Mayor Alvin Brown Re-election Hopes in trouble?

[Jimmy]

Curry is not to the right of Hogan. Clearly, you've never spoken with him.

Others have defended my point better than I could.  I'll just say that Curry is clearly to the right of Bishop, which is actually what matters most in terms of positioning for this election.

[-jerrycornwell]

He was in fact and remains a part of the state GOP power structure.  The GOP is looking to secure it's hold on local state governments and those Florida counties that generally vote Republican.  Duval is huge and what happens here impacts what happens at the state level when it comes to presidential elections.  It would behoove them to have a Scott supported candidate in the office of mayor for a variety of reasons at the state and federal level.

Diane, this is why I believe it is a presidential year. Having a democrat in the Mayorship takes an incredible amount of wind out of the Republican armada. So it goes also for also Bishop, who is of the same party of Scott. When Cruz, Perry, Huckabee, PALIN come to town, will Bill wave at the crowd hands together? One decision Brown made was not to align himself with President Obama. With a strong anti Obama sentiment, not exclusively  conservative, should he get credit for that choice? 

[fieldafm]

Not sure what a decades-old federal trade embargo has to do with the Jacksonville's mayors race, the mayor of Jacksonville has zero influence on federal trade policy. I could also care less what a mayor's position is on things like abortion, marijuana and social security.. As neither of those are influenced by the mayor of Jacksonville either.

fieldafm, have you noticed that Jacksonville is a port city?  One that does a lot of trade with Latin America?  Opening up trade with Cuba could have economic benefits for Jacksonville, if the leadership is willing to embrace it.

I'm clearly aware. Making Cuba a campaign issue is a waste of time. The mayor of Jacksonville cannot unilaterally decide to start trading with Cuba, that's a federal issue. Btw, Jacksonville and New Orleans are Cuba's main US trading partners now.

Jacksonville as a city is having trouble providing basic government services.. like fixing potholes and mowing grass. Voting for someone based on what they say about Cuba (or chest bumping their endorsements from governors and presidents who don't live here) is a distraction from the real issues facing our community.

I'm for expanding trade with Cuba if the embargo is lifted. I'm also against abortion. Neither of those are influenced by the Mayor of Jacksonville.

[strider]

Not sure what a decades-old federal trade embargo has to do with the Jacksonville's mayors race, the mayor of Jacksonville has zero influence on federal trade policy. I could also care less what a mayor's position is on things like abortion, marijuana and social security.. As neither of those are influenced by the mayor of Jacksonville either.

fieldafm, have you noticed that Jacksonville is a port city?  One that does a lot of trade with Latin America?  Opening up trade with Cuba could have economic benefits for Jacksonville, if the leadership is willing to embrace it.

I'm clearly aware. Making Cuba a campaign issue is a waste of time. The mayor of Jacksonville cannot unilaterally decide to start trading with Cuba, that's a federal issue. Btw, Jacksonville and New Orleans are Cuba's main US trading partners now.

Jacksonville as a city is having trouble providing basic government services.. like fixing potholes and mowing grass. Voting for someone based on what they say about Cuba (or chest bumping their endorsements from governors and presidents who don't live here) is a distraction from the real issues facing our community.

I'm for expanding trade with Cuba if the embargo is lifted. I'm also against abortion. Neither of those are influenced by the Mayor of Jacksonville.

Knowing what position a potential Jacksonville Mayor will take on larger issues like Cuba or Abortion is far from a waste of time.  It goes to what motivates the candidate, who he will be listening to and can give us a look into how his thought processes work.  And that can go a long way to seeing how they will handle the things we truly need to address like Downtown and the simple pot hole fixing.  For instance, just looking at the three main candidates' responses about Cuba.  Lenny Curry came across as close minded.  How will he deal with Downtown when the issues are all about being open minded to future benefits?  Brown seemed to be waiting for someone else to tell him what to think so then with him as Mayor, who is running the show and who is truly benefiting from him as Mayor?  Bishop seems to see the future potential in Cuba and so perhaps being more open minded, may also be more likely to see the potential in our Downtown.  Of course, this is just one small part of the total equation that we need to be looking at as voters, but it is at least a pretty simple one and one that can be easily understood by the majority of voters.

[vicupstate]

Not sure what a decades-old federal trade embargo has to do with the Jacksonville's mayors race, the mayor of Jacksonville has zero influence on federal trade policy. I could also care less what a mayor's position is on things like abortion, marijuana and social security.. As neither of those are influenced by the mayor of Jacksonville either.

fieldafm, have you noticed that Jacksonville is a port city?  One that does a lot of trade with Latin America?  Opening up trade with Cuba could have economic benefits for Jacksonville, if the leadership is willing to embrace it.

