Hogan promises to cut non-essential spending if he becomes mayor

[thelakelander]

I wonder what is his definition of "non-essential"?

By Jim Schoettler
Duval County Tax Collector Mike Hogan's official kickoff Saturday for the Jacksonville mayoral race drew about 2,000 people who heard him promise to cut non-essential spending, create jobs and restore faith in government.

Hogan, 60, is one of eight Republicans who have filed for the race among 15 candidates. The election is in March. A runoff would follow two months later if necessary.

Hogan, speaking for about 15 minutes at a supporter's North Jacksonville farm, said his priorities will include restoring the city's fiscal health by tying the growth of government to the economy.

"Government's purse can't grow faster than your purse. If that continues, that will be a fiscal disaster of the nth degree," Hogan said.

He said his jobs program would focus on bringing more work to the city through the port and by helping small businesses survive and grow.

Hogan served eight years on the Jacksonville City Council and three as a state representative before being elected tax collector in 2003. He has raised more than $250,000 for his campaign, surpassed only by Republican candidates Rick Mullaney and Audrey Moran.

Hogan's website is www.hoganformayor.com.

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-07-24/story/hogan-promises-cut-non-essential-spending-he-kicks-race-jacksonville#comment-279087

[thelakelander]

I just visited Mike Hogan's website and watched his vision video.  It appears that his main issues are:

1. Restoring fiscal order to the city.

2. Focusing on expanding the port.

3. Focusing on helping small businesses get started.

All are good issues to focus on, although I expect every candidate to get the city's financial house in order.  However, I would like to know about his views on sprawl, mass transit, quality-of-life offerings, education and urban core redevelopment along with their impact on his vision and Jacksonville over the next 4 to 8 years.

[tufsu1]

However, I would like to know about his views on sprawl, mass transit, quality-of-life offerings, education and urban core redevelopment along with their impact on his vision and Jacksonville over the next 4 to 8 years.

believe me Lake...you don't want to know!

[CS Foltz]

tufsu..........I allready know and as you say.............ya don't want to know! I will not vote for Mr Hogan plain and simple!

[thelakelander]

Regardless of if I agree with it or not, I want to know and everyone else to know it as well.  I want all our candidates to open up and share their view points so we can really debate the issues at hand as we get closer to next year's election.

[brainstormer]

I just checked out his webpage and couldn't really find any "ideas."  I could care less about his background and all of his awards.  I want to know what his plan is.  What does he support?  How will he prioritize city services?  How does he think Jacksonville should grow?  I want the issues debated just like Lake.

[stjr]

I just visited Mike Hogan's website and watched his vision video.  It appears that his main issues are:

1. Restoring fiscal order to the city.

2. Focusing on expanding the port.

3. Focusing on helping small businesses get started.

Lake, I agree with your take.  My concern is his points all amount to one thing:  "business friendly" policies above all else.  That includes cutting taxes further, cutting back on regulatory-type positions, eliminating city related environmental, cultural and educational support, and increasing support for developers in the suburbs.

To accomplish #1, I am guessing he would have police, fire, and little else, since to accomplish #3, I doubt he will consider property tax raises.  This will leave gutted city services further gutted.

To accomplish #2, he can only push (as much as a mayor can given this is really JPA' s turf) for dredging the river (which is a JPA and Federal funds project) and ramming through the cruise terminal (also JPA).

To accomplish #3, I take this as code for more property taxes cuts and less regulation of business, likely in the building and zoning department and code and environmental enforcement.  There isn't much more a mayor can do to help small businesses since he can't influence the national or global economies.

In summation, this agenda implies, as you suggest, taking our eye off of mass transit, education, cultural enhancements, urban renewal, sprawl control, parks and recreation development, etc.  Hogan is likely counting on Peyton to deliver a resolution to police and fire pensions so Hogan can have the benefit of not only not confronting the unions but of harvesting the benefits to the City budget.  Whoever the next mayor is, they will owe a big debt of gratitude to Peyton for taking on the difficult fiscal issues before he leaves office.   We can only hope the next mayor doesn't screw it up again.

At this point, Hogan's plan and talk lack the usual creativity and vision that Jax so sorely needs.

[brainstormer]

^ Sounds about right.  I just checked out the webpages of a few others in the race and the only one I see with any sort of vision or ideas is Mullaney.  At least he has started a conversation.  I will be voting for mayor based on ideas.  I do not care about fundraising or endorsements.  My vote will go to the candidate who I think has the best vision and plan for making Jacksonville a better city.

[thelakelander]

Great points Stjr and Brainstormer.  Is it wrong to believe that every candidate should get the city's fiscal issues in order?  I consider this to be a requirement, not a platform item.  With that said, this city's services have already been cut to the bone.  The parks are a disaster, mass transit is a joke, education continues to lack and the impacts of unsustainable sprawl continues to strain the city's general budget.  It's time for someone with vision to step into the driver's seat and lead Jacksonville in the direction of finally meeting its potential.

[Timkin]

However, I would like to know about his views on sprawl, mass transit, quality-of-life offerings, education and urban core redevelopment along with their impact on his vision and Jacksonville over the next 4 to 8 years.

believe me Lake...you don't want to know!

Tufsu.....Could you elaborate on this? I do not know Mr.Hogan at all... I am just curious as to your position on him and why?

[urbanlibertarian]

Is education an appropriate issue in the mayoral race?  Don't the school board, the state government and federal government have complete control of education?

[thelakelander]

A mayor would have the power to influence decisions made by agencies like JAXPORT, JTA, JEA and the school board.  Especially considering some of these agencies receive some level of city funding.  A mayor who would like to see more higher education investments in the urban core could also put together a strategy to attract better facilities to an area.  For example, if it was a priority of the mayor, a school like Florida Coastal would have ended up downtown instead of in an office building on the Southside.  Such a move could have strengthened the urban residential market, increased the density of educated professionals living nearby, which in turn would indirectly improve the quality of nearby public schools and neighborhoods in the long run. 

[tufsu1]

However, I would like to know about his views on sprawl, mass transit, quality-of-life offerings, education and urban core redevelopment along with their impact on his vision and Jacksonville over the next 4 to 8 years.

believe me Lake...you don't want to know!

Tufsu.....Could you elaborate on this? I do not know Mr.Hogan at all... I am just curious as to your position on him and why?

basically his answer to everything is lower taxes and smaller government...just ignore tha facts that our tax burden in Jax. is the 6th lowest in the country among major cities and that our public services have been cut to the bone....he is our local "Tea Party" candidate.

oh...and one more thing...he is a staunch religious conservative

[Doctor_K]

Yay! Sounds like Redman-lite!  I'll pass.

[Timkin]

However, I would like to know about his views on sprawl, mass transit, quality-of-life offerings, education and urban core redevelopment along with their impact on his vision and Jacksonville over the next 4 to 8 years.

believe me Lake...you don't want to know!

Tufsu.....Could you elaborate on this? I do not know Mr.Hogan at all... I am just curious as to your position on him and why?

basically his answer to everything is lower taxes and smaller government...just ignore tha facts that our tax burden in Jax. is the 6th lowest in the country among major cities and that our public services have been cut to the bone....he is our local "Tea Party" candidate.

oh...and one more thing...he is a staunch religious conservative

Lovely... Strike 3