on finding creative solutions to this very important issue.
Please vote yes or no on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes and explain your position: No.
This is a primary mechanism for funding, and it would mean less money for essential services, permanently. Some of the reductions presented to us include significant reductions to infrastructure and transportation, public safety, housing and community services, & environment and public lands amongst others.
What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the County Commission should address in Osceola County?
Conservation of our waterways. This is why we have partnered with the state and Toho Water Authority and are currently working on a major water quality and invasive plant cleanup initiative on Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho) and its surrounding watershed. We are also working on other projects such as the Boggy Creek Shoal and Vegetation Removal Project.
