Staff Reports
Inside seven weeks until Election Day, and it’s just a few weeks from the start of vote by mail.
What that means: It’s getting late.
It’s getting late for statewide candidates who come to Jacksonville and try to define themselves, struggling for attention from an indifferent media.
And time is short for some candidates who haven’t yet fired their general election messaging.
And the clock isn’t slowing here for Jacksonville candidates who hope to close out opponents by March (but they may have to slog through until May).
Will 2018 be a “wave election?” And will it matter in 2019?
Soderberg hits Waltz on health care
Former Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, the Democratic candidate to fill Ron DeSantis‘ open seat in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, rolled out two new TV spots Tuesday morning spotlighting health care differences with her opponent.
The first, “Hung Up,” deals with difficulties in getting health insurance.
“I helped start the conversation to bring peace to Northern Ireland, and I was one of the first to say let’s get bin Laden, but when I called insurance companies looking for health coverage, they hung up on me because I have a pre-existing condition,” Soderberg said in the spot.
Those following Soderberg’s race with Republican nominee Mike Waltz closely will note that health coverage for pre-existing conditions has been a general election talking point for her.
“Everyone here in Florida deserves health insurance we can afford. That’s why I’m running for Congress,” Soderberg remarks.
The second spot, “Unavailable,” sets up a contrast with Waltz, beginning with a depiction of a constituent call to Waltz’s headquarters.
“Can you please tell me why Mike Waltz’s health care plan kicks 70,000 people off health insurance and raises health care costs for everyone else,” says one caller.
A second caller shreds Waltz for trying to “gut protections for pre-existing conditions.”
Eventually, callers are routed to an answering machine.
Soderberg, who has already raised more than $2 million in this race, has the resources to deploy. And clearly, she sees room to move independent voters on the real differences in health care plans between Waltz and her.
To view “Hung Up,” click on the image below:
To view “Unavailable,” click on the image below:
Socialism a ‘dead end street,’ Caldwell says
The Republican ticket this year continues to message against the “socialism” on the Democratic side, and Agriculture Commissioner hopeful Matt Caldwell was no exception Saturday.
Speaking to a handful of Republican activists at the Jacksonville HQ for the Florida GOP, the Fort Myers area lawmaker warned of the “outright socialist” Democratic ticket, drawing comparisons to Venezuela, Cuba, and California.
Caldwell laughed when Florida Politics asked if that comparison was valid.
“I do think that socialism is a dead end street,” Caldwell said. “While I don’t think that Andrew Gillum would like to see empty store shelves and people starve in the street, that is ultimately what it comes to. It works against human nature. Every time we’ve seen it tried, it failed.”
Caldwell described Gillum endorser Sen. Bernie Sanders as “an avowed socialist” dedicated to a “European socialist model” with Gillum having “embraced it wholeheartedly.”
Caldwell discussed a variety of issues with us, including the Governor’s race, cannabis, and water issues. Read more here.
Socialism canard a ‘dog whistle,’ Ring says
Matt Caldwell wasn’t the only statewide candidate in Jacksonville this week. Monday saw Democratic CFO nominee Jeremy Ring talking to Duval Democrats.
Ring, the former Yahoo! executive and state Senator, told Florida Politics after his speech that Republican claims that Andrew Gillum is a “socialist” amount to more “dog whistle” politics.
“It’s out of a 101 playbook,” Ring said when asked, adding that it doesn’t seem to be “getting traction” given Gillum’s polling lead with independent voters.
“It’s a dog whistle of sorts. Is Gillum a socialist because he wants to ban assault weapons? Ask them to define socialism,” Ring said.
“If they define it, it’s not going to match where the Democrats are,” Ring added. “Socialism — it’s a dog whistle word as it relates to its reality in this election.”
A main ballast for the claim: Gillum’s desire to hike corporate income taxes from 5.5 to 7.75 percent. Ring rejected that logic.
“I don’t think that’s a socialist measure,” Ring opined. “That’s a policy debate with pros and cons attached to it for sure. I don’t think just because you’re talking about raising a corporate tax rate that you’re talking about socialism. It seems to be pretty far fetched to me.”
‘What side is the lobbyist on?’
“What side is lobbyist Wyman Duggan on?”
That’s the question posed by the first television ad from Republican Duggan’s opponent in the House District 15 general election, Democrat Tracye Polson.
To view the ad, click on the image below:
The 30-second spot contends that “Duggan worked to sell JEA, raising rates, costing the city millions every year” and “wants politicians to appoint our school board.”
The ad’s reference to Duggan working to sell JEA (lobbying for Emera, a Nova Scotia utility company that also owns TECO in Tampa) was rehearsed by a Republican opponent during the primary campaign last month. However, this is the first time the claim has been televised.
Polson, meanwhile, draws a contrast to that world of influence with her upbeat narration, noting she stands “with students, who deserve great public schools; with an elected school board, with law enforcement … and as a cancer survivor and health professional, with patients.”
“My opponent can stand with the other lobbyists. I’ll always stand with Florida’s families,” Polson says in close.
