The Issues by Mayoral Candidate Alvin Brown

[Ocklawaha]

Was the word rail transit mentioned anywhere? Did I just miss it? Streetcar right? Streetcar as an infrastructure investment returning $14 for every $1invested? Yeah Alvin, THAT STREETCAR! And while we're at it, THAT COMMUTER TRAIN!

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

Alvin has mentioned the concept of light rail in Jacksonville for months...while I would prefer he use the terms streetcar and commuter rail, I'll take it as a positive for now!

[Ocklawaha]

Wonder if he considers it an "idea" and thus a cool toy or, if he considers it an "issue" a much needed development catalyst?  When I don't see it as an issue from either camp, I continue to worry that we just haven't gotten the message of connectivity through to either side.

OCKLAWAHA

[Timkin]

Well..... Lets put it this way... did Hogan mention it? .. Don't recall that.   Bottom line... I think Alvin has a better chance of making it happen

[FayeforCure]

Well..... Lets put it this way... did Hogan mention it? .. Don't recall that.   Bottom line... I think Alvin has a better chance of making it happen

Yeah, "empty strip mall" Hogan by definition isn't that interested in Downtown development where all the light rail would be headed  So forget HIS support EVER!!!!

No ifs, buts or maybes about it.

Alvin Brown no doubt has followed Washington DC's struggles to bring street cars there and its mayor's role in facilitating such:

The District of Columbia subsequently decided to build the initial components of the DC Streetcar system on its own. The Anacostia line was scaled back to a demonstration project just 2.7 miles (4.3 km) in length with only four stations: Bolling Air Force Base, the Anacostia Metro station, the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE and Good Hope Road SE, and the Minnesota Avenue Metro station.[15] DDOT began an environmental assessment of the CSX tracks in July 2003.[15] In September 2004, Metro agreed to move ahead with the project (whose $45 million cost was now being funded completely by the District of Columbia), with construction to start in November 2004 and end in 2006.[16]


A pantograph on a DC Streetcar for use on the Anacostia line.

In December 2009, D.C. City Council member Jim Graham proposed establishing a D.C. Transit Board to oversee the DC Circulator bus system as well as the DC Streetcar system.[17] The board would oversee the establishment of routes and transit fares.[17] In order to determine whether the local business community would support the streetcar project, several local real estate and commercial developers visited the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light rail system which operates in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.[18] The goal of the trip was to investigate whether MAX had the intended positive economic consequences and whether the return on investment seemed worthwhile. Local media reports indicated that the D.C. developers were impressed by the effect MAX had on Portland's economic development.[18]

Local preservationist groups such as the Committee of 100 on the Federal City as well as regional planning bodies like the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) have opposed the current design of the streetcar system, which relies on overhead electrical wires and a pantograph to conduct power to the streetcar motor.[19] Opponents of the design cite a 1889 federal law banning such systems in Georgetown and the historic center city (defined by the Florida Avenue NE and NW south to the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.[19] The NCPC has also opposed use of the wires along H Street NE, the 11th Street bridges, and in Anacostia.[19] These groups have proposed a design change that would rely on wireless technologies, such as battery-powered vehicles which rely on conduit current collection (in which a metal arm or "plow" is inserted into a channel in the street and draws power from cables under the roadway).[19] But District of Columbia officials say the current overhead lines are not visually obtrusive, and that conduit collection systems are costly and break down easily in cities with wet climates.[19] City transportation planning officials have also proposed building a system that would run on wires outside the historic core but switch to a hybrid battery/conduit system inside the area.[19] On May 31, 2010, 12 of the council's 13 members co-sponsored a bill to exempt the H Street Line from the 1888 and 1889 laws that banned overhead electrication in the city's historic core.[20] The legislation required that the mayor's office develop a citywide plan by 2014 to determine where additional overhead electrification could be permitted.[20] The Committee of 100 supported the planning requirement,[21] and the legislation passed the council on June 29, 2010.[22] But in late June 2010, the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission, L. Preston Bryant Jr., sent a letter to the Federal Transit Administration demanding that $25 million in federal money intended for the streetcar project be withheld until the NCPC and city reached agreement regarding the overhead electrication issue.[23] The NCPC said they had legal advice which indicated that only Congress had the power to rescind the 1888 and 1889 laws.[23] City council members, who had been negotiating with the NCPC, said the NCPC's action was a sign of bad faith in the talks.[23] DDOT Director Gabe Klein said the NCPC was "blackmailing" city leaders, and that the NCPC was overstepping its boundary as a purely advisory body.[22] Klein asked Bryant to rescind his letter, arguing that Bryant had purposefully misstated the city's plans for overhead electrification (claiming it would install overhead wires on the National Mall and near Congress) and asserting that the H Street Line was not covered by the 1888 and 1889 laws.[22] Klein also cited two previous legal opinions which concluded the city had the power to rescind the 1800s legislation.[22] On July 13, 2010, the D.C. Council passed legislation to allow the overhead wires along Benning Road and H Street NE.[24] The legislation specifically banned the wires around the National Mall and along Pennsylvania Avenue between Capitol Hill and the White House, and established a process for seeking public and other input on whether wires should be used elsewhere in the city.[24]

