Meet Candidate for Mayor Bill Bishop via Times Union

[Cheshire Cat]

Here is a nice interview expose on Bill Bishop who is running for mayor.  For the full article, click the link below the story.

On a recent Sunday in Memorial Park—a central hub of Jacksonville's young and progressive, a congregation of the faithful gathered.
Before them, longtime Jacksonville arts and historic preservation advocate Wayne Wood stood, cloaked in a "Bill Bishop for Mayor" T-shirt.

"The reason we are here today is to see if Jacksonville really believes," he said.

"I believe," a voice shouted from the crowd.

About 200 people gathered – an eclectic mix of the gray-haired, the middle-aged and the bohemian. Among them, 38-year-old gay rights advocate and lawyer Jimmy Midyette with a sign "Democrats for Bill Bishop."

Four years ago, Wood, a Democrat, was in the same park drumming up support for Mayor Alvin Brown. This time, longtime Republican Councilman Bill Bishop was by his side.

"If you believe, I want you to say, 'I believe in Bill,'" he said, initiating a preacher-like call-and-response.

"I believe in Bill," the crowd erupted.

With little support from the GOP establishment and even fewer dollars, the Bishop campaign is operating on a bit of faith and an unlikely following.

Bishop, 58, came to Jacksonville from Detroit three decades ago, equipped with a bachelor's and master's degree in architecture, and an understanding of big city planning. He describes himself as a fiscal conservative and social libertarian. He believes in small government, the power of the private sector and the tax code philosophies of former presidential contender and Tea Party darling Herman Cain.

But lately, his widely-touted positions in favor of the human rights ordinance expansion, downtown revitalization–including the exploration of a beach to downtown bike path–and his concerns over the environmental impacts of dredging the St. Johns River won him a place in the hearts of some younger, traditionally left-leaning urbanites. Along the tree-lined streets of Riverside and Avondale, green and blue Bishop signs frequently appear.

His stance on issues like the mayor's pension reform plan – he's among the proposal's most outspoken critics – and his support of a tax increase to resolve it and other city problems caused a buzz among some moderates, as well.

Among the crowd in Memorial Park, Wood estimated that half were Democrats, others independents.

"I was talking to someone earlier," Wood said. "They came up in the crowd and they said, 'Everybody, I talked to says "I'm going to vote for Bill, but I'm not sure he can win."' Well, if we have 42,000 people who would say that, he can win."

Whether Bishop's loyal following translates into actual numbers at the polls remains to be seen.

"He's filling a void there...The moderates don't have any place to go, and that's not just Republican moderates. That's Democratic moderates," said fellow Republican Councilman Bill Gulliford, who has come out in support of Bishop's Republican opponent Lenny Curry.

"He's got a hell of a climb, doesn't he?"

***

In a race of seven-figure campaign bank rolls, Bishop's campaign funding just tops $92,000. While campaign advertisements for Curry and Brown inundate the local airwaves, Bishop's two videos play on Youtube.

His campaign's strategy is an aggressive grassroots approach, hitting as many local organizations and social media sites as possible, according to campaign manager Rob Story.

"We're hitting social media very actively Facebook, Twitter...and we've grown our own likes and page views on that," he said.

As of the end of February, the "BillBishopforMayor" Twitter page had gained 800 followers, his Facebook page had 1,120 likes and 405 Instagram followers.

Curry has gained the lion's share of endorsements, from big-name donors like Peter Rummell and Gary Chartrand to big-ticket political committees, including the JAX Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Florida Builders Association and the Republican Party of Duval.

Bishop is backed by a few recognizable names, including former City General Counsel Jim Rinaman and more recently, Neptune Beach mayor Harriet Pruette. His vocal support for human rights ordinance expansion also earned him a recent endorsement from the newly-formed Northeast Florida LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Leadership PAC, though the group said they've just begun fund-raising efforts.

Bishop admitted fundraising is not his forte, although he said it's gotten better with time. He's publicly stated he won't seek or accept any endorsements from local public sector unions. With pension reform plans still in flux, he said he considers it a conflict of interest.

He's been encouraged by some within the party to step down, he said, and he's become familiar with the skepticism and the dubious questions from reporters.

"When I lose big, what am I going to do next because I have no chance?" he said during a recent interview. "Number one: I don't think I'm going to lose big. I still think I'm going to make it to the run-off."

He's used the outcome of the 2011 mayoral election to make his case.

"In the last election, Rick Mullaney had more money than anybody else and he came in dead last..." he said. "This isn't a goal to win outright in March. Right now, it's a goal to get to second place and that's a very doable thing."

What Bishop lacks in financial muscle, he makes up for in experience, supporters say, serving nearly eight years on City Council, including a term as council president, and nearly three decades as an architect at Riverside-based Akel Logan and Shafer, with city projects spanning from the West Regional Library to the Northbank Riverwalk. Since 1992, he's been a principal at the firm.

