Jason Tetlak For Council. Why He is Running
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Politics/Jason-Tetlak/i-w4XNcV9/0/O/tetlakbanner.jpg)
My name is Jason Tetlak, and I am running for City Council in District 14 because, like many people in this city, I believe that Jacksonville has enormous potential. Join us after the jump for more details.
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-sep-jason-tetlak-for-council-why-he-is-running
Good luck Jason! We met a few years ago (you taught at the same school as my wife), and you seemed like a really good guy that the kids all looked up to. Will be following your campaign closely.
Random true story: When you were teaching, I went with my wife one evening to one of her school events. I think it might have been a talent show or play. Anyway, I guess we look a little bit alike, at least to the kids, because when I put my arm around her for a second, I heard a group of my wife's students gasp and say, "Why is Mr. Tetlak rubbing up on teacher?!?!" Totally cracked me up, could not stop laughing all night.
As a resident of district 14, I like his quick intro, and that he understands diversity should be celebrated not shunned. But after the fiasco of how the owners of Kickback's and Mellow Mushroom were treated, I will need to know his stance on helping small businesses not hindering them.
Wow! Love your stance on donations. You won't owe" anyone if elected. Good Luck. Wish I lived in your district
Thanks CG7, I think incentives for small businesses are key, particularly to revitalizing downtown. You can learn more about my platform at www.tetlak.com
Thanks @Ken, I appreciate it, and that's a great story!
@gomias, I'm glad you agree! Even though you don't live in the district I'm sure you know people that do, so be sure to like me on Facebook (fb.com/Tetlak2015) and let your friends know that they should check me out as well.
I had an opportunity to meet Mr. Tetlak recently and he is very impressive; however, his concerns for the environment (particularly the effort to increase the depth of the river) were troublesome and seemed somewhat naive. Perhaps the knowledge gained in the campaign will give him a broader view that not only encompasses the environment, but also the needs for the city to prosper through sensible job growth.
Jason is a smart leader who will no doubt find a seat at the "political table of Jacksonville", if not this election, then soon. The young man has moxy and when you spend time with him discussing the issues of concern in Jacksonville, you learn about his drive and most importantly, his character. I know his future is bright, here in Jacksonville. Keep asking the questions and asking us for answers!
Thanks for your thoughts Glenn. The environment is an important issue in my campaign for sure, but if you read through my platform I think you'd agree that it surely isn't the only issue that I'm running on. I think it's important for people to realize that the health of the river plays a vital role in our city's identity and in our potential for growth, and any changes we make to it need to be weighed carefully.
I agree with you that the city needs sensible job growth, but the key word there is sensible. We should be focusing our attention on supporting small businesses, particularly in downtown, who account for 65% of all new jobs (http://smallbusiness.house.gov/uploadedfiles/05.21._2013_small_biz_fact_sheet.pdf).
Too often we are looking for a silver bullet to solve all of our problems, and dredging the river isn't going to bring the substantial change to Jacksonville that we all crave. I've met with Brian Taylor, the CEO of JaxPort, I've seen the report from the Army Corp and I've spoken with the Riverkeeper, and for me, spending $300 million on speculation and the hope that dredging won't cause more damage than its worth is too risky, especially since the city doesn't really have that kind of money lying around in the first place. And if we did, we could fix our pension problem or invest it into other areas that could create just as many jobs as dredging while helping to build a national identity for our city that would draw in tourists and all with much less risk to the environment.