Pensacola Independent News

NEWS FEATURES | Vol. 8, No. 6, February 14, 2008
(The Urge to Merge)
E-mail this to a friend

Jim Rinaman's History of Jacksonville's Consolidation

Outline of the History of Consolidated Government
in Jacksonville, Florida

By James C. Rinaman Jr., Esquire
October 2007

I. CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENTS--FORM OR FUNCTION--HISTORY.

A. Consolidated governments have been created in relatively few American cities, including New Orleans 1805; Boston 1822; Philadelphia 1854; New York 1874; San Francisco 1880; Honolulu 1907; Baton Rouge 1949; Miami 1956; Nashville 1963; Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Jacksonville 1967; Indianapolis 1968; Carson City, Nevada and Juneau, Alaska 1970's, Columbus, Georgia; Lexington, Kentucky; and Oklahoma City, 1972. In 1998, Toronto was consolidated into a 350 square mile municipality of 2.5 million people, and in 2003 Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky was consolidated.

B. Among 135 attempts to create a consolidated government between 1921 and 1977, 22 passed and 113 failed, including Daytona Beach, Tampa, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Palm Beach in Florida, and Chattanooga, St. Louis, Des Moines, Memphis, Richmond, Raleigh/Durham, Knoxville, Albuquerque and Portland. (1949 Osceola County High School consolidation failed due to petty jealousies between St. Cloud and Kissimmee)

C. Florida's traditional local government forms. Until 1968, Florida cities and counties had only those powers specifically authorized by the Florida Legislature.

1. County--roads/courts and law enforcement/collect taxes for the state/county school districts.

2. Cities--broad municipal services (fire, police, water and sewer, streets, health, sanitation, recreation, etc.).

3. Special authorities, tax districts, and independent agencies--drainage districts, ports, bridges, utilities, etc. (Disney World/Reedy Creek Drainage District)

4. 1934-1957 constitutional amendments permit Dade, Monroe, Duval and Hillsborough to create varying forms of consolidated government with home rule (implemented in Metro Dade 1956, Jacksonville 1967).

5. 1968 Florida constitution provided for municipal home rule powers to municipalities, chartered counties, and consolidated governments; (all powers except those prohibited by the Legislature).

II. CREATION OF JACKSONVILLE'S CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT.

1932 South Jacksonville annexation increased Jacksonville to 31 square miles, population 135,000; Duval County 844 square miles, unincorporated population 135,000.

1934 Constitutional amendment allowing consolidated municipal government with home rule throughout the limits of Duval County.

1935 Consolidation referendum failed--C. Daughtry Towers (author of constitutional amendment), campaign chairman.

1950 Jacksonville population 204,000; Duval County unincorporated population 150,000

By 1965: Jacksonville population 196,000 (41.2% Black)

Duval County unincorporated population 330,000 ( 9.2% Black)

1956 Jacksonville Expressway Authority created--Fuller Warren and Mathews bridge built, expressway system begun ten years ahead of interstate highways and fifteen years ahead of other cities in Florida. (Congressional investigation of Ray and Tommy Green and Angus Hanstings)

1956/66 Mayor Haydon Burns: Bonds, Blitzers, and Birthdays--Prudential comes to Southbank, new courthouse, city hall, civic auditorium and coliseum built, decayed downtown docks replaced with parking lots. (Machine politics black ward leaders distributed multi color slate cards to black voters and paid them $1 to vote Many collected more than one slate.)

1959 Duval schools warned by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

1962 Duval County Tax Payers Association forms to increase funding for schools

1963 Duval County Taxpayers suit filed, Schuler v. Walters, "just" value equals fair market value (Pat Conroy vs. Charlie Towers). 71% of homes paid no taxes because assessed at $5,000 the amount of homestead exemption.

Port Authority created to replace city Department of Docks and Terminals. Given 1.5 mils property tax authority, approximately $500,000, in 1963; would be over $50 million today (Senator Jack Mathews).

1963/64 City annexation votes failed in county, 1963 proposed 67 square miles, 1964 proposed 72.7 square miles for Jacksonville).

1964 15 high schools discredited--School Boot Strap Committee (Chairman Nate Wilson/Cecil Hardesty new appointed school superintendent)

Florida Supreme Court affirms Judge William Durden's order requiring fair market value assessments--doubled tax roll--most home owners began to pay some property taxes for the first time in 1965.