Nuclear option
Jacksonville’s public utility JEA and Georgia’s Municipal Electric Authority are at loggerheads over the future of the $27 billion Plant Vogtle, with lawsuits filed by each side.
MEAG contends JEA is trying to renege on its 2008 deal to “cover 41 percent of MEAG’s share of construction costs at the Vogtle expansion for 20 years in exchange for power to service its residential customers in Florida and Georgia.”
On Tuesday, JEA sought resolution on the issue with a letter from its board chairman G. Alan Howard to his counterpart at MEAG.
That letter outlines the unaffordability of the deal for JEA and MEAG, proposes that JEA continues to pay “sunk costs,” and offers an alternative, cheaper power sourcing for MEAG and JEA both.
Howard pointed out that Jacksonville consumers can’t afford to pay what the board agreed to a decade prior: “But we in Jacksonville have 50,000 families that live at or below the poverty line to protect, making affordability an essential priority for us and our community.”
“And this decision is crystal clear: if MEAG Power’s Board votes not to proceed with this Project, communities across Georgia, Alabama, and Florida could save at least $2.5 billion when compared to at least one alternative power option we have identified: money that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of the people we serve,” Howard added.
JEA has been shopping for better deals, Howard noted, securing a term sheet for 206MW of energy through 2042; if JEA could take this deal, it would save customers more than $1.1 billion “if the project is abandoned and those savings include JEA continuing to pay for sunk costs.”
JEA’s issues with Plant Vogtle, coming after a discussion of privatizing the public utility, have attained national notice of an unwelcome sort.
The utility is on a negative credit watch from Standard & Poor’s.
“In our view, JEA’s assertions that its board acted beyond the scope of its authority raises questions about the quality of the utility’s internal controls [and] the utility’s willingness to meet its contractual financial obligations.”
Weinstein leaving CFO gig
One of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s most trusted lieutenants, Chief Financial Officer Mike Weinstein, will leave City Hall Nov. 9.
“Since 2015, during the transition between my administration and my predecessor’s, Mike Weinstein has been both trusted adviser and friend. His expertise and depth of knowledge helped me prepare balanced budgets that met our city’s priorities, create a solution to the pension crisis, and set Jacksonville on a sound financial path,” Curry said.
“It’s hard to imagine many people who have such a wide range of experience and success as a public servant. Although he will be missed, there is no one more deserving of the time he will now be able to spend with family and friends. The people of this city are better for the years Mike devoted to making a brighter future.”
Weinstein, whose career spanned decades, served in the Florida House between 2008 and 2012. One of his bills proved to be prescriptive for Jacksonville’s solution to its pension liability: a measure to allow discretionary sales surtaxes to fund indigent health care facilities.
When Weinstein and Curry came into Jacksonville’s City Hall, the city’s general fund budget was throttled by pension obligations of over $300 million a year.
Weinstein’s discretionary sales surtax concept came into play, with the city able to negotiate defined contribution plans for new city hires, while routing post-2030 collections of the city’s ½-cent sales tax currently used to fund Better Jacksonville Plan projects to the pension liability.
The city also reamortized pension debt, creating flexibility in the near term, and banking on growth to help pay off a pension obligation that is between $3 and $4 billion now.
Weinstein also served last year as interim CEO of the Kids Hope Alliance, serving an important bridge role as the city reorganized its children’s programs.
Early voting expansion
Activists wanted early voting at Edward Waters College and the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. And now they’ve got it.
Duval County Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan confirmed such in an email to Jacksonville City Council members Monday, noting that “sites will be open to all eligible registered Duval County voters. These two additional sites will provide Duval County voters access to 20 Early Voting locations.”
“Funding for the two additional Early Voting sites will be absorbed within my currently requested budget,” Hogan noted.
This made a piece of legislation — a proposal by Councilman Garrett Dennis to allocate $30,000 to expand early voting sites to Edward Waters College and the University of North Florida — “unnecessary,” per Hogan.
Florida Atlantic University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of South Florida are all slated to host early voting before Election Day this year.
Now, two Jacksonville colleges are joining them.
Homeless rights paused
Early Monday, Jacksonville City Council Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety committee put the brakes on a long-tabled bill.
But it will be back.
Months back, the Homeless Bill of Rights measure was introduced by now-suspended (and federally indicted) Councilwoman Katrina Brown.
The bill (2018-308) contends that “the basic rights all people should enjoy must be guaranteed for homeless individuals and families,” and attempts to “assure that basic human rights are not being trampled simply because someone happens to be homeless.”
Since Brown began her sabbatical from Council, her fellow Democrats Tommy Hazouri and Garrett Dennis were tasked with carrying the bill.
Hazouri told us ahead of the meeting that Dennis was going to rewrite the legislation, so the bill was to be pulled.
“He’s coming out with a new bill,” Hazouri told the committee.
Currently, the new bill has no timetable set.
Privatization cash drives school board hopefuls
Duval County School Board races this year are seeing fundraising disparities, and per the Florida Times-Union, privatization advocates are driving the gap.
