Duval County City Council's last night of transparency and Meet the Sheriff

[FCTP]

 

CITY COUNCIL:  With millions of dollars being spent on social programs, the Duval County City Council has decided to stop filming the meetings for online or TV viewing for those who cannot attend the meetings.  So much for transparency.

 

As noted by one of our Community Leaders of the First Coast Tea Party:

 

“The city is more concerned about the children's commission, the human rights council and the journey program (which I understand did take a cut) than they are about actual city services and that in a word is wrong.  This can't continue.  The children's commission has been in existence for 17 years now, wields a HUGE budget, and nothing they are doing has improved the quality of the student in the school system (and I question just how much they really do, just how many children they really serve, and their impact per se and have it from a member of the commission and a past city council person they are "ripping off the taxpayer").  The journey program by Mayor Peyton's own admission is an unknown quantity with unknown results (he could not say with certainty it was successful), and the human rights commission is a duplicated service that is also run at the state level for the state of Florida residents use.  Does the city like wasting tax payer money?  Wouldn't the money we pay the human rights council be better spent on the library system or the police?”

Another big item that will be taken up by the City Council will be the Redistricting of our city.  So far the council members are leaning towards a gerrymandered Duval County to appease special interests instead of the desires of the people.  In a release yesterday by Matt Schellenberg’s office, it stated:

 

Matt will have approximately 50 of Matt’s maps to hand out at the City Council meeting.   

This map is based on the desires of the public (as noted at each of the five public hearings), as well as the original priorities of the Redistricting Committee (as referenced in the Committee minutes of May 10th, 2011).  It has very compact districts, it has minimum river crossings, it keeps the Argyle community together, keeps the Urban Core together, keeps Whitehouse in District 12, keeps Durkeeville together, and it recognizes communities of interest.  It is not based on the theory, as stated by Councilman Warren Jones, that there must be four, 60%+ minority districts, and that you must draw long and skinny, and meandering districts in order to obtain them. 

Read an opinion piece by Matt Schellenberg at http://jacksonville.com/opinion/letters-readers/2011-09-27/story/gu...

 

It’s going to be a big night at the Duval County City Council and we encourage you to attend in support of your desires – not those of special interests.  We have a group of tea party members attending tonight and if you are interested in attending and catching a ride, please contact our office at 683-3945.  We would love to have you join us and watch the fireworks together.  If you can’t be there in person, watch the fireworks online or on Channel 7 for the last time tonight too.  After tonight, you’ll have to trust the media to tell you what happened – and good luck with that!

 

Sheriff Town Hall:  Tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 28, we will host a Sheriff Town Hall with Sheriff Rutherford.  The news has been hot lately with the Sheriff going to bat for his department.  Our city government budget should fund safety and instead we spend our dollars funding commissions that are not accountable to anyone and have no metrics in place to determine if they are effective.   The Sheriff will be at the City Council tonight defending his department and tomorrow night you can ask him questions at our town hall.  It will be open mic night and your voice will be heard.  For more information go here:  http://www.fctpcommunity.org/events/grassroots-town-hall-with-sheri...

 

Someone once said, “Politics is always local.”   How true that statement is.  What happens here affects us even more than what happens in DC.  But right now – every politician seems “heck bent” on messing with our lives and demanding we pay for services we don’t want and we don’t need.   

 

We hope the City Council will do the right thing tonight and vote Yes on issues that government should be involved in and No on issues that should have nothing to do with taxpayer dollars. 

 

And remember, City Council, that money you spend tonight is OUR money.  Be wise.  Listen to your constituents and not special interests.  We the people have no patience for tomfoolery. 

 

[Robert G. Deardorff]

“children’s commission” and “redistricting” is just another move in the thinking of the CFR directed plan. By the counsel looking in to the works of such entities they use precious time and stir us away from other more important matters. More important matters are banking and monetary reform, where the “children’s commission” and “redistricting” would cease to exist.

 

Robert G. Deardorff, September 27, 2011

[J. Lo]

Thank you, Patrica

I will try to be there, although anybody is welcome to use my words if they wish. We all need to rally behind Matt tonight. He is a good man and needs our support.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Hi CJ.  You are probably right, but spending that many hours sitting in chambers is hard to do as this will go on well into the night.  Guess we could bring a picnic lunch with us :).   What say you Connie.  Do you think if they push the gerry mandered districts, they will end up in court?  I am betting someone will take issue with it if it is done. 

[Patricia M. McBride]

J. Lo, you are right on point.  I hope you will come tonight and say that exact thing in relation to the bill for re-apportionment.  The thing also is that right now it is against the law to gerry mander since WE THE PEOPLE said no more by our vote!  I am getting really sick of our city officials just ignoring the people's wishes and doing what THEY want with their 19 votes (or 10 votes which is all it takes to make or break something).

[CJ]

FYI the city council chambers will be packed tonight just like last year. Just like last year because of fire codes everyone not sitting, the over flow, will be asked to go to one of the other meeting rooms to watch on tv's

I plan to be there at least by 3 and do what ever. Maybe sooner so can lobby some of the council.

See every one later

[J. Lo]

We the people pick the elected officials

not the elected officials pick the people on election day

Redistricting was meant to adjust for shifts in local population every 10 years, not for ensuring political victories.

Gerrymandering makes for:

1. less competitive elections
2. decreased voter turnout
3. disproportionate representation
4. less accountabilty

[Patricia M. McBride]

GReat write up Billie.  I think we are all wondering what they could be thinking.  And, apparently, the don't think what the people voted on at the state level applies to them in reference to redistricting?  We are not an island in the state of Florida.  The last time I checked, we are part of the state and state law must be following in relation to gerry mandered districts.  Although I have the greatest respect for Councilman Jones after watching him in action a few times, people voted for compact districts and our state supreme court threw out a case brought by 2 people who have jerrymandered districts and wanted to keep them.  The people have once again spoken, and one wondered if the city of Jacksonville will once again ignore the people's wishes as they did when the people of the city voted down having a children's commission (about 20 years ago............and yet 17 years ago, an all knowing mayor passed a bill to include such a thing in our charter and then, formed the children's commission and mandated the amount of money that had to be given to them to operate).  We can't allow our elected officials to do this again, and should they try, we may have no choice but to take them to court!

[H W Schroeder AXCS(AW) USNRET]

Interesting. Shouldn't the 'Sunshine Laws' apply to our city council like they do in Tallahassee?

[Robert Young]

Billie, that was a very well written post.  You are doing a great job keeping the people informed. That will become even more important since the City Council is selling our their transparency. Shame on them.

[CJ]

Info on restructuring 

2011-0554

ORD to Adopt & Enact Reapportionmt Plan re Jax City Council Dists & Residence Areas & Designating the Duval County School Bd Dists following the 2010 Census of the City as Required by Secs 5.02 (Reapportionmt of Council Districts and Residence Areas) & 13.03 (Apportionmt of School Bd Dists), City Charter; Amend Charter to Attach New Boundary Descriptions & Designate the 7 School Bd Dists. (Sidman) (Reapportionment Comm) Public Hearing Pursuant to Chapt 166, F.S. & CR 3.601 - 9/13/11

 

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