Claude Yates Manifesto--Chamber group recommended governmental reforms and consolidation to legislative delegation (John E. Mathews and Fred Schultz)

1965 June: Local Government Study Commission created by legislature--50 members (no public officials) plus large advisory council (effective October 1, 1965--Chmn. J.J. Daniel, Executive Director Lex Hester--to report May 1, 1967--but reported in January, 1967 with a proposed charter)

1966 January: Haydon Burns becomes Florida Governor, campaigned on "Jacksonville story." (University Blvd./Bowden Road interchange/San Jose Blvd. median)

May 1966: grand jury impaneled by Judge Marion Gooding to review local government abuses. (State Senator, later Burns State Road Secretary, tells Southside Businessmens Club public officials get low pay and taking 5% to 10% off the top is traditional in Jacksonville)

November 1966: grand jury reports:

A. 11 Public Officials indicted/142 counts of bribery and larceny--4 of 9 city councilmen, 2 of 5 city commissioners, city auditor, executive secretary of city recreation department, 1 of 5 county commissioners, and county purchasing agent--city tax assessor took the Fifth Amendment, refused to testify, and resigned his office (U.S. microfilm) (Ray Green).

B. Grand jury presentment on local government:

1. Revise government structure to deny unlimited power and authority to a few political leaders.

2. Prevent city officials and their close business and political associates from using city employees and city contracts for their private and political purposes. Auto and equipment bought at retail, traded in at wholesale 1963 bidding law circumvented (specs for new fire chief car were for last years model Chrysler Imperial only one in existence was in the local Chrysler dealers warehouse).

3. Instill honesty and morality in the conduct of public affairs and restore confidence in our public officials.

4. State audit of city financial affairs.

5. Revamp personnel structure and eliminate political patronage jobs.

6. Strict enforcement of laws prohibiting participation by city employees in political activities. (Burns Blitzers)

7. Require removal of public officials or employees who take the Fifth Amendment on matters pertaining to public duties, and suspend them from office after indictment, pending trial.

8. Severely criticized the community's moral climate which tolerated these conditions, referring to businessmen and city employees who participated in the wrongful acts, or went along with them and did not step forward to disclose the practices and conditions discovered by the grand jury, until duress of a subpoena.

9. Complimented those few employees who did assist--and the prosecutors, television, and newspapers who provided information from their own investigations. (Norm Davis, WJXT Channel 4, Richard Martin, Florida Times Union)

1967 January Local Government Study Commission publishes "Blueprint for Improvement."

Study Commission's formal report to legislature with draft for charter of consolidated government. Study Commission dissolved, reorganizes as Better Government Committee to campaign for August 1967 referendum.

June 1967: Hans Tanzler elected Mayor on reform platform. Defeats Mayor Lou Ritterfrogs. Several reform City Council candidates also win.

May-July: Legislature adopts charter, sets referendum for August 8, 1966 (Black/White hats) WJXT Channel 4 Government by Gaslight.

_____________________________________________. Legislative passage in doubt until the last few days in July when one of the six black hats (Lynwood Arnold) agreed to sign off on the charter. Five attorneys for the delegation put the last amendments together the day before so that the charter could be passed the last few days of the session. Another black hat trick was what appeared to be a minor amendment to City Council boundary which was then discovered to put two new black City Council members (Sally Mathis and Mary Singleton) in the same district so they would have to run against each other. This was a difficult problem because the districts had to have certain census tracks to achieve equal population. Fred Schultzs aid Pat Cadel a 16 year old Bishop Kinney High School student (later a nationally renowned democratic poster) with a knack for numbers was able to correct it over night.

Air and water pollution orders from state and federal agencies, 190 utility systems, 76 slow sewage outfalls, 550/130 miles of 1930s WPA sewers and storm drains. (the pipes had rotted and could not be repaired, only replaced). A fire truck driving down the street collapsed a storm drain and dropped ten feet below the street level. The concrete pipes were so rotted that they could not be connected to new pipes, and the whole system had to be replaced. River pollution, air pollution, (nylon stockings, auto paint, pulmonary problems).

Hans Tanzsler who had been elected Mayor of a 37 square mile 150,000 population city of Jacksonville in a hard fought race decided to support consolidation which meant he would have to run again within the year in the 844 square mile 500,000 population new consolidated city. He took the chance and his support probably made the difference on passage of the referendum. He did not draw any opposition for the new election.

August 8, 1967: Referendum--charter passes 55,000-30,000. Three Beaches communities, and Baldwin opt out, remain as "urban service districts."

October 1, 1967: Transition begins -- Old government retaliation -- budget/zoning/long-term contracts to cronies. Law suit contesting consolidation. (C. Ray Green vs. Bill Durden as first General Counsel)

1968 October 1: Consolidated government created, Tanzler re-elected Mayor, Jacksonville Electric Authority, Jacksonville Hospital Authority created. Jacksonville Port Authority tax revenues capped at $800,000, (1968 value of 1-1/2 mils.)

