A.G. Gancarski
In the First Election in March, incumbent Jacksonville District 14 City Councilman Jim Love, a Republican, won handily over Jason Tetlak, an idealistic Democrat who will be remembered for losing the support of his party by endorsing Bill Bishop for mayor. A fixture in the Riverside/Avondale area (and one who lives eight houses down from me), Love has about as much political capital as he can use right now.
What is interesting is how he chooses to use it. Love spent part of Thursday morning at an event celebrating impending renovations on the facade of the Florida Theatre, alongside Mayor Alvin Brown. Some had been speculating that Love, a Republican representing a liberal district where Bishop won pluralities in some precincts, might join fellow Republican Councilmen Stephen Joost and Ray Holt to endorse the Mayor.
Not going to happen. Love is sitting this one out.
“I’m going to have to live with whoever wins,” Love told me Thursday morning. “I want to do what’s best for District 14. If I pick wrong, I might not have the best footing for advocating for the district.”
Regarding the move Joost and Holt made, Love could only guess. “They’re both at the end of their terms,” he said. “Maybe they can be a little more free.”
“Maybe they’re not worried,” he added. “Maybe for good reason.”
We talked about Tetlak, about whom Love has nothing but good things to say. “He ran a nice, clean, fair race,” the councilman said. “I think I was very fortunate that I was able to come out of the race with a victory.”
Naturally, the councilman has second-term priorities, and they will likely all resonate with district residents, especially those closer to Five Points. He hopes to expand the Riverside Arts Market, ensure that the pedestrian walkway on the Fuller-Warren bridge that FDOT has already OK’d comes to pass without issue, and help to facilitate some renovation work on Memorial Park, with city bond money that will be matched by private fundraising.
Beyond the district, he’s excited about downtown projects: the Shipyards proposal, Healthy Town, and the Laura Street Trio.
“Downtown is dramatically changing,” Love said. “A vibrant downtown helps my district.”
