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Everbank and Corporate Welfare
Our outgoing Mayor has proposed to the tune of over $6 million of our tax dollars that we the taxpayers buy Everbank's relocation of 800 employees to one of Downtown's vacant highrises. The funds of which $2.75 million goes directly into Everbank's hands to pay for quote "leasing costs" come from JEDC. When JEDC was founded, (1996 I believe) it was specifically stated that these funds would not be used to attract companies to relocate from one section of Jacksonville to another. I work specifically in this arena, I represent tenants looking for office space and I represent building owners and their space and I have never heard of a City doing something like this for an existing tenant . Everbank will come from the I-95/Butler Corridor to Downtown Jacksonville at the expense of their landlord in the suburbs. Would Everbank do this without the money, who knows? They certainly have enough money of their own to do this without this handout.
Another $3.25 million dollars is to build a parking garage so Everbank can park presumably for free. Is this Toney Sleiman's garage? It is not, it is another concession to Everbank. Who will this benefit? Of course Everbank, but who else? First Coast News interviewed a hot dog vendor who said (I paraphrase) "it will be good for my business but I don't think taxpayer dollars should be used." This is a private business deal between landlord and a potential new tenant, no interference is necessary from Government and the Government is damaging the existing landlord by putting this "backroom" deal together.
We invite you to join our discussion on this subject already in progress on "Just Speak Up" heard Mon.-Fri. on AM600 WBOB at 12 o'clock Noon. Any of our Councilmen who are listening are invited to participate in the discussion also, that number is 904-854-1320. Please get involved on this one, let's hold the outgoing Mayor responsible and pray our City Councilmen will make the right decision.
Fiunally JEDC takes up this subject for the first time on June 9th at Jacksonville's City Hall Suite 400 at 9 AM. I'll be there will you?
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Comment
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Comment by CJ on June 20, 2011 at 1:42pm
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An article just showed up on Jax .com
City Council Rules Committee rejects JTA land transfer; meeting adjourns due to dispute
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Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 20, 2011 at 1:21pm
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It's true CJ. Several got up and walked out and Lee looked around and still had 4 and said it was a quorum, so then, one more left so she didn't have a quorum. She spouted off on these were the people that we had put in charge now (nasty), and after sputtering a little, she ajourned. Someone said point of order when she refused to acknowledge the person who wished to speak but she was adament they would move off the RTC and on to the next bill. Many wanted to defer the RTC bill and she was having no part of it at all cause the "mayor" wants it before the council on Tuesday and it had to leave committee. She forced a vote which was 4 against and 1 for (Lee was the 1 vote for). Clay Y said it didn't matter what the mayor wanted, it was up to the council to make the decision that was best for the city. John C said the bill was too complex not to get further vetting........and oh boy do I agree with him! I also agreed with Clay Y as he is right on the mark. We have a representative government and the is no leadership branch. The mayor does only what the city council allows him to do period (they are the representatives of the people and will be left holding the bag for passing all these bills that will only be half vetted).
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June 10, 2011
11:00 a.m.
Meeting Minutes for 6/8/11
Personnel
TOPIC: Noticed meeting with Council President-Elect Stephen Joost, Council Vice President-Elect Bill Bishop, Council Member Richard Clark, Council Member Warren Jones, and Deputy General Counsel Steve Rohan.
Location: Conference Room A
Time: Approximately 1:30 p.m. (immediately following the Shade Meeting scheduled for 1 p.m.)
In Attendance: Council Members Stephen Joost, Bill Bishop, Richard Clark, Warren Jones, Don Redman, John Crescimbeni, Michael Corrigan, Doyle Carter, Ray Holt, Dr. Johnny Gaffney; Council Members-Elect Jim Love, and Lori Boyer; Council Secretary/Director Cheryl Brown; ECAs Celeste Hicks, Connie Holt, Suzanne Warren, BeLinda Peeples, Rupal Wells, Bridgette Green, Scott Wilson, Debbie Delgado, Alison Miller, Rebekah Adams, Stan Johnson, Dianne Smith, Mina Hosseini, and Sonia Johnson; Council Staff Members Jeff Clements, Kristi Sikes, Laura Dyer, and Rachel Welsh; Deputy General Counsel Steve Rohan; Council Auditor Kirk Sherman, Assistant Council Auditor Janice Billy; Mayor’s Policy Director Sherry Hall
Meeting convened: 1:48 p.m.
