Stephen Dare: Why I am voting for Alvin Brown

[Metro Jacksonville]

Stephen Dare: Why I am voting for Alvin Brown



Stephen Dare lays out his reasoning for voting for Alvin Brown's second term as Mayor of Jacksonville.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-mar-why-i-am-voting-for-alvin-brown

[vicupstate]

I get the idea that you aren't supporting Bishop to a significant degree based on perceived electability, or the lack thereof.  It should come as no surprise that Bishop isn't campaigning in the black community.  Everyone knows that the uber majority of the black community is going to vote for Brown. There is no scenario in which Brown doesn't make the runoff, the only question is who is there with him.  With Bishop at 11% and Curry at 25% (the last poll  I saw, which is quite out of date), Bishop must overtake Curry.  In a race where undecided is tied for second place, it really isn't impossible for Bishop to do so.  It is certainly less implausible than Brown winning four years ago, which he did.

[Charles Hunter]

Is this a METROJACKSONVILLE endorsement of Alvin Brown?  With the headline on the main page, and the thread title, it certainly appears so:
"Why I'm Voting For Alvin Brown - started by MetroJacksonville"

Once you click on the link, you see it is by Stephen Dare.

Unless it IS a MetroJacksonville endorsement, shouldn't this just be under Stephen's byline, not the board/organization?

[marty904]

Excellent article Stephen!  I think both fact and opinion was spot on in this article and I agree with you 100%.

[thelakelander]

Is this a METROJACKSONVILLE endorsement of Alvin Brown?  With the headline on the main page, and the thread title, it certainly appears so:
"Why I'm Voting For Alvin Brown - started by MetroJacksonville"

Once you click on the link, you see it is by Stephen Dare.

Unless it IS a MetroJacksonville endorsement, shouldn't this just be under Stephen's byline, not the board/organization?

No. We haven't discussed making endorsements as a group. To eliminate any confusion, I added Stephen's name to the title.

[strider]

Frankly, I think this article perfectly illustrates why Jacksonville Politics remain the same year after year.  Sad, really, but foreseeable.

[Jimmy]

Well said, strider.

The premise of the original poster's personal opinion is that we should re-elect Mayor Brown because he hasn't been as bad as Mike Hogan might have been.  I have no idea if that's true or false because Alvin has governed like a hard-right conservative from the beginning, including the peppering of his administration with right-wing figures like Rick Scott's right-hand and the brother of Senator Marco Rubio.  Add to this his social ideology that's indistinguishable from Ben Carson or Mac Brunson and I'm not so sure, really, where we came out ahead.

So, the idea here is: Bill Bishop would be great in 2019.  Let's elect Alvin because we're only stuck with him for 4 (more long) years.  And don't elect Lenny Curry because he'd stick around until 2023.

I have read every word of the original poster's opinion piece.  He leaves out two of the most important issues facing the City of Jacksonville.  And completely flubs the 3rd.

No mention of the unfunded pension liability.  How can you select or endorse a Mayor without consideration of the major issue that hangs over our heads?  The Brown "solution" still leaves no funding mechanism unless JEA kicks in.  And I'm sure everyone is excited about the prospect of higher utility bills.  Bishop supports the half-cent sales tax to deal with the pension issue.  I think that makes more sense.

No mention of the issues surrounding the port and dredging the St. Johns.  That's another very expensive potential boondoggle that Messieurs Brown and Curry reflexively support, but neither offer a way to pay for it or an understanding if it will or won't wreck the ecology of our already robust economic engine known as the river.  Yeah, I'd skip any mention of it, too, if I was trying to prop up the Mayor.

The HRO.  It's been reported in the press and confirmed that the Mayor didn't want the HRO anywhere near his desk during his first term.  He undertook three attempts to kill the HRO, the third of which being the "charm" with great thanks, from the 4th Floor, to Dr. Gaffney.  We may never have actually gotten a vote on the HRO in August 2012 had President Bishop not wielded the gavel.  Bishop voted for the watered down version, offered by CM Jones for reasons I still don't understand, but has since beefed up his HRO bona fides.  We had a beer together at Incahoots yesterday afternoon, the Brooklyn institution formerly known as the Third Dimension.  A gay bar.  Bishop is no hater.


Anyway... I didn't set out to write as much as the original poster.  Our mixed up, messed up unitary election system means one thing to me: vote for the very best candidate, the candidate you want to see elected, in the First Election on Tuesday.  Don't vote based on party or strategy or compromise or anything of the sort.  Just for the best candidate.  And if he or she doesn't make it, you get a mulligan (a do-over) on Tuesday, May 19, when you can vote for the second-best, compromise, least-harm-y (maybe) candidate. 

Not much of a surprise, but I'm with Bill Bishop on Tuesday.  And I hope the rest of you will join me. 

[JeffreyS]

Stephen said he was enthusiastic about Brown as more than just a place holder. I am guessing Jimmy, Strider and vicupstate are just spinning the article rather than misunderstanding because Stephen finishes by stating that plainly.

I think Brown will do a better job in his second term, which is going to happen.  I find myself leaning toward Bishop and scared to death of Curry.