December: Fletcher, Raines, Wolfson, and Forest high schools re-accredited; all other senior and junior high schools remain disaccredited.

III. FACTORS FAVORING CONSOLIDATION IN JACKSONVILLE

A. Single economic area/concentric development--one large city and four very small cities (versus fifteen to thirty cities in Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Pinellas, etc.).

B. Jacksonville 37 square miles, population declined from 204,000 to 196,000 1955-1965; unincorporated Duval, 807 square miles, population grew from 150,000 to 330,000 1955-1965.

C. Inadequate governmental regulation and services in county--subdivision regulations, fire, police, drainage, curb & gutters, sidewalks, street lights, water and sewer, (wells, septic tanks and outfalls) air and water pollution, etc.

D. Lagging economic growth and development, lack of land-use planning and regulation (weak growth management).

E. Weak tax base, disproportionate burden on downtown commercial property--awakening interest among residential tax payers after tax suit, tax rolls doubled, 70% of private residences began to pay some taxes--greater interest in governmental operations and expenditures.

F. Disaccredited schools/public official indictments and grand jury presentments/poor self image and bad public image for Jacksonville.

G. Black population growth and political power in core city/awakening interest in future of downtown from white bedroom communities paying some property taxes for first time in 1965.

IV. STRUCTURE OF JACKSONVILLE CONSOLIDATION.

A. Philosophy: community corporation; taxpayers/voters are shareholders--mayor and department heads are executive officers; city council is board of directors; school board and independent agencies are corporate divisions; operates like a family-owned business with citizen participation, as volunteers on committees and boards.

B. Strong mayor/council--separation of powers--checks and balances similar to federal system, rather than old city commission/council; or city manager/council structures.

D. Executive Branch

1. Strong mayor (elected at large, limited to two 4-year terms)--appoints chief administrative offices, department heads and division chiefs who perform city manager functions, backed by career professional staff, with strong educational and experience requirements. Lex Hester, first chief administrator-former executive director of Local Government Study Commission.

2. Central services--in-house professional staff, purchasing, public relations, motor pool, personnel, data processing, legal services (15 private law firms costing $500,000 to 20 in-house lawyers at $340,000 (1969-70) - advisory opinions, nerve center of government.

3. Independent agencies (subsidiary enterprises of conglomerate corporation)--unpaid volunteer board members appointed by mayor subject to council approval, (except elected School Board) separate business enterprises funded primarily from their own revenues and operated as fiscal entities.

a. Elected School Board (budget independent of city council up to 10 mils)

b. Expressway Authority 1956/ (took over mass transit as Transportation Authority 1971).

c. Port Authority established in 1963. In 1967 took over city airports, tax support limited to $800,000 (value of 1.5 mils in 1967) (Separate airport authority created in 2001).

d. Electric Authority 1967 (took over water and sewer 1997).

e. Hospital Authority 1967 (1988 evolved to management by a private corporation and later became a University of Florida Shands Teaching Hospital.)

f. Downtown Development Authority 1974.

g. Economic Development Council 1994.

E. Legislative (city council as board of directors)--set policy and approve budget; establish fiscal and long-range planning priorities.

1. 19 city council members, 5 at large, 14 districts (1968 - 40,000; 1997 - 55,000 to 60,000; 2001 - 60,000-75,000.)

2. Part-time public service citizen participation, financial sacrifice, not political career oriented, low pay. (Initially $2500, now in 2007 $44,579 and Council President $59,439, plus an aide for each member). Concept was to attract capable people similar to those who accepted appointment without pay to the independent agency boards; separation of powers, rules and regulations by ordinance, policies by ordinance or resolution, control budgets of city and independent agencies except school board.

F. Primary legislative compromises in charter.

1. Continued partisan elections (In 1995 created unitary elections and two term limits pursuant to a JCCI report).

2. Elected civil service board--retained with full legislative, administrative and judicial powers over all personnel matters. Impact of public sector collective bargaining. Pursuant to a JCCI report was limited to appeals from personnel department actions in 1981; and made an appointive board in 1993.

3. Elected constitutional officers retained. Sheriff, Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, and Tax Assessor (now Property Appraiser).

4. Three beaches and Baldwin allowed to opt out, to become Urban Service Districts, retaining most municipal rights, powers, and duties, relating to Jacksonville as their county.

5. Judiciary, including Clerk of Court, left alone, until Article V of Florida Constitution was amended in 1970. (Three tier court system.)

V. BENEFITS OF CONSOLIDATION.

A. Unified government, pinpointing responsibility for planning, budgeting, regulatory control and performance of city functions and services in the Mayor.

