Alvin Brown touts his 100 accomplishments and thanks Bill Bishop

At a media availability Thursday with a group of supporters on Jacksonville’s Northbank Riverwalk in the recently revitalized Brooklyn neighborhood, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown unveiled a list of 100 accomplishments during the the last four years in Jacksonville. He argued strenuously that he has been a nonpartisan mayor who has put Jacksonville first, a “conservative Democrat” who has worked across party lines throughout his professional and political career.

With a persistent breeze at his back, Brown reiterated some familiar themes and introduced a couple of new ones, including what appeared to be the first steps toward a public detente with Bill Bishop ahead of Tuesday’s election.

He reiterated the campaign’s main themes, including keeping promises, his close working relationship with Gov. Rick Scott on bringing jobs to Jacksonville, and how he has “worked across the aisle with Republicans, Independents, and Democrats to put Jacksonville first.”

Then came a genuine surprise when Brown thanked his Republican challenger, Bill Bishop, for “playing a role in moving the city forward” during the campaign.

While Brown and Bishop “don’t agree on every issue,” Bishop “does put Jacksonville first.”

As the Mayor created rhetorical distance between Bishop and Lenny Curry, he fueled speculation that Bishop supporters — especially white liberals — may come home to the Democratic Party after next weeks election.

Key Curry supporters have derided Bishop off the record as a “liberal” with no party loyalty. Brown’s public reaching out gives Bishop supporters, as well as the candidate himself, an opportunity to back the incumbent during the runoff.

After the Bishop moment, the mayor unfurled a large banner, saying, “I have a list” of 100 accomplishments, an exhaustive inventory that includes recruiting businesses, revitalizing downtown, bringing new jobs in from GE and other companies, and “modernizing JAXPORT.”

“And the graduation rate,” Brown said. “When I came in, it was 63%; now, it’s 74%.”

His talk included familiar themes such as how it “takes all of us doing it together” and the importance of the public-private partnership model, before taking a page out of the Ronald Reagan playbook.

“Are we better off than we were four years ago? Think about it, the answer is yes,” Brown said, echoing Reagan’s “Morning in America” re-election campaign.

Is it morning in Jacksonville? I asked the mayor whether his decision to use the Gipper’s rhetoric was deliberate.

“The only label I care about is putting Jacksonville first,” Brown said, staying on message. “It’s not about labels; it’s about leadership.”

“Everybody knows I’m a conservative Democrat,” he said. “Jacksonville is a model for the country on how you take partisan politics” out of local government.

He discussed how he worked as executive director of the Bush/Clinton Katrina Interfaith fund, and added that then-President George W. Bush had invited him to Dallas to talk about jobs for veterans, indicating a strong relationship with the two-term Republican president.

In a discussion after the event, Brown spokesman Fabien Levy reiterated the themes of the event — and the Brown re-election campaign. “The key point is working together across party lines,” Levy said.

The list of accomplishments is:

1. 36,000 new jobs were created.
2. Jacksonville was rated the No. 1 city in America to start a business.
3. Jacksonville was rated the No. 2 city in America to find a job.
4. The unemployment rate has been cut in half.
5. Mayor Brown worked with Governor Scott, the business community, and federal and state leaders to secure Congressional authorization for JAXPORT harbor deepening.
6. Jacksonville joined the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase to establish actionable plans that will promote greater global trade and economic competitiveness.
7. Mayor Brown’s Administration streamlined business growth through the Office of Economic Development — a move that reduced wait time and replaced a cumbersome commission process with an executive-managed day-to-day structure.
8. Mayor Brown worked with state and federal officials to secure a $10 million TIGER grant for JAXPORT.
9. A newly-formed task force is focusing on jobs and business opportunities in Northwest Jacksonville as part of the Community Wealth Building Initiative.
10. There are hundreds of employment opportunities for Jacksonville youth through an increase of private-sector partners in the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.
11. Jacksonville partnered with Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit, to offer neighborhood-based training and support to Jacksonville small business owners and entrepreneurs.
12. Jacksonville’s first Office of Public Private Partnerships opened to repurpose assets, build relationships, and develop funding sources for priorities and events that will support efficient government, business development, downtown revitalization, and education.
13. Jacksonville was rated No. 1 for top economic prospects for Hispanics.
14. Jacksonville became the No. 2 city in America for technology job growth.
15. GE Oil & Gas selected Jacksonville as the location for a new advanced manufacturing facility — marking the city’s largest job creation project in more than six years.
16. Jacksonville increased its focus on small business and entrepreneurship through the new Business Builder workshops, in partnership with local business leaders and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
17. Wells Fargo brought the Neighborhood LIFT initiative to Jacksonville to help home-buyers qualify for down payment assistance.
18. The Southbank Riverwalk was rebuilt and improved after decades of wear.
19. The number of annual visitors to Downtown Jacksonville grew by 200,000.
20. Mayor Brown spearheaded and funded the Downtown Investment Authority to oversee a comprehensive strategy for improvement and revitalization throughout the urban core.
21. Mayor Brown’s Administration closed a long-anticipated deal to revitalize a dormant section of Brooklyn along Riverside Avenue with more than 600 new housing units as well as recreation space and retail.
22. Hemming Plaza is being reactivated under a joint vision of the city, the Downtown Investment Authority, and the Friends of Hemming Park.
23. The city prioritized revitalizing the historic Bostwick Building with new ownership to convert the building into a modern, upscale restaurant.
24. A parking partnership was created to assist the long-awaited renovation of the Haydon Burns Library, as the City of Jacksonville will supply the new Jessie Ball duPont Center – an office complex for philanthropic and nonprofit organizations – with 200 parking spaces inside the Yates Garage.
25. Jacksonville became a “Smarter City” when it became one of just eight U.S. cities and 33 throughout the world to win an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant to help develop data-driven solutions to better activate Downtown Jacksonville.
26. Jacksonville was tapped as an inaugural participant in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Challenge to create a resilience strategy and receive access to tools, technical support, and resources for implementing a comprehensive resilience plan.
27. The city is growing crime prevention and intervention strategies through programs at the parks, organized events in high-crime apartment communities, reopening five community centers, and expanding partnerships with faith-based efforts.
28. The City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were awarded a $5.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to hire firefighters, and improve the public safety and quality of life in Jacksonville.
29. A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office substation opened at Edward Waters College in collaboration with the city and the school’s Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Center.
30. The City of Jacksonville developed and launched the JaxReady smartphone app and won an honorable mention from Government Computer News (GCN) for “Outstanding Information Technology Achievement in Government.”
31. A $1.2 million grant from the Florida Department of Children and Families is helping teens gain access to substance abuse counseling and mental health services.
32. The city increased support for the teen court diversionary program for first-time, misdemeanor offenders aged 10-17.
33. Summer Night Lights, an anti-crime program for youth in Jacksonville parks, grew with private funding support.
34. Overall crime has declined nearly 10 percent throughout the city in the last four years.
35. The city partnered with the Jacksonville Urban League to host Weekend of Hope — an effort to improve the lives of black men and boys with the help of nonprofit and faith-based organizations.
36. Community Empowerment Days were launched to strengthen families and neighborhoods by coordinating service providers in communities for the direct benefit of the residents and families most in need.
37. Neighborhood Accountability Boards are helping to keep young people out of trouble by offering support and assistance to community members to provide oversight.
38. The National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families selected Jacksonville as one of 11 cities to receive assistance to reduce disparities between black males and their peers through the Black Male Achievement Initiative.
39. The city hired its first Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator to better incorporate and advocate for the safety needs of walkers, runners and cyclists in city planning.
40. A wide variety of city, state, and federal agencies came together to launch a campaign for bicycle and pedestrian safety, and the Federal Highway Administration designated Jacksonville as a Pedestrian Focus City to provide technical support.
41. The graduation rate at Duval County Public Schools grew by 11 points — from 63 percent to 74 percent — since 2011.
42. Hundreds of new highly-qualified mentors were trained and placed with public school students through Mayor’s Mentors.
43. The city is partnering with schools and the private sector to host a major education summit every year.
44. The Learn2Earn program provides a week of college immersion at local universities to high school students who would be the first in their families to attend college.
45. Mayor Brown created the Office of Education Commissioner and appointed a commissioner that cost the city only $1 a year through a public-private partnership agreement.
46. The Young Leaders Advisory Council was launched for 50 high school juniors and seniors to spend one year learning about Jacksonville’s government and the city.
47. Aspiring college students are gaining assistance in completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as part of the new College Student Aid Workshops public-private partnership at no cost to students or taxpayers.
48. The city partnered with the private sector and local colleges and universities to create Leaders in Training to support local college students through skill-building workshops, internship work experience, and mentoring from local business executives.