League of Women Voters’ blogger and leader, Sue Legg, “sees flush School Board campaigns across the state as signs of a long-term push to sway school boards and win more public dollars for private and charter schools.”
“It’s because of the motivation behind these people contributing the money,” Legg said. “If they are motivated to privatize schools, you, the public, should know about it.”
The money race is no contest.
Lawyer Dave Chauncey, running for District 6 on the Westside, raised the most at $75,214, eight times more than Charlotte Joyce’s $9,455. Nick Howland has a similar 8-1 edge at the Beaches over Elizabeth Andersen. Darryl Willie, another establishment favorite, has $49,193, double his opponent.
The Jax Chamber endorsed the money candidates. Its head Daniel Davis noted “successes Duval County Public Schools have had over the last several years that, in my opinion, are the result of reforms that have been put into place. We want to make sure that Duval continues on that track.”
Choose water life
JAXUSA’s strategic plan recommends “embracing Jacksonville” as region’s name and using “The Water Life Center of America” as brand essence, reports the Daily Record.
This could make NE Florida “the highest performing economy in the nation,” according to a marketing plan entitled “Elevate Northeast Florida.”
Seven counties (Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, Nassau, and St. Johns) make up the JAXUSA Partnership of the JAX Chamber.
Primary among recommendations: a suggestion to “embrace Jacksonville as the name of the region versus ‘Northeast Florida.’”
“The impact of a shared, regional brand is recognized and magnified when local organizations agree to lead with the name of the largest, most globally-recognized city in its region,” runs the logic. “Jacksonville (e.g., Greater Jacksonville, JAXUSA) should be the go-to name of the region.”
The report also suggests a new brand theme to match the region’s “DNA.”
The report suggests the area be named “The Water Life Center of America,” and encourages other agencies to adopt the new theme.
UNF downtown Entrepreneurial Center taking shape
In April, the University of North Florida leased a 16,000-square-foot space on the fourth and fifth floors of the Barnett Bank Building in downtown Jacksonville. Space will be used for 200 students taking classes at a UNF satellite campus, as well as an “Entrepreneurial Center,” where students will intern with local businesses.
The price tag of the project, which is set to open January 2019, is $1.6 million, according to the Jacksonville Business Journal.
The Downtown Investment Authority approved a forgivable $380,000 loan in early 2018 to help offset costs to build four classrooms, a kitchen, a student lounge, and infrastructure improvements. The restoration of the Barnett building – about 250,000 square feet – as well as the Laura Street Trio and a nearby parking garage will cost nearly $100 million.
Spirit Airlines to service JIA
Florida-based Spirit Airlines will soon begin servicing Jacksonville International Airport.
Starting in December, the low-cost carrier will offer nonstop daily service from JIA to Chicago O’Hare International and Detroit Metro airports, the Jacksonville Business Journal reports.
Jacksonville will become Spirit’s 69th city, the fifth in Florida.
“We like to think of ourselves as Florida’s hometown airline,” Spirit senior vice president and chief Human Resources Officer Laurie Villa told the Journal. We believe these two markets are a great place to start new service. It makes sense for a growing airline to enter a growing part of the state.”
The arrival of Sprint continues JIA’s growth. Recently, both Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air added multiple destinations, with passenger counts up 15 percent, according to Michael Stewart, director of external affairs for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
Jags top power ratings; must perform vs. Titans to stay
Last Sunday’s satisfying 31-20 beating handed to the New England Patriots meant that whoever thought the Jacksonville Jaguars had anything to prove now understood they were for real. The Jags showed again that they were among the top teams in the NFL and according to USA Today, THE top team in the league.
Jacksonville came in at number one in the rankings up four spots from last week’s position. Knocking off the Patriots said it all.
“Took NFL royalty to the woodshed,” the summary read. “Their 11-point defeat of New England wasn’t really that close — without injured Leonard Fournette‘s help.
Getting the Jags to the top came after quarterback Blake Bortles put the team on his back. Bortles outshined future Hall of Famer Tom Brady with 376 passing yards and four touchdowns.
To stay at the top, they must figure out a way to play better against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday’s opponent at TIAA Bank Stadium. Jacksonville lost both games to the Titans last year with Bortles struggling in both games, throwing a total of four interceptions.
It is certain to be hot with the opening kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.
They will face Tennessee again at less than 100 percent. Fournette’s status is not known, but offensive tackle Cam Robinson, last year’s second-round draft choice out of Alabama, is lost for the season with a knee injury.
Bortles is seeing good signs from Fournette.
“Just watching him, it looked like he was Leonard,” Bortles said. “He was flying around, making some good plays. He got some touches and looked good.”
On the other side, the Jags defense will look to stop Robinson’s former teammate at Alabama, Derrick Henry. Coach Doug Marrone that carries a key to victory.
“We’re going to have to do a good job getting people to the ball carrier,” Marrone said about Henry and the Titans’ Wildcat formation. “We’ll have to figure out what the best personnel is for us and the best plan is to stop it.”
