Be sure to read the last paragraph and understand, they do not get it (not even a little bit and think between now and March, we will forget).

Observers impressed with how he handled contentious meeting.

DON BURK/The Times-Union

City Council president Jack Webb listens to residents who speak up against raising tax rates to balance the budget during the Sept. 28 meeting.

Posted: October 6, 2010 - 12:00am

Shortly after the Jacksonville City Council approved an 8 percent property tax rate increase, members of the public were given one last chance to say their peace.

This final public comment period would end a marathon and often contentious budget meeting. Council President Jack Webb braced for criticism, because hundreds of people had packed the council chambers the night prior to demand the council not raise their taxes and vowed to vote out members who did.

Instead, Webb was pleasantly shocked.

One man, a disabled veteran who had sat through the entire 15-hour meeting spread over two days, said he was proud of the leadership the council had shown, even if the end result isn't what he had hoped for.

"I almost choked up," Webb recalled days later. "He basically said, 'You guys did us proud. I don't agree with you, but God bless you guys.' "

Even people who most vocally disagreed with the tax-rate hike, which Webb supported, have noted how he handled the overall budget process and the stressful, sometimes emotional meeting that began Sept. 28 and didn't end until the following afternoon.

Mayor John Peyton said the tone Webb set throughout this year's budget debate should garner respect from colleagues and others.

"He earned his wings ... ," the mayor said. "I think he's going to have an extraordinarily successful year. Any doubt that anyone had about Jack's leadership has been put to rest."

Finance Committee Chairman Warren Jones agreed.

"I've been surprised. I was one of those 'doubting Thomases' there for a while," Jones said, referencing the Bible story about the skeptical disciple. "He has really shown some very good leadership throughout this budgetary process."

About four months ago, some colleagues had questioned Webb's ability to lead, saying past missteps - mainly taking on Republic Services and JTA as clients in his private law practice without disclosing the relationships publicly - made him unfit to take over what is considered the second most powerful position in city government.

A last-minute coup attempt nearly stole the presidency from Webb, a position he won by only one vote.

About a month after the election, news of outstanding IRS liens on Webb's home raised new questions about his financial acumen. Even though he paid the fees quickly and explained that the tax debt was a government mistake, questions remained whether he was the right leader for what was sure to be a difficult budget process.

Webb was defiant all along, insisting he had the necessary brains and the political muscle. The Republican also was used to being somewhat of an outsider, having won his Mandarin seat without support from the GOP establishment.

"I love the intellectual challenge. I love the emotional challenge," he said. "I love the opportunity to build consensus. I love a good floor fight every once in a while."

Meeting set things in motion

By the time his one-year term as president began on July 1, Webb had already spent about eight months meeting with Peyton and other city leaders to discuss the budget process.

"Jack and I agreed very early in the process that we wanted to manage the budget very differently than last year," the mayor said. "We wanted it to be more interactive, we wanted it to be more transparent and we wanted it to be a longer process."

Webb also packed the council's powerful Finance Committee with some of the most experienced members. Five of seven members were former council presidents; another is a former state legislator. The mayor gave his budget proposal in July, and the committee spent the next two months reviewing the budget and looking for cuts.

Of the roughly $4 million in spending reductions that the council ultimately approved, all but $543,000 were proposed by Finance Committee members. And the committee's review process was without the widespread criticism that the council faced in 2009 after that year's committee cut funding for the Veterans Day parade and events for the elderly.

Until the council meeting on Sept. 28, this council's budget process had been relatively smooth and non-controversial. In a way, the marathon budget session became an unintended by-product.

The council members who were most opposed to the tax rate increase were not on the Finance Committee and kept their cost-cutting ideas to themselves until the meeting.

By that time, shopping center developer Toney Sleiman had helped finance television ads that, along with demonstrations by the First Coast Tea Party and Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, fueled a capacity crowd.

Webb laughed days later when asked about his game plan.

"Turn on the mechanical bull on high speed," he joked, "and just hang on."

Having faith

During the four-hour public hearing, there were several speakers who wanted more time to share their thoughts. Webb met with them in the council's private chambers so they could have their full say.

As the meeting began to stretch into the early-morning hours, and council members couldn't come to an agreement on a millage rate after several attempts, Webb said he almost became hyper-aware of his need to maintain control.

"Dear Lord, just give me the ability to stay on track," he silently prayed. "Don't lose my cool. Don't lose my focus."

The council eventually came to an agreement on the budget and the tax rate about 2 p.m. Wednesday. Webb was among the 10 of 18 members who voted in favor of the increase.

First Coast Tea Party leader Billie Tucker said Webb treated her group professionally, even as the two ended up on different sides of the budget issue.

"When the people were up there, he didn't come across as looking down his nose at anybody," Tucker said. "He was very respectful of the fact that these were the people that he represents."

Even Sleiman, who characterizes the budget vote as a win for the city and a loss for the people, applauded Webb for setting a professional tone.

"I don't think I could have handled it up there because I get too emotional," Sleiman said.

He remains a target

Webb still will face critics for his decision to support the tax rate increase. One of his Mandarin constituents, Jerry Dean, e-mailed Webb last week to say that he definitely will not get his vote in the spring election.

"I am an average middle-aged American," Dean said, "and I'm tired of them taking so much money from me."

University of North Florida political science professor Matt Corrigan said the council has approved rate hikes before, but generally all is forgotten by Election Day.

"I think there's enough time between now and March where some of that is going to go away," Corrigan said. "But I will say that we're in the most unpredictable political environment in my memory."

Webb said he senses that most of voters' frustration is toward their elected officials in Washington and Tallahassee, not Jacksonville. And yet he knows he is in political crosshairs.

"As far as being targeted, no one wants to be in that position," he said, "but sometimes it's simply not avoidable."

tia.mitchell@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4425

link: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-10-06/story/city-council-pr...