49. Financial institutions, colleges, and universities partnered with Mayor Brown’s Administration to launch the annual Wi$e Money Week, a series of free community courses for financial literacy.
50. The Kennedy Center named Jacksonville as the 14th site for the Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child initiative.
51. Participation increased in the city’s afterschool and summer camp programs to help keep kids safe.
52. Mayor Brown kept his 2011 campaign promise and cut his own salary by 20 percent.
53. Every annual budget submitted for City Council review has been balanced without the need for a tax increase.
54. Mayor Brown appointed a 17-member bipartisan Retirement Reform Task Force — including two past presidents of the JAX Chamber and other community leaders — to develop a comprehensive solution to the city’s pension crisis.
55. The city now has a proposed reform agreement for the Police and Fire Pension Fund that would save taxpayers $1.3 billion over 30 years.
56. The city’s first Office of Public Accountability opened to increase transparency throughout city government.
57. Mayor Brown reduced the size of city government to streamline operations, cut costs, and help cover shortfalls in the city budget.
58. The First Amendment Foundation rated the City of Jacksonville’s website as the most transparent city website for public records in Florida.
59. The city launched JaxScore, an accountability tool that provides snapshots of how various City of Jacksonville departments are performing in relation to city goals and priorities.
60. The city refinanced more than $1 billion in debt to create millions of dollars in savings, including $11 million in the first year that helped support redevelopment and business initiatives throughout the city.
61. Outreach efforts have been broadened throughout every area of the city and a priority has been placed on diversity, which has created the most diverse administrative staff in city history.
62. Thousands of residents have taken the opportunity to tour the administrative offices of City Hall and pose for photos at the mayor’s desk as part of the annual holiday open houses.
63. The City of Jacksonville was honored by the veterans’ organization the Forty & Eight as its National City of the Year.
64. More than 250 companies are participating in Jobs for Veterans — a partnership with the City of Jacksonville that Mayor Brown created to better link the unique needs of former service members with opportunities in the local job market.
65. The Florida Committee for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency, awarded the Pro Patria award for best practices to Jobs for Veterans.
66. Mayor Brown’s administration has held job fairs specifically geared to the military and veterans population over the last four years.
67. The city partnered with the Jaguars Foundation to launch the Veterans Resource and Reintegration Center, an effort that allows veterans to gain assistance with benefits, financial support, housing referrals, resume help, and other important transitional services.
68. The city now has multiple services and programs throughout the annual Week of Valor — a salute to military families and veterans around Veterans Day.
69. Military affairs has been elevated to a cabinet position in Mayor Brown’s Administration.
70. Jacksonville’s Veterans Memorial Arena became a site for NBA preseason games.
71. The city welcomed the “Grand Prix of the Sea,” the first International Powerboat Racing event in Jacksonville in nearly 30 years.
72. The Jacksonville Sports Council was born through a public-private partnership among the City of Jacksonville, Gator Bowl Sports, and the JAX Chamber to showcase Northeast Florida as a sports destination.
73. The fan experience has been greatly enhanced with the addition of a world class video screen and pool section at EverBank Field.
74. Taxpayers are saving millions of dollars and enjoying more special events at city venues because of a new facilities management contract with SMG.
75. Jacksonville became home to the Armada FC professional soccer team.
76. Jacksonville has hosted both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams for soccer matches at EverBank Field.
77. Jacksonville entered into a three-year deal with Major League Soccer to host matches at EverBank Field.
78. Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena hosted the 2013 “USA vs. Brazil” Davis Cup tennis matches.
79. The Renew Jax public-private partnership is increasing infrastructure investments and economic opportunities in the Eastside, Northwest Jacksonville, and Arlington.
80. Senior centers are receiving increased attention and investment with renovation work planned for the Charlie T.Joseph, Longbranch, Mary Singleton, Riverview, and Moncrief senior centers.
81. Success Park opened in partnership with Edward Waters College, giving kids in the New Town community a safe place to play.
82. The city gained technical assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to focus on regulations, funding, and planning.
83. The city’s long-awaited Day Resource Center for housing and job services for the homeless opened with the help of private donations and in-kind gifts.
84. The city collected 23,000 tires and 6,000 illegal signs during the first Tire and Sign Buy-Back.
85. The Jim Wingate Trailhead was opened to enhance recreational opportunities in the city preserve.
86. The William F. Sheffield Regional Park opened off New Berlin Road in the Northside.
87. The city’s Preservation Park system grew with the addition of the 840-acre Seaton Creek Historic Preserve, a “working” forest with marshes and creeks.
88. The city opened Fire Station #62 to serve the rapidly-growing Bartram area of southwest Jacksonville.
89. The annual Trailblazers Awards program was launched to pay tribute to men and women who have advanced Northeast Florida by being pioneers in their professions.
90. With $50,000 in private funding, the city launched the Youth Initiative for Urban Parks to provide supervised summertime activities at 11 parks in Jacksonville neighborhoods affected by an increase in violent crime.
91. 2015 was called the “Year of River,” a collaborative effort among arts, cultural, and environmental organizations from throughout Jacksonville to enhance the appreciation and enjoyment of the St. Johns River.
92. Jacksonville now has a health commissioner to focus on matters of public health and lead efforts to reduce the number of uninsured youth citywide.
93. The National League of Cities recognized Jacksonville for the recent completion of key health and wellness goals for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) to adopt policies improving access to healthy, affordable food and opportunities for physical activity.
94. There has been an increased focus on senior programs such as the annual Walk for Senior Wellness, the Mayor’s Holiday Party, the annual Fish-a-Thon, and the Senior Expo.
95. Jacksonville received a $150,000 grant to help curb childhood obesity through the Healthy Corner Stores initiative that helped bring fruits and vegetables to stores in targeted neighborhoods with poverty and a high diabetes rate.
96. “Cover Jacksonville” was funded by a grant and was launched to reduce the number of uninsured youth by 20 percent by December 2015.
97. Waterproof Jacksonville was launched to teach hundreds of young people — including youth from under-served communities and dependents of military families — how to swim.
98. Multiple new kayak and canoe launches have been designated along the St. Johns River and tributaries as part of the River Access Initiative.
99. Support from Groundwork USA and the National Park Service is helping to improve parks and waterways in Springfield and the Eastside.
100. Multiple stakeholders, including the JAX Chamber and the Riverkeeper, have come together for plans to remove the Rodman Dam, which is expected to restore more than 20 springs and re-establish approximately 7,500 acres of floodplain forest.