Peyton: www.Fixitnow.cc

[tufsu1]

Streetcars and Skyway are transit capital projects....they get funded through a combination of federal, state, and local funds...and can be paid for with sales tax revenue (like Better Jax)

The general City budget is primarily for operations, which comes from different revenue sources.

Also remember that JTA is a state agency, not City

[Charles Hunter]

Adam - the Court House is a BJP project, but with it being nearly twice what was originally in the BJP vote, where is the additional money going to come from?  The road projects that haven't been started yet?  The set-aside for rail transit right-of-way?  Without knowing this, you have to admit there is skepticism about how we are going to pay for this (ugly) building.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Streetcars and Skyway are transit capital projects....they get funded through a combination of federal, state, and local funds...and can be paid for with sales tax revenue (like Better Jax)

The general City budget is primarily for operations, which comes from different revenue sources.

Also remember that JTA is a state agency, not City

My point is the city whether funded or not,, JTA,, neither is thinking of fishing or implementing any of these ideas floating around on here. Better jax did all thoses project get completed? I think not, but taxes were raised for that purpose. So where is that money?

[thelakelander]

Crime is already here and getting worst!! Now if the mayor or some other mayor than this one we have had better vision and a real plan instead of whats going to be cut if this doesnt happen. Yeah if rasing taxes means a better Jackosinville than I'm for it,, but in this case it really means more money for them to waste. Fix it now,, whats being fix,, you mean maintaining the blight we already have. Fix it now means a new Mayor with strong leadership in coucil members, we have neither.

This is really directed to the city, in general.  We have our problems but it can get worse.  Meet Detroit (outside of downtown, which now happens to be more vibrant than ours).















Think Park View Inn times 1 million in 1/5 the land area.  Its critical that this administration find a way to enhance the quality of this city.  We're already losing the economic battle with many of our peer cities.  A city that does not find a way to move forward regresses.  Cutting services and maintaining the status quo should not be the only options on the table.

[tufsu1]

Better jax did all thoses project get completed? I think not, but taxes were raised for that purpose. So where is that money?

Many Better Jax projects have been completed....others are under construction....in case you didn't realize, the $ is to be collected over approx. 15 years...and obviously sales tax revenues have been down the last few years, so it would make sense if a few projects didn't get done on-time.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Done in time or done at all, guess we will have to wait to see in case you didnt realize.

[Ocklawaha]

Jacksonville, is your station ready?

Streetcars and Skyway are transit capital projects....they get funded through a combination of federal, state, and local funds...and can be paid for with sales tax revenue (like Better Jax)

The general City budget is primarily for operations, which comes from different revenue sources.

Also remember that JTA is a state agency, not City

TUFSU1 You are right, the "normal" way is as you stated it, but these are NOT normal times.

Streetcars could be built and FINISHED in a phase one (roughly 5-7 miles) project with 100% local money from the BJP funding for Right-of-Way. This would avoid the minefield of the FTA rules, and allow us to be up and running in stellar time. It would only take a change in wording in the BJP to make it happen.

I'm going to be talking with JTA soon and frankly if we had plans ready to build, we could now get 100% of the build out money with ZERO MATCH, for the Skyway. The president and FTA have said they will fund these at 100% if they're shovel ready.

The Neutral access is needed for the Port and Free Trade Zone in order to continue to grow the port into a world contender, it can go through the normal channels but as it is freight/port/air/rail/highway related it has many more options for funding. The Amtrak project is coming ready or not, and we better be ready or Titusville will be the big dog. But the Station changes and Amtrak can "get funded through a combination of federal, state, and local funds...and can be paid for with sales tax revenue (like Better Jax)."  

We would thus complete all four transit related projects and the Port/Airport (Free Trade Zone)/North Commuter Rail link, and be in the envious position of having the most accessable port, airport, downtown, and most balanced transit system in the South. Good thing is we CAN do it now or continue to lack the will to lead, I say, let's do it.


Jacksonville, your train is coming FAST!

KEITH or anyone else that doesn't think JTA is onboard with these ideas check this out:
http://www.jtaonthemove.com/RTS/showPage.aspx?Sel=38  Commuter Rail
http://www.jtaonthemove.com/RTS/showPage.aspx?Sel=40  Station
http://www.jtaonthemove.com/RTS/showPage.aspx?Sel=195 Streetcars

The Skyway simply needs a plan in hand, something we already had at one time.

