Jim Overton, Lake Ray stake Duval Tax Collector campaigns with $50K each

Lake Ray

With the impending exit of Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan, a special election slated for August, and a field involving three veteran Republican politicians (and one seasoned Democrat), it stands to reason that candidates want to demonstrate seriousness.

The first candidate to file a campaign finance report, former Jacksonville City Councilman and Property Appraiser Jim Overton, showed a personal commitment to the race, staking his nascent bid with $51,000 in April.

Another former Councilman — former State Rep. Lake Ray — likewise staked his campaign with $50,000.

The two will face off with current Councilman Doyle Carter and former Democratic Councilwoman and State Rep. Mia Jones.

Upon his entry to the race, Overton told us that current tax collector Michael Corrigan, the next CEO of Visit Jacksonville, encouraged him to run.

Corrigan and Overton are friends outside of the political sphere, and Overton believes that Corrigan has done a “good job” in the role, and, if elected, he will keep the office on an “even keel” for the next couple of years.

Overton notes that the tax collector’s office is a “bigger shop” than the property appraiser office, but otherwise believes it’s an “easy fit.”

The race could get expensive before it’s all over.

For perspective, when Corrigan won this seat in 2011 (a different time for Duval County campaign finance in certain respects), he raised just over $157,000, and beat Dick Kravitz, who actually outraised him with just over $180,000.

In Overton’s last election for property appraiser, he beat a Democrat, yet raised less than $40,000.

What’s clear is that, especially given active primary elections in August, more money will be needed for messaging for this election than for a typical Jacksonville municipal election, held in an off year.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704