Mayor Peyton's approval rating slides to 27 percent

[Driven1]

Midway, my reply to you would be this... do you not read the mayor's email (you know that you can, right)?  Many, many people write him about their anger of his handling of many, many issues.  The same goes for City Council members.  Also, by reading the Times-Union or Folio (or this site) any day of the week, you can see where many are writing in disgust of the ongoing incompetence.  And this is NOTHING NEW.  This has been going on for years now.  Both the incompetence and the citizen outrage.  The point is, the things you are suggesting have been going on for years with no effect or change of leadership behavior or attitude.

Hence, two results:  1) a 27% "approval" rating and 2) things have reached the point (unprecedented up to this point in our city history) where the idea of a recall effort is seriously being tossed around and is seen by many as the only avenue left. 

[Midway ®]

So, if this "voter revolt" has been in process for many years, where were these people during the last election?

Did Peyton provide such a strong performance during his first four year term that an unapposed election was appropriate?

Then there was a 180 degree turn around of competence during his second term in diametrical opposition to the prior experience during his first term?

No, I think that the lion's share of residents in Jacksonville are only concerned with how much traffic there is on JTB, and when will it be widened to 16 lanes, and what can be done to bring the price of gasoline back to 99 cents per gallon.

[Driven1]

i'll give u the last word, but will only say it is common knowledge in jax political & business circles that there were "forces" at play in the last election that prevented any other viable candidate from running.  you are correct though that many here are just apathetic and could care less how their money is spent. 

[vicupstate]

Midway...good suggestions.

Specifically, what kind of "pressure" do you think would be most effective in "teaching" the Mayor and forcing him to change his behavior and start "representing the public"?  Basically, how do you propose we lure him into doing his job?

By becoming involved. By calling City Hall every day. By sending emails. By voting. By writing into the newspaper. By not being a passive bystander in this democracy.

Politicians are sort of like cockroaches, in that they tend to be antiphototropic.

Frankly, the mere fact that a suggestion or idea is coming from someone on this forum, is sufficient reason in HIS mind, to ignore it.  There is NOTHING in your post that many members of this forum have not ALREADY done, in SPADES.   There have been coutless emails, phone calls and even meetings.  He is not moved. He apparently has the same 'Me vs. Them' attitude that our President has.  

[Pavers]

Your survey, while an interesting effort, is flawed on a few points.

Sample size is too small.  Your margin of error is probably +/-10%.  You need about 400 responders to get to +/-4%, which is standard.  120 is too small.

The right way to ask an approval rating is either a straight "do you approve or disapprove of the way XX is handling his/her job as XXX?"  Or break it down and say "Strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove."  

So you 27% "approval" rating, since a choice was given to be neutral, is misleading.  It's not apples-to-apples vs. the way these questions are customarily posed.

Good effort and some interesting insights though.  The fact that those with an opinion are 2:1 against a recall effort should hopefully show how big a waste of time and money such an effort would be.  

[Johnny]

So, if this "voter revolt" has been in process for many years, where were these people during the last election?

Do you remember who his opponent was? I think Peyton has dropped the ball big time, but I think the person that ran against him couldn't have done any better. The problem was the lack of options. I didn't even vote for Mayor last election because a vote cast either way would have been a vote for a lousy candidate. I'd possibly support a recall, but I'd be curious who would take his place.

[Driven1]

Your survey, while an interesting effort, is flawed on a few points.

Sample size is too small.  Your margin of error is probably +/-10%.  You need about 400 responders to get to +/-4%, which is standard.  120 is too small.

The right way to ask an approval rating is either a straight "do you approve or disapprove of the way XX is handling his/her job as XXX?"  Or break it down and say "Strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove."  

So you 27% "approval" rating, since a choice was given to be neutral, is misleading.  It's not apples-to-apples vs. the way these questions are customarily posed.

Margin of error is what statisticians call a confidence interval.

That means that if you asked the questions in this survey 100 times, 95 of those times, the % of people who answered as they did in this survey would be within 10 percentage points of the final results in this poll.

Bottom line...while definitely not scientific in it's results (no poll/survey ever is), I think the stated purpose (a general barometer of voter confidence) was well-served.

[vicupstate]

Your survey, while an interesting effort, is flawed on a few points.

Sample size is too small.  Your margin of error is probably +/-10%.  You need about 400 responders to get to +/-4%, which is standard.  120 is too small.

The right way to ask an approval rating is either a straight "do you approve or disapprove of the way XX is handling his/her job as XXX?"  Or break it down and say "Strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove."  

So you 27% "approval" rating, since a choice was given to be neutral, is misleading.  It's not apples-to-apples vs. the way these questions are customarily posed.