B. Financial

1. Broad uniform tax base, Jacksonville USD phased out by putting approximately $1,000,000 for street cleaning into the General Services budget of approximately $400,000,000 (1986), $741,595,539 (1994), $984,000,000 (2005), $1,197,323 (2004). 200 Real estate tax per $1,000 value in Jacksonville was $10.57, Tampa $11.81, Orlando, $11.61, Gainesville $12.78, Miami $14.55. In 2006 Jacksonville $9.64, Miami/Dade $16.22, Ft. Lauderdale/Broward $13.39, Orlando/Orange $11.29, Tampa/Hillsboro $14.9, St. Petersburg/Pinellas $14.12 (mileage rate).

2. Permits budgeting for long-range plans and priorities, allocation of funds by function and need, not arbitrarily by district, or in a single budget year.

3. Single integrated personnel system and fewer pension programs. (City Employees Fund; Fire and Police Fund; state plan still available to former county employees, and new employees.) Pension funds taken away from Unions and put under appointed boards composed of accounting, ______________, and investment professionals.

4. Central services--purchasing power, economies of scale, personnel, legal services, data processing, motor pool, etc.

5. Pooling of assetsgreater investment income.

6. New population bracket qualified for city or county benefits from both state and federal programs within the top 40 cities 1981 population rank 22nd; 1986 19th. Duval population increased from 550,000 in 1968 to 815,755 in 2003. MSA ranked 61st in 1986, and 46th in 2003 at 1,170,856.

7. Improved bond rating due to larger population, stronger tax base, bigger numbers.

8. In 2007, Jacksonville's total budget $5,417,158; City $1,436,396, JEA $1,808,085, JAA $190,000,000, JPA $185,000,000, JTA $164,000,000, and School Board $1,634,000) and over 25,000 employees; City (8,000); independent agencies (3,000); and the School Board (14,500), makes Jacksonvilles government the largest business in northeast Florida, and second only to federal and state government in size of budget and number of employees in Florida.

C. Services

1. Air and water pollution substantially cleaned up--new sewer treatment and distribution system. ($650,000,000.00 bond issue to buy up private utilities in the 1970s), water and sewer transferred to the JEA in 1997, expanded to contiguous counties

2. Integration of city and volunteer fire departmentssubstantial decrease in fire insurance premiums in county.

3. Establishment of world's best Rescue Service (Capt. John Waters). Replaced private funeral home ambulances which competed for corpses, rather than injured people.

4. Improved police coverage (1992 Jacksonville was 22nd of the top 63 cities in crime rate).

5. 17,000 new street lights in old county area.

6. All Garbage collection and land fills funded from general revenue.

7. Downtown development (business-government partnership, better focus on long-range plans and priorities).

8. Improved growth management, building codes, subdivision regulations, comprehensive plan, land use requirements, landscaping, sign regulation, sidewalks, drainage, street lights. (One stop permitting).

VI. 1968-1980 JACKSONVILLES CAMELOT, MAYOR HANS TANZLER

October 1: Annual Consolidation Day Luncheon--Mayor's report, awards to outstanding public officials--celebration replaced 16 years of annual Burns birthday galas.

1971 Remainder of Duval County schools re-accredited--Federal Court orders school busing.

1972 Expressway Authority expanded to include mass transit, renamed Jacksonville Transportation Authority, private bus company acquired.

1974 June: Jacksonville Community Planning Conference--Amelia Island, 100 citizens

Fred Schultz, Chamber President.

A. Keynote speaker, James W. Rouse,--"Two-thirds of Jacksonville's future in the next 10 years will be a result of the ideas and actions taken at this conference. You are undertaking a big job. You can be the model for the entire nation."

B. Recommendations as prioritized.

1. Downtown development

2. Education excellence

3. Open housing and low-income housing

4. Land use planning

5. Transportation planning--mass transit

6. Utilities improvement

7. Greater job opportunities and training

8. Increased public revenues

9. Joint civic effort involving all races and economic groups

10. Strengthen cultural enrichment

C. Downtown Development Authority created in 1974.

D. Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., created in 1975 (Jack Daniel).

E. Leadership Jacksonville, Inc. created in 1976 (Fred Schultz).

1981 On recommendation by the JCCI the legislature converts the Civil Service Board to an Appeals Board, removing administrative and legislative functions--remained only elected civil service board in a metropolitan area with public employee collective bargaining until 1993, when it became an appointive board.

VII. AFTER CAMELOT

A. 1980-88 Mayor Jake Godbold and new city council -- drift back to pre-consolidation concepts and personalities --Jacksonian populism; spoils system; cult of personality.

