Melissa Ross
With resolutely positive messaging, outgoing Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is reflecting on his four years in office by noting the accomplishments that he says make him most proud: pension reform, downtown development, and the growth of the city as a sports and entertainment destination.
On the pension deal:
“I’m very happy for the hardworking taxpayers of Jacksonville, to now finally have pension reform done,” Brown said Wednesday during an appearance on WJCT’s First Coast Connect. “This deal will save $1.5 billion over 30 years and supports our first responders. It took a team effort to make it happen. Everybody worked hard on this,” he said, name-checking among others, pension reform task force chief Bill Scheu, City Councilman Bill Gulliford, and his own Chief of Staff Chris Hand, and spokesman David DeCamp.
On downtown:
“Four years ago there was a debate on whether we should even invest in downtown. Now we have a Downtown Investment Authority” (albeit one which, as FloridaPolitics.com has reported, the incoming administration is eyeing more critically). “More people are living and working downtown. It’s a top priority for the Chamber, the civic council, the city council. It’s moving forward,” Brown said.
On sports and entertainment:
“From concerts like CountryFest and Welcome to Rockville, to our new pro soccer team the Armada, I’m very proud of this progress,” he said, once again expressing his oft-repeated hope that the city someday gets its own MBA team.
Mistakes? Next Steps?:
Despite being pressed on where he thinks his re-election campaign fell short, and what his plans are after leaving office, Brown refused to get too specific. He disagreed with a caller who thought his less-than-robust support for updating Jacksonville’s human rights ordinance might have played a role in his defeat, and also brushed aside another caller’s complaint that he wouldn’t appear on stage with President Barack Obama: “That’s misinformation,” he said.
Brown did admit being “surprised” he didn’t get the endorsement of Gov. Rick Scott, and took a veiled swipe at one of his adversaries, outgoing Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford, now considering a congressional seat.
“I think it was unfortunate during the campaign for the sheriff to say that we cut 147 officers from the budget. People need to remember that the sheriff was looking at running for mayor. The one thing I would hope and pray is that someday we take partisan politics out of the sheriff’s office. That’s part of the challenge when you have an elected official over public safety. They should be working with the mayor no matter what.”
As to the future: “I’ll take some time in July and reflect. But I am very proud of the things we were able to accomplish. I kept my promises. I appointed a bipartisan administration. We united the city, and were upbeat and positive. I’ve been working 15-hour days. Once I walk away from the office I’ll have a chance to reflect back on what worked and didn’t work. But to all the people out there I thank God for blessing me with this opportunity. He gave me four years, I kept my promises, I feel good about it. And the best is yet to come.”
When the man who beat him, Mayor-elect Lenny Curry, is sworn in July 1, the man leaving city hall said, yes, he literally will be at Disney World.
“I missed my sons’ spring break because I was running hard, so we’re going to do that,” Brown said.