Good effort and some interesting insights though.  The fact that those with an opinion are 2:1 against a recall effort should hopefully show how big a waste of time and money such an effort would be.  

It is not true to say it is 2:1 against?  It's not 2:1 anything if 38 % are undecided. You are assuming all the undecideds are just not going to vote, which is totally illogical.

Given the poll results that have been published in the last year, it is quite obvious, that a 'poll' can change 10's of points OVERNIGHT.  Remember when McCain was in the celler?  Remember when HRC was a lock?  The electorate has not even CONSIDERED this issue, much less made up their collective mind. 

To those that just want to 'wait out' Peyton, consider two things:

As Jax continues to fall backwards, comparable cities are MOVING FORWARD.  The competitive disadvantage may become too great by waiting until 2011.

Second:  Do yu really want to see the city commit to a $1billion BRT plan?   By 2011, the 'cement' on that decision will be pretty hard.    $100-200mm wasted for a courthouse is bad enough, but it does not even compare with $1 billion.       

[thelakelander]

As Jax continues to fall backwards, comparable cities are MOVING FORWARD.  The competitive disadvantage may become too great by waiting until 2011.

Second:  Do yu really want to see the city commit to a $1billion BRT plan?   By 2011, the 'cement' on that decision will be pretty hard.    $100-200mm wasted for a courthouse is bad enough, but it does not even compare with $1 billion.

If nothing changes by 2011, we will be too far back and possibly financially bankrupt as a city.  Vic you're right, the courthouse situation is a drop in the bucket compared to what BRT will and won't do for this city.

[reednavy]

When I first came here in June of 06, I thought he was a good mayor, wtf was I smokin then?! Get a democrat or Rudy G. up in here to turn this city around. If we can ditch this "conservative" bs mayor, this city could actually move up to the world table, until then, we will be treated like the step child of Miami and Orlando, hell even our brother Tampa hates us! Its definetly getting out of hand now. I cand efinetly see this city, of 815,00 people, filing for bankruptcy in a few years. That is incredibly scary, and wtf does a city do when it goes bankrupt?!

[Midway ®]

i'll give u the last word, but will only say it is common knowledge in jax political & business circles that there were "forces" at play in the last election that prevented any other viable candidate from running.  you are correct though that many here are just apathetic and could care less how their money is spent. 

Please elaborate. What "forces" are you referring to? Were they supernatural forces?

[Driven1]

i'll give u the last word, but will only say it is common knowledge in jax political & business circles that there were "forces" at play in the last election that prevented any other viable candidate from running.  you are correct though that many here are just apathetic and could care less how their money is spent. 

Please elaborate. What "forces" are you referring to? Were they supernatural forces?

now you are catching on young padawon. 

[jeh1980]

[Do you remember who his opponent was? I think Peyton has dropped the ball big time, but I think the person that ran against him couldn't have done any better. The problem was the lack of options. I didn't even vote for Mayor last election because a vote cast either way would have been a vote for a lousy candidate. I'd possibly support a recall, but I'd be curious who would take his place.
[/quote]
If I recall, I think his opponent was Jackie Brown(Lord rest her soul). About Mayor Peyton though, I hadn't had a chance to vote and if I did, I could've been voting for Jackie instead of Peyton. But we saw that it was never meant to be. I personally, don't think that Mayor Peyton should get recalled, but then again, I think the Mayor could've done a better job. All in all, I still respect the man regardless. But if by chance he gets recalled, I wouldn't be sad or happy about it . I just hope that Mayor Peyton straightens up first and do a better job first before I ever thinking about replace him.

[fhrathore]

Let's recall this man.

I think metrotown and metrotown's allies have enough influence to raise awareness in this city. I think the environment is perfect for a campaign to recall the mayor to start. All we have to do is to bring this issue to the public and inform them of the mistakes and outright incompetence of peyton and his cronies...

[Driven1]

All in all, I still respect the man regardless. But if by chance he gets recalled, I wouldn't be sad or happy about it . I just hope that Mayor Peyton straightens up first and do a better job first before I ever thinking about replace him.

to be clear - and i don't think anyone is arguing this - the issue is not about respect.  it is simply about a man who has been given ample opportunity to prove himself and has been found sorely lacking in any kind of leadership skills.  jax deserves at least DECENT leadership and what we have had for the last 5 years is light years from even that.  Lake and others are right...i just think that 3 more years of falling behind is unthinkable.  the citizens here should have more pride in their city than to just apathetically give up control to someone who they have seen with their own eyes time and time again (i'm not going to list all the examples - you know them) is incompetent at leading the city.