Comment

Comment by JL Gawlik on June 4, 2011 at 12:44pm

Is there any honor or honesty left anywhere? Jeez, it seems like the Sunshine law would shine a bright light on all of this. What can citizens do. This really ticks me off. That big businesses use tax payer's money in such a sneaky way. We need to shine a huge light on this one. Surely Hogan sees what is going on.

Comment by J.R. on June 4, 2011 at 12:22pm

Chuck, are there any outstanding loans on those properties at present? The mortgages should be listed in the filed and recorded Duval County public records, as well as any and all satisfactions of those mortgages.

Is that the current tenants at the AT&T building now directly paying the property taxes, for owners of a property are the ones legally required to pay the property taxes on a property. County filed and recorded records would show exactly who pays the taxes. If, it's written into current leases, that's just a payment to the landlord, not the County, and it would be an indirect payment. That appears to be another facit of the proposed scam, collecting property taxes indirectly. It's my understanding that only the county can collect taxes. Those owners are just passing on the cost of those taxes, and the tenants are subsidizing them.

So, it appears there are three primary beneficiaries of this proposed scam, Everbank, El-Ad, and Parador,LLC, as well as many indirect ones. If this passes, the taxpayers should recall anyone and everyone who had a part in it. Recalls are possible in Duval County because it is a Charter County, which many counties in Florida are not. That means that voters can do a recall, even if it's not in the Duval County Charter itself.

How much did Rummell and his group contribute to Alvin Brown, Audrey Moran and Jack Webb? Alvin Brown would have had to be hiding out on another planet not to have known this... in my opinion. And, why in the world should the taxpayers of Duval County have to pay for properties the County would not even hold title to? Why this huge gift to El-Ad and Parador, LLC, courtesy of Duval County taxpayers?

Sounds to me like a pre-election, planned conspiracy to defraud the taxpayers.

Comment by Charles D White on June 4, 2011 at 11:49am

I have some answers but not all- El-Ad would till hold title of the building and as it's written Parador LLC would hold title to the garage. The tenants of the AT&T building pay property taxes, it's included in their monthly rental fee. Presumably taxes on the garage would be paid by the owner and we don't know the fee structure for the newly created parking spaces. As far as companies benefitting from construction or the moving costs, of course their are some local vendors that would get paid and those companies are typically not known until after lease contracts are signed. It is unknown as to whether Alvin Brown knew anything about this, but a deal of this size and magnitude has been in negotiations for months so there is no doubt RINO's/Chamber Jax Biz endorsements hinged on candidates endorsements of support of downtown revitalizalation and it does smell. Rummell's group ,The Jacksonville Civic Group is behind this and they are behind Alvin Brown!

Comment by J.R. on June 4, 2011 at 11:10am

Chuck, more questions:

Did any principals in Parador, LLC, El Ad Properties, and Everbank contribute to Jack Webb's, Greg Anderson's, or any of the turncoat RINO's campaigns? The principals, including officers, registering agents, and Board of Directors members' names, of the three companies should be on file with the Florida Department of State and on their home office websites.

Parent corporations are often in other states, or even foreign countries, with a front corporation listed on the filings for their corporation's operations in the various U.S. states. It is done that way apparently to shield large parent corporations, including foreign ones, from liability.

The names of individuals or entities who contributed to the various campaigns should be on the Supervisor of Elections website. Whether a candidate included cash donations on their list is anybody's guess.

Comment by J.R. on June 4, 2011 at 10:45am

A few questions, Chuck:
Who would hold the title to the property and existing building as a result of this deal? And who would hold the title to the property and new parking garage? Who would pay the taxes on both?

And what company would benefit from being the entity that constructs the parking garage? Or does renovations to the building? Or from moving the Everbank operation downtown?

And, did Alvin Brown have any pre-election connection to this, seeing as how turncoat RINO potentates threw their support and money behind him? I have a gut level feeling there are more than a few dirty hands in the stew on this one and find it strange that it came out so close on the heels of the election. Looks like more than just testing the water, to me.

Comment by Charles D White on June 4, 2011 at 10:23am

The property is known as the AT&T Tower at 301 W.Bay Street. The garage is just to the East at the Southeast corner of Bay and Hogan. The garage costs $3.5 million and there are 500 spaces, 300 for Everbank presumably  free and 200 shortterm spaces to the benfit of the private LLC ,Parador LLC. The $2.75 million payment directly to Everbank is for "leasing costs". These costs will include Everbank's moving costs and maybe renovations, they can use this for whatever they want. This is not done in this type of  commercial real estate lease transaction. I have brought this to Ron Barton's attention (Ron is head of JEDC), and you are right there will be more to follow. The owner of the building is an Israeli firm called El-Ad  Properties.

Comment by J.R. on June 4, 2011 at 10:02am

Chuck, what is the address of the particular property downtown that would be subsidized by taxpayers for the benefit of Everbank and who owns it and wants to get rid of it? And does that pricetag include renovations? Also, what is the address of the property that would be subsidized by taxpayers for the parking garage and who owns it and wants to get rid of it, and at what price? And, what, specifically, entitles a private business to be able to fork over its costs to taxpayers through the county government? What do we taxpayers get out of it other than the bill?

If the county gets into the subsidizing of businesses, what potentates' friends' businesses will be subsidized by taxpayers next? Seems to me, you'd see a long line of businesses running to the publiic trough with their hands out.

Maybe some folks bank accounts and freezers need to be checked to see if there are any big deposits or frozen dollars mysteriously appearing.

Oh, and by the way, who were the contributors to Greg Anderson's campaign and did Everbank contribute to it, seeing as how they stood to gain from having a "friend" on the City Council?

All of this emits a fetid aroma and needs to be investigated. In other words, it STINKS! And, I smell some RATS!

Comment by Charles D White on June 4, 2011 at 8:50am

This is Colleen on Chuck'scomputer.

I agree with all of you and appreciate the fact that yiou care.

I agree with JR and have concerns about Greg Anderson.

Why do you think he ran?

Who do you think put him up to running? Everbank?

If you remember from our interview on the air, he is NOT from Jacksonville.

He moved back to Jacksonville roughly four years ago and had lived her previously.

Any additional millage rates may even be in his bonus package for obtaining the city counsel seat.

Yes I am concerned.

Comment by Ed V on June 3, 2011 at 6:25pm

This is a total lame duck tactic. Payton is manipulating our cities funds for his friends and special interest. He already did an injustice for the incoming Mayor Elect Alvin Brown with regards to the Police and Firefighters pension contract.  Robert Hutcherson  was given a question during a Mayoral debate regarding this issue. Hutch's response was that the current seated Mayor, that being Mayor Payton, had the responsability to settle this issue before he left office. But like we knew deep down, Payton pawned it off to the incoming elected Mayor and negating his duties as Mayor. Therefore, any last minute decisions Payton makes should be stricken down by City Council members that have no interest in Everbank's sweetheart deals. 

With regards to Audry Moran, she wanted to weasel her way into the mayors office anyway she could. How do you think Alvin Brown won. She sent her supporters to the other side... Audry Moran is equivalent to a Nancy Pelosi. Any money she'll say "vote it in so you can see what's in it"...   

Comment by Chuck Morrison on June 3, 2011 at 5:18pm

This is an obvious insider-deal fraud - why not use the money (a surplus??) to bring in new industry with new jobs so more of the unemployed will have a chance to work instead of drawing unemployment payments??  They may not mind working downtown if they haven't worked for a long time.

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