Funding for the DC Streetcar system became an issue in 2010. D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty proposed spending $60 million to $70 million in his fiscal 2011 budget to complete the H Street Line and purchase six trams, with a goal of activating the line in the spring of 2012.[25] Funding for other lines would be withheld until the city was assured that the H Street Line was a success.[25]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_Streetcar

[Jaxson]

...its seriously becoming an annoyance that people's privately held religious convictions are somehow supposed to be held up for criticism.

The key word here is privately.  If someone is mentioning their religion every other word in almost every public pronouncement, that can hardly be deemed private.

Meh.

I don't think private is synonymous with secret, do you?

Unless they are making laws that are meant to preclude the views of people who believe differently than they do, I don't think it passes over into the public realm.

You are right, stephendare, people should not mistake private with secret when it comes to expressing their faith.  I believe that politicians cross the line when they seem to make a show of their religion to the point that it seems more like a cynical ploy to win more votes.  Candidates who go around with a "How great I am" attitude are the ones who turn me off.  Our values can speak for themselves when we take our ego out of the equation. 

[FayeforCure]

If you want to ask Alvin Brown any questions:

Third Alvin Brown Supporters Coffee & Cocktails Social

Location: Elevated Avondale

Time: ‎5:30PM Sunday, April 10th..

[FayeforCure]

I noticed a comment on the TU article of April 8th, that I think is very important:

In my opinion, one of the strongest selling points for Alvin Brown is his Washington connections. If he can maximize their value and divert plenty of Federal money to Jacksonville, it will reduce the need to cut libraries, parks, public safety, etc.

Hogan doesn't have such connections and only promises cuts and the sale of city-owned preservation land during a period of depressed property values. For that matter, Hogan, like Rick Scott, would probably be foolish enough to refuse Federal help and let it go elsewhere



Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-04-09/story/backers-former-foes-look-brown-hogan#ixzz1JDjmMtC7

[Timkin]

Wish he had some connections to replace Scott.  That dude is scary.

[FayeforCure]

With preservation of our beautiful St Johns River a top priority for our economic well-being, we all understand the importance of PROTECTING our natural resources in local races..............

Sierra Club endorsement

The Sierra Club urges voters to say yes to Alvin Brown in the upcoming runoff election May 17.

We were impressed with Brown's orientation to environmental issues - he has voiced support for environmental education in schools, protecting the city's tree canopy and cleaning up the St. Johns River.

These attributes are important as our next mayor addresses the challenges of the next four years, balancing job growth and economic recovery in an environmentally sustainable manner. Thanks to Brown for stepping out to lead our city.

Brown has promised to protect the city's preservation park properties for generations to come, not put them up for sale to developers as Republican Mike Hogan said he would consider doing.

There is still time to register to vote as long as your registration form (get it from your local library, online or at the Elections office) is received by mid April.

Call the election office (904) 630-1414.

Voting has never been easier with early voting, voting by mail or on election day May 17 at your normal polling place.

Ron Littlepage's excellent column compares Brown with Hogan's positions on the issues; or go to AlvinForMayor.com to learn more.

Janet L. Stanko, Sierra Club chairwoman,

Northeast Florida Group



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Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/opinion/letters-readers/2011-04-10/story/letters-readers-cut-school-board-pay#ixzz1JENxbTQz

[wsansewjs]

You know how those people who want less government. There is NOTHING with the idea of government funding and support public supports for the communities. I am all for less government, but it need to be a lean and effective management of budget and resources.

-Josh

[dougskiles]

I noticed a comment on the TU article of April 8th, that I think is very important:

In my opinion, one of the strongest selling points for Alvin Brown is his Washington connections. If he can maximize their value and divert plenty of Federal money to Jacksonville, it will reduce the need to cut libraries, parks, public safety, etc.

Hogan doesn't have such connections and only promises cuts and the sale of city-owned preservation land during a period of depressed property values. For that matter, Hogan, like Rick Scott, would probably be foolish enough to refuse Federal help and let it go elsewhere



Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-04-09/story/backers-former-foes-look-brown-hogan#ixzz1JDjmMtC7

Not only does he not have the connections, he also stated that he would eliminate spending money on lobbyists.  I know that people like to slam lobbyists, but sometimes you have to be the squeaky wheel.

[Timkin]

And sometimes you have to be the one with the oil can