Jacksonville's Lost Decade: 2003-2012

[Driven1]

In March, the WSJ printed an article entitled "The Lost Decade".  It explained how the S&P 500 Index had returned only 1% (avg annual compound) for the previous 9 years (not quite a decade).

I think this title will be fitting in 2012 for Jacksonville. 

By that time, Peyton will have finally been put out of office and his successor (dear God, let's hope it is not Baby Face Davis) will have had 2 years to work through the ashes of Peyton's disastrous policies.

Seriously.  Think back since 2003 when Mr. Peyton was elected.  Do you think Jacksonville is better off in any way since then?  Fiscally, the city and its individual citizens are in shambles.  Crime-wise, we are the violent capital of the south.  Urban-wise, he has done nothing (let's try to forget the "Big Ideas") to promote and better downtown.  There have been press conferences, but the closest action of his that he thought would better downtown was Dog Crap Pocket Park behind the library.  Education-wise, still only 60% of our high school students are graduating.  This is deplorable.

The Lost Decade.  We are living it.

This is an opinion post and it is mine.

[Ocklawaha]

Peyton, will probably cling to the Court House as his legacy project... He'll be the mayor that brought us nothing but another public building if he does.

He does have the chance however, to be more, he could be THE MAYOR that brought us real Transportation and got our city ahead of our neighbors in a fuel short future. This would be something the Citizens generations from now would REMEMBER! Mr. Peyton, can follow JTA into BRT HELL, or he can lead and look at a balanced system. He is welcome to call on me anytime, in fact I believe all of Metro-Jacksonville feels that way and most of the membership if not the owners too, would be more then willing. In fact his aid met with Lakelander and Myself about this. He made lots of promises that "WE WOULD SPEAK" etc... NOTHING... Mr. Mayor, just pick up the phone.

Ocklawaha

[Driven1]

Yes, the promises and "listening tours" have been forthcoming for years.  I wonder why he even wastes his time.  I mean - I can understand him not caring if OUR time is wasted, but why waste his own time? 

[hillary supporter]

when will peytons term end, 2011?

[thelakelander]

Peyton, will probably cling to the Court House as his legacy project... He'll be the mayor that brought us nothing but another public building if he does.

He does have the chance however, to be more, he could be THE MAYOR that brought us real Transportation and got our city ahead of our neighbors in a fuel short future. This would be something the Citizens generations from now would REMEMBER! Mr. Peyton, can follow JTA into BRT HELL, or he can lead and look at a balanced system. He is welcome to call on me anytime, in fact I believe all of Metro-Jacksonville feels that way and most of the membership if not the owners too, would be more then willing. In fact his aid met with Lakelander and Myself about this. He made lots of promises that "WE WOULD SPEAK" etc... NOTHING... Mr. Mayor, just pick up the phone.

Ocklawaha

Peyton attended a Metro Jacksonville meeting right before hiring Brad Thoburn.  During that meeting we discussed the Main Street pocket park (before ground was broken on it), BRT/rail, Thoburn's hiring and various other topics.  I do believe, although we don't win every battle, we did lead them to stop JTA from building BRT in the downtown core (Adams, Bay, Forsyth).  We have also progressed the discussion of rail in a town that knows nothing but cars, asphalt and sprawl.  With the interaction I've had with the mayor's office over the years, I don't think this administation will take a leadership role regarding mass transit issues.  However, if you can build up public support, they'll follow.  So imo, its going to be up to us to work with JTA and their consultants or go at it alone.

[Driven1]

In regards to mass transit, you are exactly right Lake.  I think part of it comes down to an issue of the administration just not being knowledgeable on transit.  No excuse, but it doesn't change the fact.  Now concerning the financial disaster Mr. Peyton has put us in, in my opinion, that is a result of simple poor leadership, playing politics more than focusing on good policy and sqandering of public funds.

[Driven1]

when will peytons term end, 2011?

yes - Peyton leaves in 2011 (unless we vote to kick him out before - not likely due only to citizen apathy).

[thebrokenforum]

I think this is a great point. In my opinion, the guy is a horrible leader. Seriously, what has he done?? What's really screwed up is that you have a lot of people that want change, that want to be progressive, that want to move forward yet no matter how many of us talk about it, things remain stagnant. And while I don't think we have regressed as a city I do think that we are in a state of suspended animation. You are correct, other than fuel prices and a murder rate, what has changed here under Peyton?

Listen, I know that the mayor's office doesn't have a magic wand but what has Peyton done for you lately? It's like he's invisible. I imagine him hiding in his office day after day, throwing darts at a map of the city with the curtains drawn, repeatedly telling his secretary to tell whoever keeps ringing the damn phone to tell them, "I'm not here!!". 

His legacy...? Meh. How about the do-nothing mayor? Or the look the other way mayor? Even the "shrug his shoulders" mayor. The guy needs to pick a problem and stick with it. He has a myriad of issues he could be spearheading...and yet he...well, i can't really tell you what the guy does on a day-to-day basis.

This city has so much potential...that much is obvious by many of the posts on this  board. But it's really sad when you consider having to wait until 2012 to hope that things MIGHT change. 

[civil42806]

"I think this is a great point. In my opinion, the guy is a horrible leader. Seriously, what has he done?? What's really screwed up is that you have a lot of people that want change, that want to be progressive, that want to move forward yet no matter how many of us talk about it, things remain stagnant. And while I don't think we have regressed as a city I do think that we are in a state of suspended animation. You are correct, other than fuel prices and a murder rate, what has changed here under Peyton?