I'm clearly aware. Making Cuba a campaign issue is a waste of time. The mayor of Jacksonville cannot unilaterally decide to start trading with Cuba, that's a federal issue. Btw, Jacksonville and New Orleans are Cuba's main US trading partners now.

Jacksonville as a city is having trouble providing basic government services.. like fixing potholes and mowing grass. Voting for someone based on what they say about Cuba (or chest bumping their endorsements from governors and presidents who don't live here) is a distraction from the real issues facing our community.

I'm for expanding trade with Cuba if the embargo is lifted. I'm also against abortion. Neither of those are influenced by the Mayor of Jacksonville.

Knowing what position a potential Jacksonville Mayor will take on larger issues like Cuba or Abortion is far from a waste of time.  It goes to what motivates the candidate, who he will be listening to and can give us a look into how his thought processes work.  And that can go a long way to seeing how they will handle the things we truly need to address like Downtown and the simple pot hole fixing.  For instance, just looking at the three main candidates' responses about Cuba.  Lenny Curry came across as close minded.  How will he deal with Downtown when the issues are all about being open minded to future benefits?  Brown seemed to be waiting for someone else to tell him what to think so then with him as Mayor, who is running the show and who is truly benefiting from him as Mayor?  Bishop seems to see the future potential in Cuba and so perhaps being more open minded, may also be more likely to see the potential in our Downtown.  Of course, this is just one small part of the total equation that we need to be looking at as voters, but it is at least a pretty simple one and one that can be easily understood by the majority of voters.

So basically you are saying that Curry is someone that will tow the party line, regardless of the nuances that directly affect the city. Further, Brown is waiting to see which way the wind is blowing, before (maybe) taking a stand. Lastly, Bishop is actually open to weighing the merits. pro and con and reaching his own conclusion. 

Yeah I'd say that about covers it. 

[Cheshire Cat]

^
Agree Vic and Joe.  This is precisely the type of insight that is missing when it comes to understanding who a candidate is and helps one to make a more informed choice.  I appreciate and respect your view as well Mike but don't agree that an issue like how a candidate of a port city feels about the engaging Cuba after the embargo is lifted is unimportant.  For a port city it is and that will evidence itself down the road. 
fieldafm, have you noticed that Jacksonville is a port city?  One that does a lot of trade with Latin America?  Opening up trade with Cuba could have economic benefits for Jacksonville, if the leadership is willing to embrace it.

[Cheshire Cat]

Jerry, I see what you are saying.  The general political wisdom about a presidential election year is that more voters in all parties come out to vote for President and people are more attuned to issues of importance at all levels.  You are correct that political moves regarding the next presidential election are underway.  I would agree that Browns non action when it came to supporting an incumbent Democratic president during his re-election efforts was a non starter and should have been for all Democrats.  Brown acts and moves in his own interest and in the interest of those he wishes to appease and appeal to at any given moment.  We have seen this politically time and time again and even in his personal interactions in his response to his "declared" friend Bill Cosby who he was more than willing to identify with and tout as a buddy until he met with some allegations of a sexual nature.  Brown then dropped him like a hot potato in spite of the fact that he had not been proved guilty.  Brown also returned the campaign funds he received at his Cosby campaign fundraiser, all out of town donors who clearly have an agenda of some sort for our city and an event that Brown dissed the city's budget hearings for.  This all goes to reliability, priorities and how Brown responds to uncomfortable news before the facts are known.  These traits are terribly important in any elected official.

[Tacachale]

Bishop's a good guy and a good councilman, but he's got no hope of beating Brown. He just hasn't raised the support, money or buzz. This poll just hammers home the point. Our choices are really Brown and Curry.

I'm with Field, I don't care what politicians say about abstract issues if it's not going to have direct results on the job. Alvin Brown says all kind of things that I like and agree with. Unfortunately, all that talk has come to nothing good. I'd rather have someone who'll do things rather than say things.

[JeffreyS]

I'd rather have someone who'll do things rather than say things.

Be careful what you wish for doing things is often worse than not doing things. 

Mayors advocate for national issues that affect their constituents all the time.  Mayors have political aspirations beyond being Mayor all the time. Their ideas about national issues may well guide their decisions away from local interests especially if they belong to a party that covets purity of record about things like taxes and shuns "RINOs".

[Tacachale]

^Rather than speak in hypotheticals, I'll say this. It's hard to get worse than what we've got right now. Under Alvin Brown's leadership, we have a city that can't fund basic services, that can't control its crime rate, that can't manage its own budget, and that has punted on every major issue from the HRO to the port to the pension fiasco. Until we fix the basic functions of the city government, the rest of it doesn't matter.