1. Positive Developments

a. JEA converts to natural gas and coal/joint ventures with Florida Power and Light for St. Johns power park, electric rates brought under control after oil crisis.

b. Downtown development--Hemming Park, Southern Bell Tower and other office buildings, Metropolitan Park, Southbank and Northbank Riverwalk, Jacksonville Landing, Convention Center, People mover system begun (ASE), J. Turner Butler Boulevard converted to limited access.

c. Culture--Florida Theater restored, improved museums, symphony, jazz festival, Arts Assembly.

d. Business/Government Partnering for economic development, attracting new industry, new ideas, Mayor/Chamber annual city visits begun.

e. Expanded financial and insurance base, new industry.

f. Regional medical center, development of area hospitals, health delivery systems and specialty centers, Mayo Clinic, JEHEP.

g. Progress in higher education--UNF, JU, Edward Waters, FCCJ.

h. Sports commission--Gator Bowl renovation - efforts to attract NFL franchise. (Colt Fever).

2. Negative Developments

a. October 1 Consolidation Day Luncheon/awards discontinued.

b. Education and experience requirements for department heads and division chiefs reduced. (Cronyism revived). Lex Hester fired, goes to County Manager of Broward County, then Orlando. His replacement later indicted for bribery and larceny.

c. City council develops "district courtesy" on funding, zoning, bond issues. (Lollipops)

d. Budgeting priorities and allocation of funds and bond issues shift toward council district shares (lollipops) rather than area wide functional priorities based on long term planning. Responsive rather than proactive on policy and budgeting--shift to government by crisis (jail, parking, etc.)

e. City council salaries increased from $2500 in 1968; to $20,000 in 1985; $32,000 in 1997; an aide for each member in 2001, $40,000 in 2003, and $44,579, Presidents to $59,439, in 2007 (similar raises for School Board members, contrasts with unpaid appointed members of higher successful independent authorities.

f. Separation of powers blurred--city council members fill role of ombudsmen for constituents (potholes and drainage) rather than setting legislative policy and budget; seek control of independent agency budgets; intrude on day-to-day administration of departments; new Tourist Development Council with bed tax budget created by the legislature. Mayor mistakenly allowed control by city council, instead of the mayor. (Charter provided that the administrative and executive functions of the Duval County Commission should be vested in the mayor not the city council.)

g. General Counsel's office dismantled (Dawson, McQuaig). Separate lawyers for city council, JEA, JPA, JTA, JHA; private lawyers retained for collections, bond issues, condemnations (Tommy Green). Quality and morale of general counsel's office degraded. General Counsel later indicted for conflict of interest, unauthorized compensation, and tax fraud.

h. Re-emergence of cult of personality; blurring of separation of powers/checks and balances/ Jacksonian populism/spoils system; patronage for professional services, circumvention of bidding requirements; shift to city council membership as a political career/livelihood full time job; insider patronage and cronyism--Indictments of Mayors Chief of Staff, Motor Pool Director, General Counsel, Public Safety Director, several political cronies of the Mayor, Tax Assessor, several city council members and other staff (more indicted than in 1966).

i. Growth overwhelms infrastructure.

j. Spot and strip zoning, visual pollution/signs/trees.

k. JTA mass transit/parking plans dismantled, downtown looper bus subsidies redirected to subsidize downtown parking garages for new buildings. (Southern Bell)

l. Water and sewer program stalls, septic tanks increase.

m. Developers accommodated on an ad hoc basis rather than pursuant to an overall development plan for infrastructure, water and sewer, drainage, roads, parking, schools, tax support, et cetera. No impact fees or other cost sharing with developers.

n. City's bonding capacity absorbed to support current development, unavailable for future infrastructure. Mayors cronies take City and JEA bonding legal work from General Counsels office at five times the cost. (Tommy Green/Dawson McQuaig)

B. 1987-1990 Mayor Tommy Hazouri and new city council

1. Rededication to professionalism and integrity in governmentbegin rehabilitation of the Office of General Counsel -- Judge James Harrison.

2. High priorities on elimination of odor, growth management, central services, removal of bridge tolls.

3. More business-like and responsive attitude in city council.

a. New faces and attitudes.

b. Public interest--sign ordinance referendum.

c. School bond issue passes on second try.

d. Zoning, land use, council slow to adopt comprehensive plan, schools left out of concurrency, proposed Southeast Landfill creates controversy with St. Johns County.

e. JTA tolls removed. Revenues replaced with 1/2 cent sales tax. Dame Point Bridge built.

f. New jail built, ending years of controversy.

g. Only a few indictments and embarrassments.

C. 1991-1995 Mayor Ed Austin

1. Restores professionalism in City division and department chiefs. Rehires Lex Hester from Orlando as Chief Administrative Officer.

