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Permalink Reply by Kay Ragan Durden on January 24, 2011 at 5:31pm

Check out Mike Hogan, He's a good man and I am backing him all the way.

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Holder on January 25, 2011 at 1:23pm

Kay,

 

I hate to back anyone 'cause every time I get gung-ho about a candidate, they lose!  I think that we have joked about that in the past.

 

There is a candidate hob nob on the westside in February at First Coast Baptist Church. I have posted it on the events page.  Good time to get some on the fence voters out and give them a chance to hear the candidates.   Hope that you will come out.  They are going to have candidates from other races too.  Maybe you could bring a few of the ladies from church and get the word out to the churches for me?

 

Dawn

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Barry Lee Phillips on January 26, 2011 at 6:06am

Mike Hogan and Rick Mullaney are the only two candidates in the survey that had a response regarding public employee unions and pension plans.

Frankly, I think that public employee unions are unnecessary and should be decertified.  Readk about some of the obtuse comments made by Nelson Cuba during the recent negotiations with the city.  He acted like a recession did not exist and was not willing to concede anything.

Having dealt with union officials in the past, I know from experience they are obstructive by nature.  It's in their DNA.

We need a mayor that will be tough enough to take on unions and their escalating demands for more taxpayer money.

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Holder on January 26, 2011 at 8:39am

The next mayor had better have some fortitude because the bad times are not over.  There is no easy street on the horizon.

 

The next Mayor will inherit a city

 

with a budget deficit of about $60 million which is more than the $45 million that resulted in millage increases

 

with a housing crisis that has been on going since 2007 (at least)

 

with a Police and Firefighter Pension Fund (PFPF) is funded at less than 50%.

 

where the citizens of that city are on the hook for the shortfalls in all the pensions.

 

that has a crisis brewing with the court system where they are underfunded by the state and we will have to pick up the slack.

 

with a city council where too many say that the  city needs new "REVENUE STREAMS"

 

with a city council where too few practice economy and who reject unnecessary spending

 

where too many with influence are of the opinion that we have been doing things " on the cheap" and now we need to spend some real money

 

where it is not unheard of spending over a million dollars to find out that something isn't going to work (Jacksonville Journey's Out of School Suspension program-FAILURE and $1.5 million spent per Ex Officio's letter to Times Union)

 

who's downtown is still declining despite the years (1997- JEDC) and millions spent to "revitalize"

 

 that Forbes listed as the 9th worst job market in the United States for it's  size

 

who's pension system is listed as number 6 for default on their pensions (businessinsiders.com article)

 

who's pension system is projected to  default in 2020 - 9 years from now (businessinsiders.com article)

 

 The list goes on and on!

 

Something needs to be done or we are looking at Chapter Nine bankruptcy in our future.

 

  The Unions have to give some.  Many of his "brothers" in Camden, NJ are out of jobs (almost half the city employees are to be laid off).   Maybe he should take a reality check and realize that the time is coming when Jacksonville will have that same choice.  

 

Taxation and a welfare state were major factors in the decline of Rome.  These same things are bringing down the United Kingdom - once the Empire on which the sun never set.

 

The New Bold City of the South becoming the  DETROIT OF THE SOUTH.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Ragan Durden on January 28, 2011 at 3:24am

Hey Dawn, we have been in Alabama and just got back.  Love what you said,  You always tell it like it is.  I am still backing Mike Hogan, can't believe he filled out that form, have you seen how long it is.  He's a good man and heavens knows we need good men to stand up and do the right thing.  Can't wait to see how many do fill out the form.  Take care, K

Dawn Holder said:

Kay,

 

I hate to back anyone 'cause every time I get gung-ho about a candidate, they lose!  I think that we have joked about that in the past.

 

There is a candidate hob nob on the westside in February at First Coast Baptist Church. I have posted it on the events page.  Good time to get some on the fence voters out and give them a chance to hear the candidates.   Hope that you will come out.  They are going to have candidates from other races too.  Maybe you could bring a few of the ladies from church and get the word out to the churches for me?

 

Dawn

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Roma and Tom Cox on January 28, 2011 at 9:03am

You are awesome Dawn...thank you

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Holder on February 9, 2011 at 8:29am

Mr. Hollis:

 

A little birdie told me that you were out knocking on doors for Mullaney?

 

I have not officially chosen a candidate but I have some issues with Mullaney.  Here goes my list - mind you I suspect that it is not as complete as it will be when I am done with all my research.

 

Mullaney was:

 

1.  Part of the Delaney administration

2.  He was counsel for the Delaney administration when they agreed to the Better Jacksonville Plan

3.  The BJP (see 2) was underfunded

4.  the BJP has lost cases on eminent domain and has cost us a fortune in settlements (American Legion, Bahri cases come to mind)

5.  the BJP included the courthouse and the never ending cost increases included in that disaster

6.  the shipyard contract was under Delaney and the contract was so poorly written that it provided NO protection for the taxpayer when the developer filed bankruptcy - we lost a small fortune and the site is STILL not developed.

7.  The pension deal that expanded the participation of the city's employee pension program was introduced and approved during his tenure - which benefited him

 

I have not started my research on the candidates.  I don't have a sticker on my car -my husband has one on his car but I didn't put there - and we don't always vote for the same guy.

 

Mullaney has proven that he can negotiate a great deal for the other guy, and he has left the taxpayer holding the bag too many times.   The final decision was not his but if the guy really had an issue with any of the items on the list, he should have demonstrated some principal and resigned in protest.  Instead, he just kept getting paid as Counsel.  His actions speak louder than his words.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Lee Phillips on February 9, 2011 at 3:58pm

I would be hesitant to vote for a lawyer since most of them have no real world administrative experience.  When I voted for Peyton, I thought he would bring administrative experience to the table.  He did, but he also starting spending taxpayer money like there was no tomorrow!  I became thoroughly disgusted with him.

 

The next mayor must approach the budget with a hard-nosed attitude and use an ax instead of a paring knife on the budget.  Miniscule improvements in unemployment figures do not mean the recession is over.  It is still here and it is still hurting a lot of people.  It may take another year or two for the economy to sort itself out.  What we don't need is increased spending for any new city project in Jacksonville.

 

 

Dawn Holder said:

Mr. Hollis:

 

A little birdie told me that you were out knocking on doors for Mullaney?

 

I have not officially chosen a candidate but I have some issues with Mullaney.  Here goes my list - mind you I suspect that it is not as complete as it will be when I am done with all my research.

 

Mullaney was:

 

1.  Part of the Delaney administration

2.  He was counsel for the Delaney administration when they agreed to the Better Jacksonville Plan

3.  The BJP (see 2) was underfunded

4.  the BJP has lost cases on eminent domain and has cost us a fortune in settlements (American Legion, Bahri cases come to mind)

5.  the BJP included the courthouse and the never ending cost increases included in that disaster

6.  the shipyard contract was under Delaney and the contract was so poorly written that it provided NO protection for the taxpayer when the developer filed bankruptcy - we lost a small fortune and the site is STILL not developed.

7.  The pension deal that expanded the participation of the city's employee pension program was introduced and approved during his tenure - which benefited him

 

I have not started my research on the candidates.  I don't have a sticker on my car -my husband has one on his car but I didn't put there - and we don't always vote for the same guy.

 

Mullaney has proven that he can negotiate a great deal for the other guy, and he has left the taxpayer holding the bag too many times.   The final decision was not his but if the guy really had an issue with any of the items on the list, he should have demonstrated some principal and resigned in protest.  Instead, he just kept getting paid as Counsel.  His actions speak louder than his words.

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