[jaxjags]

My issue's with Mayor Brown revolve around the first 2 issues Jimmy discusses. Brown is so "right wing like" he will not consider/support any tax increases to stabilize pension fund and promote further economic development, whether it is the port or DT. The city needs additional capital funds (bonding) and income to support these. I have lived in several regions of the country and have never been taxed so low at a state and local level.  It is good to have a vision, but no financial plan to support it is just words. Action requires leadership.

[urbanlibertarian]

As always Stephen, very well written piece.  Well, except for length.  Maybe you should consider a different editor.  ;-)

I voted (early) for Bishop.  I like his limited government leanings and electability has no influence on my choices.

[downtownbrown]

"And this is tendentious with Bill.  He understands and agrees with a lot of things that modern people passionately believe in.  But his political ideology has led him to vote against many of the laws or projects that he claims to support. 

"Last time we checked, 'support' translates to 'votes' in politics."

I disagree.  Stephen may want the taxpayers to fund specific projects, but there is nothing inconsistent about supporting those projects, but not voting to fund them.  Politicians can support things by helping with zoning, permitting, and encouraging private investment.  Support does not always mean "pay for".

I doubt Bishop has a chance, but I voted for him anyway, since I can't support a mayor whose chief accomplishment to date is to make no decisions that might risk his next position as Congressman or a member of Hillary's senior staff.

[Jimmy]

If anyone is listening to Mayor Brown on the Melissa Ross show right now... wow.  He's dancing around the HRO.  No answer to any of the three questions asked by the caller, the tweeter, or Melissa.

To Melissa's great credit, she did remind listeners that Mr. Bishop is in support of the HRO.

[strider]

Well said, strider.

The premise of the original poster's personal opinion is that we should re-elect Mayor Brown because he hasn't been as bad as Mike Hogan might have been.  I have no idea if that's true or false because Alvin has governed like a hard-right conservative from the beginning, including the peppering of his administration with right-wing figures like Rick Scott's right-hand and the brother of Senator Marco Rubio.  Add to this his social ideology that's indistinguishable from Ben Carson or Mac Brunson and I'm not so sure, really, where we came out ahead.

So, the idea here is: Bill Bishop would be great in 2019.  Let's elect Alvin because we're only stuck with him for 4 (more long) years.  And don't elect Lenny Curry because he'd stick around until 2023.

I have read every word of the original poster's opinion piece.  He leaves out two of the most important issues facing the City of Jacksonville.  And completely flubs the 3rd.

No mention of the unfunded pension liability.  How can you select or endorse a Mayor without consideration of the major issue that hangs over our heads?  The Brown "solution" still leaves no funding mechanism unless JEA kicks in.  And I'm sure everyone is excited about the prospect of higher utility bills.  Bishop supports the half-cent sales tax to deal with the pension issue.  I think that makes more sense.

No mention of the issues surrounding the port and dredging the St. Johns.  That's another very expensive potential boondoggle that Messieurs Brown and Curry reflexively support, but neither offer a way to pay for it or an understanding if it will or won't wreck the ecology of our already robust economic engine known as the river.  Yeah, I'd skip any mention of it, too, if I was trying to prop up the Mayor.

The HRO.  It's been reported in the press and confirmed that the Mayor didn't want the HRO anywhere near his desk during his first term.  He undertook three attempts to kill the HRO, the third of which being the "charm" with great thanks, from the 4th Floor, to Dr. Gaffney.  We may never have actually gotten a vote on the HRO in August 2012 had President Bishop not wielded the gavel.  Bishop voted for the watered down version, offered by CM Jones for reasons I still don't understand, but has since beefed up his HRO bona fides.  We had a beer together at Incahoots yesterday afternoon, the Brooklyn institution formerly known as the Third Dimension.  A gay bar.  Bishop is no hater.


Anyway... I didn't set out to write as much as the original poster.  Our mixed up, messed up unitary election system means one thing to me: vote for the very best candidate, the candidate you want to see elected, in the First Election on Tuesday.  Don't vote based on party or strategy or compromise or anything of the sort.  Just for the best candidate.  And if he or she doesn't make it, you get a mulligan (a do-over) on Tuesday, May 19, when you can vote for the second-best, compromise, least-harm-y (maybe) candidate. 

Not much of a surprise, but I'm with Bill Bishop on Tuesday.  And I hope the rest of you will join me. 

Thanks!  And you have said things much better than I could.

[spuwho]

I guess it depends on what drives you to vote in what order?


For me the priority is:

Leadership
Service to the people
Understand finances
Healthy relationship with council

Political ideaology is pretty far down the list. Everyone has their preferences, I just dont get hung up it at the Mayoral level.

[vicupstate]

Has Brown been asked in a prominent way (i.e. in a published or recorded interview, not a private conversation) whether he will commit to serving a full second term? If Hillary Clinton is elected POTUS, he would no doubt be considered for a position.   Also, I could see Jeb giving him a position as well, given how conservative he is. 

If he were to resign mid-term, how is the vacancy filled?