OCKLAWAHA

[mtraininjax]

Why not lower property values?  As was alluded to, property assessments are performed by the county property appraiser.  It is not appropriate for the mayor to interfere in the assessment process or direct the setting of property values -- particularly to affect revenue to be ultimately received by the city.  (Can you imagine the skulduggery that could result..."Hey, hike up Joe's property values, his great uncle just died and he can afford it...and besides the government needs more money.")  Property owners who disagree with their valuation can appeal to the Value Adjustment Board.

Adam, with all due respect, if the mayor wants to dig into my pocket for $115 more per year, he can go down and see the Property Appraiser who operates under the City umbrella. Fix the property appraisers office if you want my help. You failed to address the issues of adding Foreclosure values to your value in the neighborhood. Banks operating in Jacksonville mandate foreclosures in their appraisals, have the mayors office change the PA's valuations as well. Help out the citizens, if you plan to raise the millage, at least level the playing field for our homes.

Good idea to hold VAB objections at the Prime, this year, you better get used to a MAJOR decrease in property values, South Florida recently lost 5 BILLION in value. I am going to have fun with Mr. Overton's office this fall, but that can all be avoided if the mayor helps us.

[mtraininjax]

Ock - Where does Amtrak belong in this conversation? You want to discuss Amtrak, send Adam an email directly. Come on, really?

Keith - We all want rail to run right to our door for easy drop off and pick up. however, we all know the City, State and Feds are challenged to deliver. Most people want rail, but no one, like Art Graham likes to say, can DELIVER THE DATA, on why we need so much commuter rail in Duval County and no one has accurate data on costs.

Rail does not really belong on this thread. This is about the Mayor, Adam and the fact that they claim they need money, but no one has shown the DATA to us. Today its 60 million shortfall, next month it will be 70 million, by end of summer, we are up to 150 million.

[Keith-N-Jax]

Its just not $115 its based on the value of your home. I just saw a tax table on WJXT. If your home value is between 300 to 400 thou its $428.dollars and up and up based on the vaule. Guess he forgot to mention that in the speech.

[tufsu1]

Keith - We all want rail to run right to our door for easy drop off and pick up. however, we all know the City, State and Feds are challenged to deliver. Most people want rail, but no one, like Art Graham likes to say, can DELIVER THE DATA, on why we need so much commuter rail in Duval County and no one has accurate data on costs.

not to change the thread topic, but there's not much data supporting some of our highest priority road projects either....SR 9B is not necessary (since they plan to widen I-95 and SR 9A anyway)...and what about the Northern Outer Beltway...it seems to me that upgarding US 301 would do the same thing.

The fact is we often build roads as a way of spurring development (good or bad)...so why does transit have to meet a different standard?

[Ocklawaha]

Ock - Where does Amtrak belong in this conversation? You want to discuss Amtrak, send Adam an email directly. Come on, really?

Keith - We all want rail to run right to our door for easy drop off and pick up. however, we all know the City, State and Feds are challenged to deliver. Most people want rail, but no one, like Art Graham likes to say, can DELIVER THE DATA, on why we need so much commuter rail in Duval County and no one has accurate data on costs.

Rail does not really belong on this thread. This is about the Mayor, Adam and the fact that they claim they need money, but no one has shown the DATA to us. Today its 60 million shortfall, next month it will be 70 million, by end of summer, we are up to 150 million.

Is this MTrains vision of downtown? No taxes, no services, no problem...


This is my vision of downtown, your welcome to get onboard if you want growth...

My, My, My testy little negative friend. Rail belongs to this thread as TUFSU1 has just pointed out. We have an on coming train, and it is moving with all the speed Washington can give it. We can play your game of denial and stick our heads in the sand (maybe it will just go away - we're too broke to welcome it) or we get proactive and find a way to add some funds in there to put us in charge. Thus we could crank up the development engine rail provides and start to see returns in the way of new businesses, new jobs, new residents, new offices, new factory's. Will it cost us anything? Sure, so does I-95 or JTB, but they don't give back to our economy like rail does. If you think this thread is only about dollars that go into some vague account, your missing the need to set our future priorities.

Your telling me to "go away" isn't going to get you much. Remember when driving around downtown in the evening, that headlight you see might be an on coming streetcar!

OCKLAWAHA

[mtraininjax]

Ock - Its raining outside, where's your umbrella, I want to test something...

[tufsu1]

mtrain....what would you like to test...the fact that SJTC was closed during the storm?

[mtraininjax]

Peyton said in an interview with Channel 12's Shannon Odgen, that in his first term he made the pledge of "not raising taxes", but in his second term "he made no such promises", so the fact that we are in his second term does not count.

Has this man ever heard of charachter?