2019 Mayoral election

[Captain Zissou]

45 minutes ago I drove through downtown past the new library. The vacant lot/park behind it was teeming with homeless people. It was sad and awful to look at. 

So sorry you were subjected to that.  You must be traumatized. [\s]

[MusicMan]

I feel sorry for them, yes. But since one of the core purposes of this website is to discuss ideas to improve quality of life in the urban core I was curious about the homeless problem. Lake makes a great point, when it's out in the open you begin to realize the scope of it. I guess I'm of the opinion a better solution to this problem (homelessness) might serve all of us better than corporate welfare like subsidizing stuff for Shad Khan at the stadium.

[downtownbrown]

apples and oranges.  If you mean use development money to better serve the homeless, you'll end up with a lot more homeless people downtown. If you use development money for development, you'll get more, er, development...

[MusicMan]

What I had in mind was a way to get the homeless people who have a real desire to NOT BE HOMELESS enough job training that they can get a job and sustain themselves, and the one who do not want to work (and many fall under this heading) a safe place to do nothing. Just not in the heart of downtown.

Therefore a full service homeless shelter with job training out by Cecil Field. If it cost $25 million to create and it works (keeps  most homeless folks out of downtown and places the ones who want to work into a job) then that would be money well spent.  This won't "solve the problem" but I think it could really help. There has to be a working model of this concept somewhere, and there are acres and acres of empty property out by Cecil Field.

I like the stadium scoreboards but if you gave me a choice between a consistent loser and big scoreboards and a consistent winner and small scoreboards I'd take the second choice.  Having big video boards did not impact the quality of the product on the field.  Having a well functioning homeless center outside of town might improve quality of life for everyone who lives and works downtown.

[RattlerGator]

You could perhaps start, MusicMan, by being more honest. Many of the homeless, likely most, will tell you *themselves* that the desire to NOT BE HOMELESS is *not* uppermost in their minds. There are a multiplicity of reasons they give for being homeless and I assure you the desire to not be homeless is trumped -- significantly -- by those multiplicities because so many of them have mental issues, anti-social issues, logic issues, etc. They have *chosen* to be homeless, no matter how much that assaults your sensitivities.

Bill Hoff made the correct point.

[Snaketoz]

You could perhaps start, MusicMan, by being more honest. Many of the homeless, likely most, will tell you *themselves* that the desire to NOT BE HOMELESS is *not* uppermost in their minds. There are a multiplicity of reasons they give for being homeless and I assure you the desire to not be homeless is trumped -- significantly -- by those multiplicities because so many of them have mental issues, anti-social issues, logic issues, etc. They have *chosen* to be homeless, no matter how much that assaults your sensitivities.

Bill Hoff made the correct point.

I agree with some of your points, but I think some are contradictory.  To say "they have *chosen* to be homeless", and say "so many of them have mental issues" is just that.  Some are just sorry, and some have issues beyond their control.  Regardless of the reason for their situation, something needs to be done.  I don't know what the solution to this problem is, but we need to work on it as much as we work on arming the world.

[MusicMan]

RG you are implying I am being dishonest. WTF are you talking about? I'm putting forth a very basic proposal to alleviate a big nasty issue downtown.  Bill Hoff and I are not in disagreement.

And Snaketoz, yes I agree with you 100%:  "Regardless for the reason for their situation, something needs to be done."  And I commented on this thread in hopes a Mayoral candidates debate might put this issue out there. It just does not appear to be on their radar....

[Snaketoz]

Things I've learned about politics in Jacksonville: 

1. Never vote for a candidate endorsed by the Police and Fire Departments

2.  Whomever has the most money for TV and print ads, tells the most lies.

3. Never believe anything you read or see in print ads and TV commercials.

4. Anything done "without raising taxes" will spell doom on the upkeep of things done previously.

5.  Very few large projects are done by the private sector.  Things get done by the taxpayers via grants, giveaways, and free rides.

6.  Having the backing of either major political party has little to do with a candidates' worthiness.

7.  To most in power, solutions are not the answer.

[Charles Hunter]

Pretty good summary.

[Snaketoz]

I'm afraid Jacksonville is losing it's checks and balances.  It seems the mayor's seat and most of the council is now composed of GOP backed puppets that all think the same.  This should worry everyone.  The mayor, district attorney, council, JEA, Sheriff's Dept., Tax Dept., Elections, etc. are all of the same cloth.  City Hall is now allowing evangelicals to hold prayer meetings in City Hall (OK'd by council president).  We need some balance!  Even Tommy Hazouri, a "progressive democrat", has betrayed his base and switched over to the power of money.  (There must be a quid pro quo there) Remember this on election day.

[ProjectMaximus]

Brosche discusses downtown:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/the-cawton-report-anna-lopez-brosche-talks-downtown-development-and-the-landing?fbclid=IwAR01njlmeiKlbwHQKVRRe0_H6OnwIOZfLw1NwRueqEWd5RwnhSgN-782hww

Seems like she has been lurking on MJ (sorry TJM) a lot lately.

[marcuscnelson]

Brosche discusses downtown:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/the-cawton-report-anna-lopez-brosche-talks-downtown-development-and-the-landing?fbclid=IwAR01njlmeiKlbwHQKVRRe0_H6OnwIOZfLw1NwRueqEWd5RwnhSgN-782hww

Seems like she has been lurking on MJ (sorry TJM) a lot lately.

Hopefully it's more than lip service.

Remember, they're both Republicans.

[Florida Power And Light]

Wonderful Forum discourse.

[marcuscnelson]

Well, this is over. Long Live Lenny?

[Steve]

It might have been closer but from my perspective, Brosche ran the worst campaign on earth. It was literally, "Curry sucks, vote for me." Hillary Clinton proved that approach doesn't work.