"He's a very capable, knowledgeable person," said Rinaman. "He can jump right in and start doing something about some of these issues."

Bishop talks at length about the inner workings of the city and what he believes it will take to improve it: a revamped mass transit system, property tax incentives for downtown development, a less onerous project approval system for developers. And he doesn't shy away from talking taxes, suggesting a half-cent sales tax on the voter ballot is the best way to fix the city's pension woes.

"If anybody tells you they can solve this problem by doing it without raising taxes or fees, they're either deluding themselves or lying to you," he's said on multiple occassions.

Experience, however, isn't a sure bet, according to University of North Florida political science professor Matthew Corrigan. "History shows it's tough to make the transition from City Council to mayor," he said.

In fact, Corrigan notes the only councilman successfully to move from the City Council to mayor's office since the city's consolidation was Jake Godbold, who was appointed to the office in 1979 after Mayor Hans Tanzler stepped down to run for Florida governor. Godbold was re-elected to the mayor's seat in 1983.

"A lot of times, you've got to pass the budget, and you're going to make a lot of people happy and a lot of people mad," Corrigan said.

Bishop's vote to approve a property tax increase of about 14 percent in 2013 and a solid waste fee increase for homeowners in 2010 has become fodder for political attack ads.

His reign as council president wasn't marked by any legacy projects or key legislation initiated by him. Yet, Gulliford, his immediate successor, is credited with one of the most active presidencies in the city's recent history, challenging the mayor's pension deal, championing the extension of a 6-cents-per-gallon gas tax which provides about $30 million, annually, toward mostly mass transit efforts and will finance $100 million in road projects. He also assembled a task force to examine the city's consolidated form of government.

Gulliford, however, says Bishop had a different leadership style for a different time in city, a period still reeling from economic downturn.

"We're different people..." Gulliford said. "I'm a dreamer and he's analytical, and there's a value to both."

While Bishop's actions as council president failed to garner the media attention of Gulliford, he did encounter controversy early on.

His initial appointment of all-white committee chairs, prompted four out of five black councilmen to resign from their council committees in protest, including Councilman Warren Jones, who noted such an exclusion had not occurred in 20 years.

"I was surprised. I was shocked in 2012 that you would appoint five standing committees and not have a single minority to chair," he said.

Bishop said he was not thinking of race when he made the assignments.

"I don't think I did anything that any other council president wouldn't have done...," he said more recently. "You tend to appoint your supporters to various positions of authority, and it really was no more complicated than that."

He eventually implemented a few changes which included assigning a councilwoman Kimberly Daniels – an African-American – to head a new committee, and tensions have since cooled, Jones said. "I would hope that after what happened in 2012 that that was the eye-opener...and he would be more inclusive going forward, but there's no way of knowing for certain," he said.

Bishop called it a "good learning experience on how people can turn certain things into racial issues when they weren't there."

While few black faces were spotted among his rally of supporters at Memorial Park, he has gained an advocate in local Southern Christian Leadership Conference chairman Juan Gray, who said Bishop is the only candidate who has shown concern for Jacksonville's impoverished, predominately black Northwest community. In November, Bishop penned an op-ed in Folio Weekly about revitalizing the long-neglected region.

For actual article:  http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-03-03/story/bill-bishop-long-shot-looking-advance-may-election

[ronchamblin]

I am sold on Bishop Diane.  If the voting public were to shun the usual campaign hoopla and word junk, and calmly measure several important qualities between the three major candidates, and not arrive at he opinion that Bishop rises considerably above the others, I would simply be confounded and confused ... somewhat disappointed in the average voter's common sense, and their ability to see qualities other than campaign coffers enhanced through wealthy donors. 

I'm hoping that Bishop's excellent qualities can be conveyed over the next few weeks so as to allow more voters to actually see the difference between Bishop and the two professional "politicians".  We need sound leadership ability ... supported by awareness and concern for the real problems before our city ... along with the knowledge and ability to get the problems solved.  Bishop has proven his ability to engage local government successfully -- and he is an architect ... a field having within it an entire realm concerned with problem solving for infrastructures and structures of all kinds ... yes, yes ... things concerning cities.  Bishop is not only trained in problem solving, he has been solving complex problems in real life for many years.

And some want to entertain the idea of voting into office another "politician" ... a GOB supported by the monied special interests ... someone who only wants to "be mayor" ... to play the game of politics?  Help me please.    

[WarDamJagFan]

Great article on Bill. He's got my support. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Bill has my complete support as well and the vote of my entire family.  Ron, the most important thing anyone can do in an election is vote for the person they personally feel is the most experienced and competent for the office they are running for.  Bottom line.  When one votes as an informed voter who has vetted the candidates one is truly exercising their right to vote in the most powerful manner. 

