Delaney named to state rail commission

[fieldafm]

From Jax Biz Journal

http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/08/09/daily13.html

Gov. Charlie Crist has appointed University of North Florida president and former Jacksonville mayor John Delaney to the state’s passenger rail commission.

Delaney will serve on the nine-member Florida Statewide Passenger Rail Commission â€" tasked with monitoring passenger rail development â€" until Aug. 9, 2014.

The commission was created in 2009 after the Florida Department of Transportation received $1.25 billion in federal stimulus funding to build high-speed rail service between Orlando and Tampa.



Read more: Delaney named to state rail commission - Jacksonville Business Journal

[Jaxson]

I presume that Delaney has accepted the appointment...

[CS Foltz]

Sure he will, got to get those hands back on the public faucet again! He stank as a Mayor, Better Jacksonville Plan was his doing.....shoved through in an off election year, we still pay for that one and he will stink on the state rail commission since he has never voiced an opinion but will have the foot in the door once more! Any takers on when he will run for another office?

[vicupstate]

Actually, the BJP was the only visionary thing to come out of Jax in a couple of decades and Delaney had the highest approval ratings of virtually any politican in FL at the time.

BTW, does this mean he is leaving UNF or is it just a 'moonlighting' position?

[cline]

Actually, the BJP was the only visionary thing to come out of Jax in a couple of decades and Delaney had the highest approval ratings of virtually any politican in FL at the time.

BTW, does this mean he is leaving UNF or is it just a 'moonlighting' position?

Agreed.  I particularly enjoy the main library, baseball park and arena.

I would doubt that he is stepping down from his post at UNF.  Its pretty hard to walk away from a $300k salary.

[tufsu1]

Sure he will, got to get those hands back on the public faucet again! He stank as a Mayor, Better Jacksonville Plan was his doing.....shoved through in an off election year, we still pay for that one and he will stink on the state rail commission since he has never voiced an opinion but will have the foot in the door once more! Any takers on when he will run for another office?

are there any local elected or appointed officials that you like?

btw....these commissions are usually unpaid appointments....just like the JTA Board, university boards of trustees, and the FL Board of Governors....so I'm sure he's not leaving UNF for it

[Dog Walker]

At least NE Florida will have a voice on the board and Delaney is no dummy. 

University presidencies are traditional parking places for politicians waiting for another shot at an elected position or trying to make their years for full state retirement.

[tufsu1]

University presidencies are traditional parking places for politicians waiting for another shot at an elected position

really...can you provide some examples from Florida like that?

[Dog Walker]

Adam Herbert, Betty Castor....T.K. Wetherall.(FSU!, but you knew that).....Woodrow Wilson was in New York so doesn't count.  John Delaney of course.  That enough?

There has long been a revolving door between public office and university presidencies.

[fieldafm]

Adam Herbert, Betty Castor....T.K. Wetherall.(FSU!, but you knew that).....Woodrow Wilson was in New York so doesn't count.  John Delaney of course.  That enough?

There has long been a revolving door between public office and university presidencies.

Wetherall went to FSU(via TCC) after he got out of politics.

Herbert went from UNF to Indiana.

Not really sure where you are going with this?

Sure he will, got to get those hands back on the public faucet again! He stank as a Mayor, Better Jacksonville Plan was his doing.....shoved through in an off election year, we still pay for that one and he will stink on the state rail commission since he has never voiced an opinion but will have the foot in the door once more! Any takers on when he will run for another office?

I thought Delaney was a good mayor.
Do you just dislike everything?

[tufsu1]

Frank Brogan went to FAU after getting out of politics
John Delaney went to UNF after politics
Donna Shalala went to UM after politics

None of these folks has even tried to go back into politics...I'm not sure if D'Alamberte (FSU) was ever in politics...and UF hasn't seen a politician as President in at least 2 decades

[Ocklawaha]

I was in the South American Tropics during mayor Delaney's term however nobody could be more excited over the Better Jacksonville Plan improvements then I.  Dropping out of the Cloud Forests of Colombia, back onto the streets of my home town was incredible, for the first time in my life everywhere I go I see improvements. As the explorer that opened the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh said when asked what he saw through the initial entry hole, "I see wonderful things..."

That said, I am concerned that Delaney may be more of a (ALL) Floridian then a Jaxson... He is after all the man that said "Rail is at least another generation away from Jacksonville."  If he really backs that up, self fulfilling his own prophetic words, we're in deep trouble. Then again, he may be the most open minded booster the city has ever had, if that is fact, we could be wowed.

Jacksonville holds the position as the railroad hub for all of Florida and no amount of track laying or new super railroads is going to change that, fact is, if you are going south you WILL go through Jacksonville.  Commuter Rail, Streetcar, Light Rail, Monorail, BRT, Bus and Trolley Bus all working in harmony (even if the overall system is rather small) will go a long, long way toward convincing Florida that for HSR to survive, they better deal in the BIG DOG!

If Jacksonville Terminal is indeed "Valhalla," then the resolute Valkyries of MJ will carry the message!

OCKLAWAHA
Friend of Odin!

[Dog Walker]

TU, if you think they are out of politics when they are university presidents me thinks you are being just a bit naive.

TK knows if he gets back into politics (and he would love to) a grand jury will be assembled.  Not one of the good guys.

[Coolyfett]

Sure he will, got to get those hands back on the public faucet again! He stank as a Mayor, Better Jacksonville Plan was his doing.....shoved through in an off election year, we still pay for that one and he will stink on the state rail commission since he has never voiced an opinion but will have the foot in the door once more! Any takers on when he will run for another office?

Delaney was a great mayor. Did a lot of great things for Jax.

[CS Foltz]

Better Jax Plan is still continuing.............where are the benefits at the taxpayer level? That particular plan was slanted towards correcting the road issues we had then and still have now! Courthouse replacement was touted at $190 Million Dollars and that was voter approved. What is it costing us now......last I saw $350 Million and counting right? Mr Delaney's chief of staff was..............Rick Mullaney! When Delaney left, guess who became Chief General Consul and is to this day! He is waiting to leave so that he may collect the $160K a year in retirement he is eligible for. Mr Mullaney also oversaw Ship Yards and that fiasco,Trail Ridge which is going to cost us more than the first time around......Jaxport and a channel that can not handle deep draft vessels which kinda defeats the purpose of having a port of that type! Now Mr Mullaney wishes to become the Mayor and has all of the answers at his finger tips. I think not IMHO..........I will not vote for the continuance of Mr Delaney or Mr Payten and the people before them..........it is time for a change for the better! Honest government, cost effective and visionary leadership and Mr Mullaney does not have those attributes! These are some of the issues that need to be addressed at the City Hall level, not the taxpayers who get to pay for their mistakes!