2. Mayor's Insight Committee involving 1,000 citizens, first such effort since 1974 Amelia Island conference, results in new goals and priorities for the community.

3. Austin Renaissance Plan, New football stadium, performing arts center, city hall, Sulzbacher Homeless Center, extend Riverwalks, LaVilla redevelopment.

4. New emphasis on parks and recreation.

5. Renewed emphasis on downtown development--Hemming Park, City Hall, and Federal courthouse. Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks.

6. Solution to solid waste disposal dilemma with new Trail Ridge landfill west of town.

7. Acceleration of projects to rebuild Acosta and Fuller Warren bridges/completion of ASE/plans for development of exclusive bus lanes and light rail, MPOs 2010 plan emphasizes mass transit, rejects plans to build two more bridges, at Liberty Street and Haines Street, and 10 or 12 lane expressways.

8. City finally complies with state comprehensive plan requirements, but schools still not in concurrency.

9. Long term planning and allocation of funding sources to community goals and objectives/better growth management.

10. Development of new port facilities and international trade and investment. Ed Austin Bulk Terminal at Blount Island.

11. Military base closure process; 1995-Cecil Field closed; 1996-Cecil Field Development Commission; 1997 saved NADEP -- Mayport nuclear upgrade program -- Wonderwood Expressway.

12. Unitary elections (still partisan but no party primary), and two term limits for elected officials pursuant to JCCI study.

13. First workable minority set aside program.

14. City becomes more directly involved in economic development. Jacksonville Economic Development Council (by executive order) ties City, Jacksonville Chamber, JPA, JEA, JTA and the DDA together for overall planning and implementation of economic development.

15. NFL Jaguars come to Jacksonville.

16. Established Childrens Commission.

D. 1996-2003 Mayor John Delaney (defeated Godbold and Hazouri).

1. Re-establishes Jacksonville Economic Development Council by council ordinance -- one stop shopping umbrella for all economic agencies and the Chamber. Chamber does marketing and recruiting new businesses; JEDC facilitates permitting, land use, infrastructure, incentives, etc.

2. Cecil Field development takes off. Boeing/Northrup Grumman. FCCJ Aviation Training Center, Brannenfield/Chaffee Road

3. Lower property tax rate each year 1991 1995 (Austin); 1996 2003 (Delaney);

2004-2006 (Peyton). (2005 millage 18.75 for entire City county including schools,

lowest in Florida)

4. Neighborhood Department -- six Citizen Planning Advisory Commissions (CPAC) Regional land use, infrastructure and amenities planning -- six code enforcement districts funded at $1 million/yr to upgrade or demolish condemned structures.

5. Citizen accessibility -- branch city hall at Regency and Gateway -- clerk of court and county judge at beaches -- extended hours, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and one-half hour free parking at regulatory departments.

6. Government efficiency, merged five divisions, reduced employees, control of union contracts (1% to 2% raises), professionalism in risk management ($13 million savings in 1996, plus $6 million rebate).

7. Better Jacksonville Plan $2.2 billion, $1.5 billion for roads, drainage, water and sewer, ecology preservation, and $750 million for new Courthouse, Libraries, Baseball Park, Arena, and Equestrian Center.

8. Transferred water and sewer department to JEA, savings produced $60 million bonding capacity for drainage, program to reduce septic tanks and private wells as part of Better Jacksonville Plan.

9. Plans for expansion of Riverwalk, Metropolitan Park/Kids Campus, expanded convention center, proposed Inter-Model transportation hub at old Railroad Station.

10. Ecology Preservation Program, leveraging Federal, State and private funding acquisition of Timucuan Preserve, Julington Creek Peninsula, etc., the Preservation Project, a $300 million plan for preservation of environmentally sensitive land. (78,000 acres acquired 2000-2003)

11. Passive and active park space and amenities doubled.

12. Children's Commissions funded at $1 million/yr since 1995.

13. Separate Sea Port and Airport authorities created.

14. Surge of new downtown residential, retail, and entertainment facilities.

15. Jacksonville Metropolitan Planning Organization expands to include Duval and most of St. Johns and Clay Counties; changed named to First Coast MPO; funds $50,000 each to St. Johns and Clay counties for planning staff from $550,000 planning budget.

16. Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce renamed Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce for economic development initiatives in seven counties.

E. 2003 John Peyton elected Mayor renewed emphasis on education, job creation, economic and urban development.

1. RALLY Jacksonville! Early literacy initiative to teach 24,000 pre-kindergarten

children to read, providing them with books, and volunteer readers through

neighborhood childcare centers.