[Jimmy]

M_m_R, I know you were directing that to Diane, but let me respond because Diane and I align with Bill Bishop.  Herman Cain had about 50 ceremonial Florida co-chairs for his campaign.  That's just something that happens in national politics.  Bill Bishop is a fiscal conservative and there's no denying that.  (One of my favorite Democratic council members is the very same on fiscal stuff -- John Crescimbeni.) That's where Bishop liked part of Cain's message: fiscal issues.  Bill has separated himself clearly from Cain on social issues, having rebuffed Ronnie Fussell for not letting gays (or anyone) get married at the courthouse.  This Herman Cain stuff occurred in the same election cycle in which Mayor Brown pledged to stay neutral and wouldn't even back President Obama.  And look at how he's governed.  He hired Rick Scott's right-hand and the brother of Senator Marco Rubio.  I don't see how any progressive voter could seriously consider voting for the Mayor.

But, this was about Bishop and Herman Cain and that's the story on that.  It was pretty meaningless.  This Herman Cain smear began as a Lenny Curry talking point that the Democratic party has picked up on and is pushing hard.  I'm a lifelong Democrat, a progressive, and a strong supporter of Bill Bishop.

[Cheshire Cat]

Bill has my complete support as well and the vote of my entire family.  Ron, the most important thing anyone can do in an election is vote for the person they personally feel is the most experienced and competent for the office they are running for.  Bottom line.  When one votes as an informed voter who has vetted the candidates one is truly exercising their right to vote in the most powerful manner.

Diane, I believe my socio-political beliefs align with yours.  I am very curious how any progressive could support a candidate who was the Florida co-chair for Herman Cain.  If a person, such as Bishop, has supported Herman Cain to the point that he became a major force in his candidacy, that would tell me that his fundamental beliefs are very, very different than mine. I would also genuinely question that person's intelligence as, quite frankly, Herman Cain was a complete and utter joke of a candidate, with absolutely horrendous ideas and positions; he was Sarah Palin 2.0.  I know this is local politics and the issues in a presidential race don't mean jack to our mayoral race, but i see this as a HUGE red flag.  I feel like Bishop is the trendy Riverside candidate and people (not you) are jumping on his bandwagon without really thinking about, or knowing, his political beliefs. 

I'd love to be swayed, but it just stretches the bounds of credulity to me that any progressive would support someone who shares the same political beliefs as Cain.

Herman Cain is not on the ballot, Bill is and the issues he will be facing down do not align with anything to do with what Cain stood on social issues.  He is just an interesting side conversation in what is a "unitary" election.  I have been in and followed politics long enough to know that at one time or another most folks get caught up with someone who later turns out to be a "not so bright association" in hindsight, but as in all things folks realize that and move on.  lol  Bill has moved on. I also know that political alliances can turn on a dime.  I don't base my decisions about candidates on who they know but who they are and what they may do and have done while holding office. Bill has eight years of positive leadership behind him, all of it "not" at all influenced by Herman Cain who is very old news.  My concern is who is right for the office of mayor right now and that without a doubt is Bill Bishop who is actually quite a moderate in the big scheme of things which to my view will only help him in this race.

[Cheshire Cat]

M_m_R, I know you were directing that to Diane, but let me respond because Diane and I align with Bill Bishop.  Herman Cain had about 50 ceremonial Florida co-chairs for his campaign.  That's just something that happens in national politics.  Bill Bishop is a fiscal conservative and there's no denying that.  (One of my favorite Democratic council members is the very same on fiscal stuff -- John Crescimbeni.) That's where Bishop liked part of Cain's message: fiscal issues.  Bill has separated himself clearly from Cain on social issues, having rebuffed Ronnie Fussell for not letting gays (or anyone) get married at the courthouse.  This Herman Cain stuff occurred in the same election cycle in which Mayor Brown pledged to stay neutral and wouldn't even back President Obama.  And look at how he's governed.  He hired Rick Scott's right-hand and the brother of Senator Marco Rubio.  I don't see how any progressive voter could seriously consider voting for the Mayor.

But, this was about Bishop and Herman Cain and that's the story on that.  It was pretty meaningless.  This Herman Cain smear began as a Lenny Curry talking point that the Democratic party has picked up on and is pushing hard.  I'm a lifelong Democrat, a progressive, and a strong supporter of Bill Bishop.

+1

[Cheshire Cat]

Bill Bishop is currently leading in the Times Union poll for mayor.  If you would like to vote in the poll, here is the link.  http://jacksonville.com/news/politics/2015-03-05/story/unf-poll-alvin-brown-ken-jefferson-lead-packed-races-jacksonville