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 by JL Gawlik on June 27, 2011 at 2:26pm
CJ, bill 2011-361 isn't on tomorrow's agenda, or did i miss something?
Comment by JL Gawlik on June 27, 2011 at 2:24pm
That is creepy and disingenuous, now i can see another reason he got voted out. He is everything that the public does not need or want as a elected representatives.
Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 27, 2011 at 1:54pm
JL, click on the bill number and then, play with it til you get the bill up.  NOthing in there says you can't speak every time.  The bill says you can't transfer your time to someone else and limits you to 3 minutes and says public comments can't be taken before 6 PM.  Look and see.......  They are just letting us know whose in charge :)./  Probably you can thank Jack for this since I think the council pres gets to decide these things................bye bye jackie
Comment by JL Gawlik on June 27, 2011 at 1:43pm

Can someone explain this to me found at the bottom of:

http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/CurrentYear/Council/85-June-28-11-AGEND...

 

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC –

 

Pursuant to Ordinance 2009-895-E (b)

 

“No member of the public that has spoken at the first period public comments shall be allowed to speak

at the second period of public comments”.

 

Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 27, 2011 at 12:40pm

Connie,

You bet they are passing this stuff by general council.  I think I should have sent a few other things I posted and have that I sent you and ask them how they can do this when this says something totally different...................and I don't think they should be interpreting the law......just abiding by it!

Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 27, 2011 at 12:32pm
The Honorable John C. Crescimbeni is about the only city council person who replies to everyone.  I also have had responses from him and so has Connie.  He is an absolute stand up man and you know he is just as upset as we are cause he isn't able to stop the frieght train all by himself even with a few others taking the same stance.  Truly sad that Peyton may be able to sc---w the city one more time before (thank goodness) leaving office!  There must be money in this somewhere for Peyton industries!
Comment by JL Gawlik on June 27, 2011 at 12:13pm

My letter to ALL members of City Council on June 20, 2011:

 

Re: Pending bills and pensions in last minute lame duck session with City Council of Jacksonville, Florida

Many citizens of Jacksonville that are family, friends and live in my neighborhood would like these following questions answered:

§                     What is the rush on some of these bills?  When you rush something through, isn’t it obvious that YOU will make a mistake somewhere that can later bite us and You?

§                     Why would you hold meetings in the middle of the day that makes it almost impossible for the citizens to attend?

§                     Why are you giving JTA land?   Who approved a new Regional Transportation Center?  Was this done behind the scenes and not in the Sunshine?   Bill 2011-0361 JTA Give Away Bill

§                      Do you believe the citizens are going to be happy funding a deal for a BANK to move when we are pinching pennies and trying to pay our bills?  Bills 2011-365, 2011-366, 2011-367, 2011-368, 2011-369 Check the many bills associated with the EverBank deal

§                     The Pension issue is the largest financial issue facing our city.  Why was legislation put on the table on 6/14/11 that is being fast-tracked?  Will you have time to be fully informed about the largest issue facing our city before you have to vote on it?  Bills 2011-377, 2011-378, 2011-379, 2011-400 Four Pension bills just introduced last week

§                     Do you think the citizens watching this unfold would have reason to believe this fast and furious approach to running our city lacks transparency?

§                     Do you believe a Lame Duck Mayor and City Council should hold off on big issues like these and let the new Administration make those decisions?

§                     Will you Vote NO on all these bills and let the new Administration and City Council handle them in a thoughtful and transparent way?  If you vote Yes for these bills – what do you think we should do, if you were us?

It is really disheartening to watch our elected representatives behave so irresponsible. It was very disappointing to see this same group water down the Ethic Commission that took over two years to study and set up to make sure our elected representatives were going by our Sunshine laws and being truthful, honorable Stewards of our tax dollars.

Our schools are in a mess, millions and millions of dollars are being misappropriated and wasted. Our city should not be providing corporate welfare to banks, companies, etc.. 

We can see now that many elected representatives have been very disingenuous with the citizens of Duval County.

Most Sincerely,

****************

Only ONE City Council member replied back and IT was NOT my representative Jack Webb:

 

Thank you for your email.

 

I agree!  All the last minute and complex legislation introduced by the mayor (which includes the pension bills) should be reviewed carefully, not on his hurried timetable to get approved before he leaves office.  I consider it a disservice to the taxpayers to rush everything through at the last minute and suspect mistakes and uninformed decisions will result from the expedited process.

 

Although I may vote “no” on many of these matters, I suspect they will all be addressed tomorrow night and therefore disposed of so that the new administration will not be able to weigh in on them.


John R. Crescimbeni

 

Comment by CJ on June 27, 2011 at 12:13pm

Ms. McBride I just got this from Gen Council

The Council Member’s request had gone to me while I was out; we don’t read it the same way but are researching the issue.  The Council was timely in sending it.

 

There are trying to interpret the law differently to fit the needs of 361 and many other Bills.

Need to write to the IG and AG

Comment by Patricia M. McBride on June 27, 2011 at 11:48am

You rock Connie!   Great job.

 

I think tomorrow night will be very interesting.  I thought I might be able to go to the meeting today, but as it turns out I had to do something for Donald and here we are now close to 1 and I can't watch this one on line.  How much more that can be done at committee meetings is questionable right now with the council meeting tomorrow night. 

 

Comment by Jim Ryan on June 27, 2011 at 9:38am

P McBride.  This is the type of things I reference to when I suggest recruiting outside types of concerned groups and individuals.  This is a sampling of one such comment response source which involves a Keith Olberman and his past association and now dismissal  with and from the NY Yankees.

Go to the Yahoo site and vote on some of the comments.  If you were to reflect on the voting of thumbs up to thumbs down you would never have believed that the ratings KO  drew
while on tv were so pathetically low.
  This is the crowd of "workers" paid by certain groups so that subsequent studies and reporting can suggest and be reported as "fact" that the views associated are objective when it is advantageous to do so by the MSM.
   Happy Birthday to John Paparelli !!!!!!   The incomparable  one of a kind
"Sons of the American Legion" member Post 233 and Post 2 and die hard Yankee fan.

Matthew Pouliot  Jun 26, 2011, 6:41 PM EDT

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