[JeffreyS]

Agreed.

[Jimmy]

^Rather than speak in hypotheticals, I'll say this. It's hard to get worse than what we've got right now. Under Alvin Brown's leadership, we have a city that can't fund basic services, that can't control its crime rate, that can't manage its own budget, and that has punted on every major issue from the HRO to the port to the pension fiasco. Until we fix the basic functions of the city government, the rest of it doesn't matter.

Quoted for truth.

[Cheshire Cat]

Another planned debate: 

RE: Race for Mayor
Schindler, Anne (aschindler@wtlv.gannett.com)  Add to contacts  8:41 AM   Keep this message at the top of your inbox 
To: Diane Melendez, WTLV-NEWS-FCN
aschindler@wtlv.gannett.com
Diane,

We are planning to host a mayoral debate in March. Details to come.

Thanks for your interest.

Best,

Anne



Anne Schindler

Executive Producer, Special Projects

First Coast News

[Cheshire Cat]

This goes to the importance of voters being involved in the election process not only for the office of Mayor but also for those who seek legislative positions on our council.  In order to fix the basic functions of city government we have to understand that who we elect for any office "does" matter. Simply saying it does not matter cause we have problems in our base government functions is a cop out.  Here is the thing about the race for mayor and those open legislative offices.  Citizens often lose sight of the fact that when we elect someone we are actually hiring them to fill very important positions in our city government.  We the taxpayers pay their salaries.  In any business when someone applies for a job we ask for their resume and look to see if the person applying for the job has the experience and skills necessary to do a "competent" job.  So who are we the voters going to hire and what drives our choices?  If we continue to buy into the "propaganda" fed us by media and some political pundits in tandem with old beliefs that the value of the applicant depends upon his/her bank account, not his/her experience for the job the person is applying for we fail ourselves and our city.  The idea of a measure of money began with the false notion that the person with the most support money got that money because those giving it see them as competent for the job.  That is a faulty thinking.  Perhaps there was a time in history where that measure of support could be an indicator of something good about a candidate but in today's world donations driven by partisan politics, PAC's and big money donations from special interest groups and business corporations the belief that money is the measure is completely undermined at all levels. Even the small donor who gives to support a party ethic rather than an individual in an unitary election is supporting a political party as opposed to promoting the best person for the job.  When was it that how much a campaign raised became the measure of the candidate?  That happened when we allowed money to become the measure of all things of value in this process.  Just as readily as we decided that money is the measure, we can wake ourselves from that delusion and remember that the decision to "hire/elect" an individual for public office should and must be driven by their expertise, skills and competence.  We change this faulty idea by doing our own due diligence as voters and researching the candidates. We demanding that all those who are on the local ballot for the top offices participate in open debate with the other candidates.  We moan and groan that we never get good candidates running for public office.  That is a lie. We often get good candidates yet utterly fail to listen to them if they don't fit the false paradigm of money and political social status.  Did anyone ever think about the fact that this city could make open debate by candidates a "requirement" for the candidates and that the city or state could sponsor those debates if driven by legislation?  If there was a single debate format that reinforced the idea of "unitary" and the voting public knew it was going to take place and that filed candidates for the office were required to participate in it, the public would all know when the "interview" for the candidate was taking place.  Instead of understanding platforms and plans people are deciding who to vote for based upon "sound bites" in commercials and campaign information to decide who holds the top office in our city.  For the current election we should understand that it has not happened yet, there is still time for a vetting process, still time to check the "resume's and records" of those running for office, to get behind any candidate on the ballot with time and effort if not money.  We the people should be the driving force that decides who is fit for office and as things stand now, we the people have not taken full responsibility in the process of who is elected and why.  Right now there are four candidates on the ballot for mayor and anything can happen when people start thinking differently about the process and how a candidate is measured.  For now those who want a better Jacksonville need to start vetting those running for office along with verifying they have the needed experience to hold that office as opposed to just flashy ads and big dreams without having a plan to fill those dreams.  Wake up Jacksonville!  It is time.

[downtownbrown]

Another planned debate: 

RE: Race for Mayor
Schindler, Anne (aschindler@wtlv.gannett.com)  Add to contacts  8:41 AM   Keep this message at the top of your inbox 
To: Diane Melendez, WTLV-NEWS-FCN
aschindler@wtlv.gannett.com
Diane,

We are planning to host a mayoral debate in March. Details to come.

Thanks for your interest.

Best,

Anne



Anne Schindler

Executive Producer, Special Projects

First Coast News

I wish they would hold the debate next to the hole in Liberty Street.  Perfect symbol of an incompetent government.