Council Member Stephen Joost welcomed everyone to the meeting. He stated that the Council is changing and we are welcoming new council members. Only Council Member Crescimbeni hasn’t hired an ECA. CM Joost is hoping the Council can come up with a plan where the ECAs are shared and work out a back up plan. He is hoping to eliminate at least 3 ECA positions. The Council currently has 3 non-ECA vacancies that aren’t being filled. That would reflect a 6% cut and a total of 6 positions. The City is looking at a 60 million dollar deficit and our Council budget is over 9 million. Our new mayor is promoting no new taxes. If City Council wants to maintain its credibility, we must do something, even if moderate and incremental. He stated that each council member can now by law hire their own aide. If changes are made, maybe the At-Large could share their members and Director Brown could be in charge of assignments.
Council Member Bill Bishop stated why don’t we take it one step further and take a wholesale look at the structure of the entire department including each position. We have to take a long term approach and see if there is a better way to operate with fewer people.
Council Member Ray Holt said that perhaps there were other areas in our budget to save money instead such as Channel 7’s $157,000 fee for broadcasting the City Council meeting.
Council Member Warren Jones stated that 13 of the 14 districts need their own ECA. He said the beaches council member doesn’t have to respond in the same way because most of the residents of that district are also residents of the Beaches cities and call there for most services. He is concerned that the process wasn’t started earlier in the year because incoming council members have committed to hire an aide and some of them have already resigned from their current jobs. He stated that maybe the starting salary of the new ECAs should be lowered to promote a savings.
Council Member Doyle Carter stated that he has never started at the top of the scale with his ECAs and had been wrongly accused of that. He said we should lead by example and be fiscally responsible.
Director Brown asked if the Council Auditors should be part of our budget discussion and the answer was yes. She stated the 3 vacancies are because of our organizational efficiencies.
Council Member Johnny Gaffney asked if we are cutting by percentage or position. Why can’t we find the money somewhere else to preserve the positions?
Council Member Joost stated that we need to cut our budget and find efficiency within our department. In August departments will be making cuts. We have to take a little pain for credibility in the community.
Council Member Bishop stated that it is the right thing to do and that we owe the taxpayers. If we don’t do something now, when?
Director Brown stated that she could pull out the VAB budget which is around $1 million and the WJCT budget of $157,000 and bring those items for discussion.
Council Member Crescimbeni stated he probably wouldn’t ask for ECA assistance. He asked if legislation would be necessary. He said attrition would be a help—as an ECA leaves, that council member could partner up at that point.
Council Member Jones asked Deputy General Counsel Steve Rohan if the Sunshine Law would be a concern when sharing aides. Mr. Rohan replied that it would not as long as everyone follows our current law and ECAs do not convey positions on issues between council members. He stated he wasn’t filing any legislation at this point.
Council Member Richard Clark stated that this is not just an ECA issue. We have 81 people on our staff. We need to look at everything and how we do it.
Council Member Bishop requested that Director Brown furnish an organization chart of the entire department outlining each function.
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Finance is the only agenda that wont open I get all the others no problem. I just wanted to look it over as of today to see if the "bus Terminal bill" was on it .
Hey I just heard Committee members from the Rules Committee got up and left the meeting because the Chair would not allow for them to speak. Can you imagine?
Im going to post the minutes from the last Ad Hoc Budget committee. A little long but full of selfishness and no sacrifice
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Comment by JL Gawlik on June 20, 2011 at 12:29pm
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CJ, try another browser, what are you trying access?
Here is Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee Agendas:
http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/FinanceList.asp
Is that it?
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Im still getting this when I try to see the Finance agenda and some of the bills
Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to citycirc.coj.net
Suggestions:
- Go to coj.net
- Try reloading: citycirc.coj.net/coj/FinanceList.asp
Is anyone else having this problem of gaining access to COJ information?
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Comment by Charles D White on June 20, 2011 at 8:43am
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It is almost mind boggling to think of all the bills being forced- it is exactly what Obama did to us with the Pelosi Congress. Believe me I take what everyone posts and I use it on air- I don't know where any of this is going to end up but I know we are all going to get alot of information to go forward with, wish I could be at Rules but it is too lenghty for me!
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CJ, I am so sorry, I messed up. It is Rules on Monday at 10 AM and Finance on Tuesday at 10 AM and special council meeting on Tuesday at 1 PM. They are doing tons at the Rules committee in the am and Lee is chair and this committee takes it time on stuff..............zzzzzz
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I cant get in to the finance comm. agenda, can you?
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Ms Mc Bride I can get in to the Finance Comm. agenda, can you?
I got in to the Rules agenda ok but keep getting this for finance
Oops! Google Chrome could not connect to citycirc.coj.net
Makes me wonder what they are up too
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