2. Blueprint for Prosperity, a partnership of the City of Jacksonville, the Chamber of Commerce and Work Source to develop strategic plans for increasing per capita

income in Duval County. An ongoing project with nearly 600 participants designed to

improve income, education, jobs, racial opportunity and harmony, poverty rate, family

stability, public safety, healthcare, and housing.

3. Superbowl XXXIX in 2004 was a huge success pointing the way for better use of the

downtown as a venue for large public gatherings.

4. The possibility of the Navy returning to Cecil Field as a master jet base arose and was

vigorously supported by many local people, who gathered signatures and created a

referendum to require the City to encourage and support the return of the Navy to Cecil

Field. Governor Bush supported that initiative but our Mayor, City Council, and

Chamber of Commerce opposed it because of the huge expense of backing out various

industries and government related projects that had already located at Cecil Field, and

the potential for industrial growth there. The referendum was defeated by about 60%.

5. $16.1 million in federal funding for urban area security initiative (UASI) was obtained

to help fund the emergency command center, a computer aided dispatch system, high

tech communications and joint terrorism training.

6. Jacksonville Small and Emergency Business Program (JSEB) was established to help small minority businesses grow. 324 companies have been certified, 283 of which are minority owned, and have been awarded more than $80 million in city contracts (20% of city contracts).

7. Downtown revitalization notably in Springfield, Brooklyn and the downtown area has improved. Major renovation and new construction with turn of the century architecture in Springfield, commercial and residential growth in Brooklyn, and nearly 10,000 condominium units in the downtown area already built, under construction, or in the process for approval is bringing the dreams for downtown development of the past fifty years to fruition.

8. Fulfillment of Mayor Delaneys Better Jacksonville Plan moved forward with the opening of a new downtown main library, the largest in Florida, renovation of twelve branch libraries, and construction of six new branch libraries. Other Better Jacksonville projects completed included the new baseball park and coliseum downtown, and the new Equestrian Center at Cecil Field.

9. Better Jacksonville projects that could not be completed by 2007 included:

(a) the new courthouse which became too expensive ($300 million) to build within

the $190 million budget was cancelled by the Mayor in 2004. New plans are

emerging in 2007 to design, build and fund the new Duval County courthouse,

which will probably cost over $400 million.

(b) the huge increases in the cost of building materials that swamped the $190

million courthouse budget also swamped the $1.2 million for new roads in the

Better Jacksonville Plan. Five of the six overpasses scheduled for congested

intersections were cancelled in favor of road widening and paving

projects in the plan.

(3) the $100 million set aside for acquisition of light rail right of way in the Better Jacksonville Plan had not been spent in early 2007. Corridors have been established but the JTA awaits matching federal funding to begin acquisition, and property values have more than doubled since 2000.

10. Mitsui of Japan and Henj (sp?) of Korea have announced huge plans for developing two new cargo ports for Asian traffic through the Suez Canal, which could triple Jaxport container traffic in the next ten years.

11. In 2005 the Mayors Growth Management Task Force reported with new recommendations for land use patterns, infrastructure, transportation, funding sources,

and regional cooperation.

12. In 2006, the Mayor initiated The River Accord, a partnership between the City, the St.

Johns River Water Management District, the JEA, the WSEA, and the state of Florida, a

ten year $700 million plan to restore the lower St. Johns River by improving water

quality, tracking river sentimentation, and programming accountability. $150 million is

committed to reducing contaminated storm water run off.

13. The Mayors Seeds of Change: Growing Great Neighborhoods Program extends the

former emphasis on enhancing neighborhood esthetics and safety through the CPACS.

14. The 2005-2006 budget initiated policy changes to protect a $40 million emergency

reserve and create a capital improvement plan. Use of one time revenues for recurring

expenses was eliminated, and some steps were taken towards stabilizing the City

pension funds.

VIII. SHORT-FALLS AND LOST OPPORTUNITIES OF PAST YEARS.

A. Weak commitment and continuity; long term plans often changed drastically with new mayors until Austin, Delaney, and Peyton.

B. Poor growth management and long term planning, comprehensive land-use plan late/spot and strip zoning/sign regulation/tree preservation. Some improvement since the Comprehensive Plan was finally approved in 1990. 2005 legislature required schools in concurrency. Uncertainty in 2006-2007 as legislature considers sea changes. Need for regional planning for growth management, land use, transportation, environmental preservation.

