I'm sure you have all now read that bringing a nuclear carrier to Mayport is being delayed; without an understanding of when the carrier will call Mayport home. This is obviously frustrating when you read that the entire defense budget was only cut back 1%. I know there are many pressing issues; but isn't the need to disperse our East Coast defense pretty important? Wouldn't this give a talented politician enough of a case to make sure the funding is appropriated?
Also, we all read and discussed last week that Tampa is getting money to improve their port systems, while Jacksonville desperately needs our channels deepened to prepare for the new class of ships coming through the Panama Canal.
I guess my question is this: Who is responsible for making sure Jacksonville recieves its' proportionate share of funding on projects and receiving federal money? I would assume that Defense and Ports are two separate sources but it seems like we are losing out on both. Didn't Mayor Brown appoint or keep a lobbyist for the city?
I'm frustrated because we all want the city to succeed and prosper but it doesn't look like our elected officials can do the job.
Please feel free to chime in and let me know where we have recieved victories because of the lobbying of our politicians as well; this doesn't have to be a "woe is us" post. Thanks.
Aren't we getting a combination of state and federal funding for Mile Point and JAXPORT's intermodal rail facility? Although I personally believe they'll cost us in the long run, we're also getting cash for the Outer Beltway and SR 9B. I wouldn't say we're totally being ignored. However, I do believe if we really want this place to reach the next level, it's going to have to be at the local level instead of relying on the state and feds.
I agree with Lake with 100%, we are going to have to commit as locals to do it ourselves!
Or make some painful decisions about how money we are granted can be spent to improve upon the future.
look, here's the reality....the U.S. has a $1+ trillion annual deficit and a $15 trillion debt from past years....and until folks are willing to even consider rasing revenues (taxes), then we have to make some big time cuts.
sure it sucks that Mayport is losing out here....but it is pretty hard to justify the costs of readying the base for a carrier that is already stationed somewhere else (this isn't for a new ship)....unless of course we have another Pearl Harbor-type attack....but that's a big IF.
this is where people need to understand the value of investing in their communities (code word for taxes)...whether it will be at the local, state, and/or national levels.
TUFSU, it was my understanding, and I could be wrong, that the money has already been spent, and we have already become "carrier ready." So the delay makes even less sense. Personally, I would not be surprised to find out Norfolk is calling in favors to keep all the carriers there. They put up a big fight to keep Jax from getting the funding to become nuclear carrier ready. But that's just a conspiracy theory. I could be way off base on that too.
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on February 14, 2012, 12:37:50 PM
TUFSU, it was my understanding, and I could be wrong, that the money has already been spent, and we have already become "carrier ready." So the delay makes even less sense. Personally, I would not be surprised to find out Norfolk is calling in favors to keep all the carriers there. They put up a big fight to keep Jax from getting the funding to become nuclear carrier ready. But that's just a conspiracy theory. I could be way off base on that too.
No you are on the right track I believe most of the preparations have been completed.
I don't believe dredging to Mayport has taken place.
to my knowledge, less than $100 million of the $1 billion has been spent
Yes I am wrong looks like they have mostly done planning.