Listen, I know that the mayor's office doesn't have a magic wand but what has Peyton done for you lately? It's like he's invisible. I imagine him hiding in his office day after day, throwing darts at a map of the city with the curtains drawn, repeatedly telling his secretary to tell whoever keeps ringing the damn phone to tell them, "I'm not here!!". 

His legacy...? Meh. How about the do-nothing mayor? Or the look the other way mayor? Even the "shrug his shoulders" mayor. The guy needs to pick a problem and stick with it. He has a myriad of issues he could be spearheading...and yet he...well, i can't really tell you what the guy does on a day-to-day basis."


Well quite frankly the city as a whole is not "progressive"  whatever that might mean.  The problem with most web sites is that they become "echo chambers"  where everyones opinion agrees and reinforces each other opinions, this one is certainly no exception.  Peyton is horrible, and I opted out of voting for either peyton or the sheriff in the first election.  I was appalled by the inability of the democratic party to develop a viable alternative to him in the last election.  I would have gladly voted for Godbold over peyton.  As far as the desire for "change" goes, I quote Quark from deep space nine, "what exactly does that mean?"  I would just appreciate a lack of desire for huge number of overpaid aides and  a retrenchement to try to establish basic city services and maintenance.

[jacksonvilleconfidential]

"....... I quote Quark from deep space nine, "what exactly does that mean?"  I would just appreciate a lack of desire for huge number of overpaid aides and  a retrenchement to try to establish basic city services and maintenance.

Hahahahaha. NERDS!
http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/misc/pictures/nerds.jpg

[simms3]

Wow, I love this site, but there is so much hate on this site that it is hard to be asm much of a devoted reader and follower as I used to be.  You guys make it sound like if you met the mayor in person you would assassinate him.  He is a pretty bad mayor, but there are a lot worse out there.  This mayor is the best businessman we have had in that office in a long time.  He has helped to bring 2-3 fortune 500companies, several more fortune 1000 companies here, now deutsche bank, the port expansions, our economy is the best in florida.

And the financial condition we are in is because of our wonderful lawmakers in Tallahassee and our wonderful two face governor, rewarding south florida for being fiscally destructive and punishing us (Delaney, Peyton, NE FL in general) for being fiscally responsible by eliminating property tax.  A whole post just to bash the mayor, and I can believe I stooped that low to waste 5 minutes of my time to respond.  Whoops

[downtownparks]

This is an open forum. What people say on here is a reflection on only themselves. If that was published as a front page story, I would be more inclined to agree with you.

[Captain Zissou]

I'm just going from memory, but I don't think you can credit him with most of the things that you did.  The only thing that didn't roll over from things done before was the port, and more credit goes to the new head than the mayor.  Anybody with real facts able to confirm or deny?

[spuwho]

"I think this is a great point. In my opinion, the guy is a horrible leader. Seriously, what has he done?? What's really screwed up is that you have a lot of people that want change, that want to be progressive, that want to move forward yet no matter how many of us talk about it, things remain stagnant. And while I don't think we have regressed as a city I do think that we are in a state of suspended animation. You are correct, other than fuel prices and a murder rate, what has changed here under Peyton?

Listen, I know that the mayor's office doesn't have a magic wand but what has Peyton done for you lately? It's like he's invisible. I imagine him hiding in his office day after day, throwing darts at a map of the city with the curtains drawn, repeatedly telling his secretary to tell whoever keeps ringing the damn phone to tell them, "I'm not here!!". 

His legacy...? Meh. How about the do-nothing mayor? Or the look the other way mayor? Even the "shrug his shoulders" mayor. The guy needs to pick a problem and stick with it. He has a myriad of issues he could be spearheading...and yet he...well, i can't really tell you what the guy does on a day-to-day basis."


Well quite frankly the city as a whole is not "progressive"  whatever that might mean.  The problem with most web sites is that they become "echo chambers"  where everyones opinion agrees and reinforces each other opinions, this one is certainly no exception.  Peyton is horrible, and I opted out of voting for either peyton or the sheriff in the first election.  I was appalled by the inability of the democratic party to develop a viable alternative to him in the last election.  I would have gladly voted for Godbold over peyton.  As far as the desire for "change" goes, I quote Quark from deep space nine, "what exactly does that mean?"  I would just appreciate a lack of desire for huge number of overpaid aides and  a retrenchement to try to establish basic city services and maintenance.

Bringing this post back up from the past is for what?

A more historical viewpoint of the Peyton Administration?

A more hindsight view of the "lost decade" argument?

[Know Growth]

Nice Fast Backward. Good exercise.

I recall a group meeting with the then new Mayor Peyton- a Mayor's environmental forum, a throwback from the previous administration.
(Previously,I had been honored with the Mayor's Environmental Individual award during the Delaney administration,ostensibly due to brave positions on growth management, empowered by Florida Wildlife Federation )

Mayor Peyton asked us, admonished us, to profile something "good" our respective organizations, outlooks had produced.Almost as if a dare,an assumption that we were up to No Good.

I pointed out that the Florida Wildlife Federation had driven the effort to create the State Of Florida Guanna Wildlife Management Area/State Park,which paid over $40,000,000 dollars to Gate/SWD, a critical juncture for the Firm.
And left it at that,skipped further 'meetings'.