2019 Mayoral election

[JeffreyS]

If you want to scare me do a commercial for clear a DT lot Curry. Sponsored by surface parking.

[Steve]

Love the timing here:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/state-attorney-finds-thousands-of-calls-but-files-no-charges-in-city-council-sunshine-law-investigation

My favorite Quote from the actual State Attorney's Report:

Heavener said in the report that the State Attorney's Office did not pursue Sunshine Law violation charges because investigators could not see the content of the communications.

"We could never establish beyond a reasonable doubt that any one call or any group of particular calls violated Florida Sunshine Law," the report said.

"Common sense dictates that Council members do not spend 62 hours, 74 hours, and 38 hours on the phone with other council members discussing simple scheduling matters or irregular personal matters," the report concluded.

While the timing is certainly "coincidental", that doesn't mean the calls didn't happen.

[CityLife]

Timing or not, the only reason Brosche and others did not get formally charged is because there is no written record of their interactions and because nobody admitted to the violations. As the report stated, they were in all likelihood guilty, just could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. Take that as you will, but essentially the report said that Brosche and company lied.

This is completely unacceptable behavior and a serious violation of public trust from Brosche and other council members. It could possibly open the City up to legal action as well. I'm a registered lobbyist and if a project was denied that I was working on that both Brosche and Dennis voted no on, I think there is now a strong basis of an appeal due to their clear violation of Sunshine Law (criminal charges or not).

I'm neutral on Curry, but Brosche should immediately drop out of the Mayoral race.

[Tacachale]

Florida Politics

Survey shows Lenny Curry winning Jacksonville Mayor re-election
If the election for Jacksonville Mayor were being held today, Republican Lenny Curry would be elected, per a new survey from St Pete Polls.


By A.G. Gancarski on February 13, 2019
If the Jacksonville mayoral election were today, Republican Lenny Curry would be elected outright, per a new survey from St Pete Polls.

The poll reveals Curry has a sizable lead over opponents Anna Brosche, Jimmy Hill, and Omega Allen.

Curry is the choice of 58 percent of those surveyed (a number that would end the race in March if it holds). Twenty percent favor Brosche, Hill four percent, and Allen three percent.

Though Brosche has been courting Democratic support, Curry (a former head of the Republican Party of Florida) carries the demographic with a 43-28 percent advantage over his challenger.

Curry also enjoys 55 percent support from Independents and 75 percent support from Republicans.

...

https://floridapolitics.com/archives/288219-survey-shows-lenny-curry-winning-jacksonville-mayor-re-election

[CityLife]

I know Jimmy Hill well, and while he doesn't have a chance to win, he is going to absolutely destroy Brosche about the Sunshine violations if he's allowed to be at debates. He is a very strong proponent of transparency in local government.

[MusicMan]

45 minutes ago I drove through downtown past the new library. The vacant lot/park behind it was teeming with homeless people. It was sad and awful to look at. 

Is there a Mayoral candidate anywhere who can fix that issue?  Or do the Mayoral candidates even see that as an issue?  You wanna see downtown making big strides you have to tackle that problem....

[thelakelander]

Mayor Peyton should have never built it. We actually met with and told them and the JEDC this would be the outcome over a decade ago. That spot got worse when they chased people out of Hemming a year or two ago. Now the latest plan is to turn it into a dog park. That plan is pretty silly too, considering the amount of traffic travelling through there.

[MusicMan]

I'm not surprised.

Honestly most dogs have it better than those poor folks.

[Bill Hoff]

45 minutes ago I drove through downtown past the new library. The vacant lot/park behind it was teeming with homeless people. It was sad and awful to look at. 

Is there a Mayoral candidate anywhere who can fix that issue?  Or do the Mayoral candidates even see that as an issue?  You wanna see downtown making big strides you have to tackle that problem....

Churches & other do-gooder groups from all over visit the park to provide handouts on the weekends. All the homeless folks are aware, and they go where the handouts are.

[MusicMan]

Bill, If that's really the case then the city should put a full service homeless shelter with a work training program (masonry, welding, etc...) out by Cecil Field.

Problem solved.

[bl8jaxnative]

45 minutes ago I drove through downtown past the new library. The vacant lot/park behind it was teeming with homeless people. It was sad and awful to look at. 

Is there a Mayoral candidate anywhere who can fix that issue?  Or do the Mayoral candidates even see that as an issue?  You wanna see downtown making big strides you have to tackle that problem....

What exaclty is  the issue?   are you looking for an end to homelessness?  something else?

[Kiva]

45 minutes ago I drove through downtown past the new library. The vacant lot/park behind it was teeming with homeless people. It was sad and awful to look at. 

Is there a Mayoral candidate anywhere who can fix that issue?  Or do the Mayoral candidates even see that as an issue?  You wanna see downtown making big strides you have to tackle that problem....

What exaclty is  the issue?   are you looking for an end to homelessness?  something else?

I think the issue is that the city built a "park" right next to Main street, with a lot of vehicles passing it daily, and it is constantly full of homeless people. Anyone going southbound across the Main street bridge sees them, and it contributes to the suburban commuter idea that downtown is unsafe.

[acme54321]

The homeless issue downtown seems to have exploded lately.  That park puts it at the forefront.  I don't care if I sound like an ass or whatever but if the city wants to improve the image of downtown they need to address the homeless problem.  The scene at that park is ridiculous.

[thelakelander]

There's a cause and effect with every move we make. The homeless or vagrant situation hasn't gotten worse. It's just out in the open now that people can see it on Main Street. They should have known things would play out this way when they (1) built a passive park next to Salvation Army and (2) put up fences and pulled up benches to keep people from sitting in Hemming Park. They have no clue what they're doing, which is why money keeps getting spent on things like this particular park. 

[Bill Hoff]

Bill, If that's really the case then the city should put a full service homeless shelter with a work training program (masonry, welding, etc...) out by Cecil Field.

Problem solved.

You're right.

It really is as simple as deconsolidating all the major shelters in Northeast FL & Southeast GA from Downtown Jax, and spread them out a bit.

Homeless people don't have an affinity for tall buildings, and very few became homeless in 32202. They're sent to Downtown Jax because that's where the services are.

Heck, City Rescue Mission (next to Rosa Parks bus station) actually has homeless folks bussed IN TO the city from other cities & states to fill their beds. They have a network of religious orgs that feed them people from all over the Southeast.

Related:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/las-homeless-surge-puts-hollywoods-progressive-ideals-test-1174599

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/us/surge-in-homelessness-tests-wisconsin-capitals-welcoming-spirit.html

If you build it / provide it, they will come.