Hogan for Mayor?

[Suzanne Jenkins]

To whom could SD have promised his heart?  Hmmmm....

There's a former City Council member that he was quite close to that I have heard still harbors a phantasma of herself as Mayor? 

She's made some rather curious moves lately...  This individual founded a "Consulting" firm with Shirley Dasher, but the company's latest corporate filings seem to indicate that she's no longer an officer of the company.  (Of course, the company--quite curiously--doesn't list a President:  http://www.sunbiz.org/pdf/38100010.pdf)

One has to wonder if she's in...  Of course, I'm not even sure they are still close...

No phantasma of herself as Mayor here.  I am not interested in any more years of public service.  8 years was enough of a sacrifice for me and my family.  I am happily in the private sector and am the owner of a consulting business.  I don't know that i need the title of President when Principal  works just fine.  Not sure what you find "curious about my moves" since leaving the public sector.  I have spent the time becoming Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business certified, Minority Owned Business Certified and JTA certified.  I have several clients that I enjoy working for and am happily in the private sector.

Hopefully this will put an end to this folly of speculation.  There are plenty out there that will be running for an open seat.  I will not be one of them.

[thelakelander]

If the Hogan Revenue Caps are implemented, how do you expect to fund all of the things this site has been (rightly so) promoting: commuter rail, lighting up downtown, maintaining the parks better, a streetcar system, better policing - especially of downtown, and so on?  All of these things cost money. 

I don't favor raising taxes.  The amount being taken up already causes problems with most resident's ability to maintain a certain standard of living.  I believe the amount we already take in is plenty if it were managed better and the local government were streamlined even more than it currently is.  I also believe, many of the items listed on the wish list can be financed through a series of creative solutions that would not require raising taxes, such as public/private partnerships.

[billbo]

Great Question, Billbo.

for myself:

1.  Growth Management.   Iron handed growth management to create recentralized development and ruthlessly cut off sprawl.  MUCH better management of our resources.

2.  Making basic government functions like Mass Transit and Public Health work.
No more of these freaking sprawl making highways, instead create a mass transit system that works and that all people in Jacksonville would be proud and happy to use.  Environmental clean up and public health needs to be given a priority.

3.   Development of the Port.  We have unique opportunities for  growth that are being actively pissed away.  It will take us ten years of projected growth until our port reaches the same tonnage as Savannah for the love of Pete.  The channel needs to be deepened, and access to ships has to be made a priority.   There are billions of dollars that would go into the economy if we were only smart enough to do it.

4.  Economic Development.  Bringing better jobs and better industries to Jax.  Making sure they are greeen, sustainable and higher income.  Attracting and keeping more educational opportunities and graduees here.  Reaching out to globalize our economy and in the process globalize our outlook.

5.  Long Term planning, including environmental concerns like climate change, its effect on our shorelines, no more low lying development of any kind, and opening the doors of the mayors office to futurist ideas and thoughts.

6.  Quality of life.   Improving the cultural and recreational options for the whole city, based out of a centralized, easy to access via public transit urban core.  Free internet access for all citizens.

7.  Conversion of our cities energy policy to one that either strongly encourages solar based home power, or makes the installation of solar systems mandatory on all dwellings and public buildings.

8.  Racial and Cultural cooperation and progress.    Economic development and participation in all areas of our municipal life, from Law enforcement and education to recreational opportunities.

And those are the things that I would like to see on a mayoral platform.

Great list Stephen, and thanks for responding as in depth as you have.  A question I have, is how do you cut off sprawl?   Obviously, it's more attractive for developers to easily construct cookie cutter retail outlets like they have been doing all over Jacksonville.  Is there a way, legally, to give some of these developers some incentive to further help the urban core?  I'm sure we all know about LaVilla's failings, and most everyone would agree that they are sick of the city council throw more money away for failing projects into downtown.  I would add to your list a need for the St. Johns to be a VERY main priority for any mayoral candidate.  It would be nice if people could enjoy the river and swim in it without fear of contracting the vibrio virus.  Further, Jacksonville must prevent Seminole county from taking water from us.  I fully agree with your point of needing to get more entertainment throughout the city, and of course having it centralized.  I feel as though san marco, downtown and avondale are on the cusp of being a very good urban core, but there is obviously a lot missing.  I would defintely be all about extending operational hours of bars, although there are plenty of good arguments for keeping them the way they are.  Last, crime prevention needs to be a main priority.   We should not lead the state in murders ever.  The mayor, the sherriff and the new state attorney (whoever that is-hopefully Plotkin) need to really work together to make this city safer.  Just my .02

[RainorShine]

No phantasma of herself as Mayor here.  I am not interested in any more years of public service. 

Yeah, I hear that Grand Jury testimony was a b.

[Jimmy]

Folio is letting my choice for Mayor out of the bag today.

We've been all about a "draft Glorious" movement since last year.  Looks like it's gaining some traction!

I won't just cross party lines to support Johnson, who has always had my heart, but I'll burn the party lines to the ground!

[Jimmy]

Not as much an announcement as talking openly about the possibility.  There's a fair amount of exploration that needs to be done.  But she gets it on so many issues that are important.  And she's so open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  The exploratory phase is going to be lots of fun!  And great for the City!

[Jimmy]

She's always been a Republican and has done her part for the local party -- and more importantly -- for the people.  Her appeal is broad throughout the socioeconomic strata of Jacksonville.  It could be very interesting.  GOP power-brokers might pause... but that's not a bad thing.  She breaks the mold in many ways.

No idea about her official platform yet.  I know she's been instrumental in getting Ennis, Steve, Lunican, and Bob connected with people who can do something about their transit ideas.  And she's very much opposed to BRT.  Not a bad place to start.

[Jimmy]

If she runs, and I hope she does, I guess these will be things that we'll learn in the months (and, wow, years) to come.

[Jimmy]

I think my skills are better suited to getting other people elected.  I'm not running in 2011.  (And a sigh of relief was heard throughout the land...)

[Jimmy]

Thanks.  We have a lot of outstanding people who I hope will run for Council this next go-around.  People like Tony Allegretti -- could you imagine him representing District 7?  That would be awesome.

I haven't seen the Folio yet.  She told me that it was a tongue-in-cheek photo.  And it's a shirt she was given when she was made an honorary member of the Sons of the Confederacy, or some such.  It comes with an excellent story that she should tell you sometime!  I've been waiting for Folio to get delivered to Avondale all day...!

[stephenc]

I found a small shot of the cover on their site.

[Jimmy]

This is gonna be a hoot!

I'm going out again in search of a Folio.  I really wish they'd take their content online!!

[SLAPHAPPY]

Folio is letting my choice for Mayor out of the bag today.

We've been all about a "draft Glorious" movement since last year.  Looks like it's gaining some traction!

I won't just cross party lines to support Johnson, who has always had my heart, but I'll burn the party lines to the ground!

Looks like you picked the wrong day to quit smoking crack!!!

[Jimmy]

I was finally able to track down a stocked newstand in Riverside.  Guess it takes a while to make it out to Avondale!  I was beginning to think the Folio had acquired a cash value!

Anyway -- it's a wonderful article.  The only people who could think anything negative about it are Tom Slade, Pat Locket-Felder, and Falconetti, all of whom were portrayed in a less-than-flattering light.  Bob Mann, Diane Melendez, JB Coxwell, Paul McCormick, Glorious Johnson, and Jacksonville itself should be glowing.  They were all mentioned in nice terms in the piece.  This newish reporter -- Gwynedd -- does a great job.

[Jimmy]

Oh yeah!  It's in there!  Well worth the read!