Jacksonville mayor comes out against new toll road

[buckethead]

I'm still reading... And loving lake more and more as I read on.

Lakelander for Mayor! (Or at least Director of JTA)

[Dashing Dan]

Behind closed doors.  I've been in the industry long enough to know that there are those who suppress their own true opinions for the sake of getting a steady paycheck.  This is true, regardless of profession.

After almost 40 years in "the industry," I'm not sure that I would still agree with that observation.

People are generally sincere about their own personal opinions, no matter how ignorant or objectionable those opinions may seem to be. 

Fortunately for us professionals, we are responsible for presenting conclusions based on facts. Most of the time, our personal opinions are irrelevant.

[thelakelander]

^Different life and different experiences I guess.  You're lucky to not have experienced in 40 years what I've come across in 15.

Fortunately for us professionals, we are responsible for presenting conclusions based on facts.

So you believe there's a need for the Outer Beltway based on facts?  If so, why are you against it?

[Dashing Dan]

My opinion, based on my assessment of the facts, is that it's a bad project. 

That doesn't mean that I would disqualify myself from working for someone who holds a different opinion.

[thelakelander]

Cool, but that's not what I asked, based on your quote above. But it doesn't matter. I have some other things to tend to.

[Dashing Dan]

^Different life and different experiences I guess.  You're lucky to not have experienced in 40 years what I've come across in 15.

Check back with yourself in about 20 years, and see how you feel then.

[Dashing Dan]

So you believe there's a need for the Outer Beltway based on facts?  If so, why are you against it?

Please rephrase this question.  The way it's written I don't understand it.

[thelakelander]

No need to. Facts and situations dealt with in the past won't change 20 years from now. Come on, this is silly.  For example, I don't need to live another twenty years to know and understand it hurt when I fell off my bike 27 years ago. Lets get back on topic.

[thelakelander]

Don't worry about the question. I'm watching my kids swim.

[Dashing Dan]

No need to. Facts and situations dealt with in the past won't change 20 years from now. Come on, this is silly.  For example, I don't need to live another twenty years to know and understand it hurt when I fell off my bike 27 years ago. Lets get back on topic.

27 years ago it really mattered when you fell off your bike. 

Now - not so much.

[thelakelander]

Lol, So....what about that thing called the Outer Beltway?

[Dashing Dan]

Check back with me when they've figured out a way to pay for it.  Tolls won't do that job.

[thelakelander]

Now that, I agree with. Everyone is in for a rude awakening if they expect tolls to cover the costs. There was a reason the private sector ran away from this thing and being a money loser was a major factor.

[Dashing Dan]

As for the project itself, I don't think either one of us has posted anything on this thread that the other one of us has disagreed with.   I was just overly optimistic about the implications of the mayor's initial announcement.

[Dashing Dan]

curiouser and curiouser!

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-09-10/story/rick-scott-says-alvin-brown-backs-toll-road-mayor-still-says-no

For the second time in a week, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is pushing back against statements that he supports a plan to turn the First Coast Outer Beltway into a toll road.

Scott also said that Brown's initial public pushback could affect the flow of state dollars to Northeast Florida.  "If he's against projects like that ... I'll tell [FDOT head] Ananth Prasad ... don't go spend your time here."

Am I naive to think that this might be an unusual thing for a governor to say?