C. Huge increases in City Council and School Board salaries ($2,500 in 1967 to over $44,000 in 2007) attracts political hacks to office who (1) can make more money there than in private employment, (2) boost their pension entitlement after years of lower paid public employment, (3) promise to be full time public officials, (4) and spend that time micromanaging the operational departments. In contrast, unpaid appointees who are members of independent authorities, are typically better educated, more capable, and do a better job on a part time basis. Those appointees would not run for public office, but are willing to give their time and knowledge to the operation of the independent agencies. Lower salaries for the City Council and School Board (or perhaps four or five smaller districts with appointed district School Boards) would better serve the community.

D. Mass transit/parking/traffic congestion, especially as compared to our 1970s model, Portland, Oregon, which limits downtown parking to 3000, has three 15 mile light rail routes, and an extensive bus system with 15% commuter ridership versus 3% in Jacksonville (ten million annual rider trips, compared to sixteen million in 1979 when the JTA had control of on street parking and a subsidized looper bus system downtown).

E. Downtown development has been oriented toward encouraging individual ad hoc development rather than in compliance with an overall plan. Austins Renaissance Plan, Downtown Development Council, and Delaneys Better Jacksonville Plan have greatly improved this, resulting in nearly 10,000 new low, medium, and high income downtown residential units, and many new amenities.

F. Fire and police pension funds have been back under union control since the 1980s; low level of professionalism, weak fiscal and investment management, special time connections and buy-ins, and cronyism, undermine fiscal integrity of the plans. Unfunded liability of the City increased five fold since 1985 from less than $20,000,000 to more than $100,000,000 in 2002. (7% monthly employee contribution but City obligation, has increased from 7% monthly per employee to over 24%.)

IX. WHAT NEXT FOR JACKSONVILLE?

A. Expand regional planning for land use, environmental, drainage, transportation, growth management and economic development planning for Northeast Florida. Strengthen funding and authority for the seven county Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council District. Expand First Coast authority and funding for Metropolitan Planning Organization to at all of Duval, St. Johns, and Clay Counties (as well as Nassau and Baker?). Strengthen St. Johns River Water Management District (16 counties) and promote St. Johns River accord project.

B. Greater citizen involvement and participation in government, planning, and development (e.g. JCCI, Leadership Jacksonville, Chamber, independent agencies, CPACs, etc) in:

1. Public education. K-12 (1/3 of students and schools failing in 2003), Mayor Peyton Early Reading initiative.

2. Higher education.

3. Improve funding sources and priorities.

4. Downtown development.

5. Transportation/mass transit.

6. Drainage and storm water control; septic tanks and sewage treatment; and water

reuse.

7. Parks and recreation development of active, passive and preservation uses.

8. Port and airport development.

9. Cecil Field development.

10. International trade and new and expanded businesses and employment opportunities.

11. Relationship with the Beaches and Baldwin.

12. Maintain and improve effectiveness of city sign and tree ordinance.

C. Community consensus, commitment, and continuity on long range issues like growth management, mass transit, port funding and economic development.

D. Address issues, not personalities -- avoid cronyism, helping friends and killing enemies.

E. Integrity, professionalism and citizen participation in government.

Need a new section on the legislative changes in property taxes and the new fees with a comparison from other cities from the Mayors charts (after it all settles down)

SOME PERTINENT THOUGHTS ABOUT GOVERNMENT

"Here each individual is interested not only in his own affairs but in the affairs of state as well. Even those who are mostly occupied with their own businesses are extremely well informed on general politics. This is a peculiarity of ours: we do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all."--Pericles, on Athenian values, 431 B.C.

"There is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system, for the initiator has the hostility of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institutions and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new ones."--Machiavelli--The Prince, 1513.

"As soon as several Americans have conceived a sentiment or an idea that they want to produce before the world, they seek each other out, and when found, they unite. Hence forth they are no longer isolated individuals, but a power conspicuous from the distance whose actions serve as an example; when it speaks, men listen.

Nothing in my view, more deserves attention than the intellectual and moral associations in America.

If men are to remain civilized or to become civilized, the art of association must develop and improve among them at the same speed as equality of conditions spreads."--Alexis De Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835.

"Government reflects the values of its citizens."--Thomas Carlyle.

"Evil grows when good men do nothing."--Edmond Burke.

". . . we must realize that the practices which have been criticized could not have come about without the active connivance of many businessmen and businesses, both large and small in our community. . . some politicians and some businessmen have joined together and taken advantage of the community."--Judge Marion P. Gooding commenting on the Duval County Grand Jury indictments and presentments of 1966.

"It was the spirit of our people that made this moment possible. If we but follow in this spirit of Just concern for each other's well-being, of responsible involvement in government, and recognition and respect for mutual problems, we shall not fail. We shall build as Jacksonville has never built before."--J.J. Daniel, October 1968 on the establishment of Jacksonville consolidated government

#451281

InWeekly

Jim Rinaman's History of Jacksonville's Consolidation