Jacksonville Bold for 1.15.25 — Cop caucus

Jacksonville, Florida, USA downtown city skyline at dusk.

Rep. John Rutherford is bringing back the House Law Enforcement Caucus.

“As a former sheriff and lifetime member of law enforcement, I am honored to advocate in Congress for America’s law enforcement community,” said the 5th Congressional District incumbent.

“Over the last few years, the House Law Enforcement Caucus has come together in a bipartisan manner to engage in substantial policy debates regarding recruitment and retention, training and technology. Congressman Josh Gottheimer has been a great partner on law enforcement issues, and I look forward to working with him this Congress as the new caucus co-Chair to support our law enforcement officers and the communities they protect and serve.”

Per a press release from Gottheimer’s office, the caucus is long-standing, created in 1994 to “address issues facing the law enforcement community — including fighting for greater funding, support, and coordination for our first responders.”

Rutherford was Jacksonville Sheriff through 2015.

Subcommittee celebration

Rep. Aaron Bean is stoked about his Ways and Means assignments.

“I am honored to be selected to serve on the Social Security, Work and Welfare, and Oversight Subcommittees. These are three powerful subcommittees that will provide a great platform to fight for Northeast Florida priorities in Washington,” the Fernandina Beach Republican said.

“Whether strengthening our workforce, protecting American workers’ retirement, or reining in the supercharged IRS, I am confident my colleagues and I will successfully meet the challenges our nation faces and deliver for the American people,” added Bean.

Republicans have railed against changes in Internal Revenue Service enforcement priorities during the Joe Biden administration. And it’s clear Bean will be positioned to do his part to stem the tide.

Choice voice

Gov. Ron DeSantis returned Friday to Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Academy to talk about education policy and school choice and argued that Florida’s school choice model should be a national template in the new Congress and presidential administration of Donald Trump.

“The Congress has an opportunity to make a difference,” DeSantis said.

“We hope that they will consider looking at Florida’s model for education choice and applying that nationally, which can be done. And you don’t need the Department of Education for this. You can do it through a tax credit program, through the tax code and through the Treasury Department and can even pass it with budget reconciliation in the U.S. Senate.”

A national approach would sidestep powerful unions in some places, the Governor said, unions that Florida “beat” but that reign supreme in more Democratic jurisdictions.

“If you look at some of these places like Chicago, you look at some of these places like L.A., the reality is the school unions control education in those areas and they own the schools and the politicians lock, stock and barrel. So, you are never going to see any type of choice through local or state legislation in those areas because they basically control the political process,” DeSantis explained.

“We beat the unions when we passed our family empowerment scholarship in 2019. We beat the unions in 2020 when we passed the universal choice. And we’ve now empowered teachers with paycheck protection, so there’s no automatic deduction of school union dues allowed in the state of Florida. You want to join, you can write a check and send it, but we’re not going to have the government facilitating joining organizations which have a partisan left agenda and put their interests ahead of the interests of students. But that’s not true in many parts of this country.”

The Governor believes “the debate about school choice” is “over.”

“Clearly, you’re better offering choice than not offering choice. And if you look at some of these places like Chicago, could you do any worse than what they’re doing? I mean, why the hell not try something (different), right?”

Bottoms up

That’s the takeaway from measures taken Thursday by the Duval County Legislative Delegation, which will carry a local bill allowing liquor service at FIVE on Park Street.

The concert venue, which will replace the beloved Sun-Ray Cinema, is expected to help revive the Five Points commercial strip, plagued by a business exodus over the past few years.

It aims to create a new special zone for event centers known as the “Urban Transition Area North of Park Street,” expanding alcohol service as long as more than half of income comes from food and ticket sales.

The district will extend to Margaret Street.

Rep. Wyman Duggan noted that these special exception areas are routinely created to provide “greater opportunity for infill economic development,” with this one “essentially in Five Points.”

“We’ve already done this for the other parts of the Urban Transition Area,” Duggan said, with “tremendous” results.

Lobbyist Steve Diebenow noted that liquor could only constitute 49.9% of sales, with ticket sales, food and merchandise driving a simple majority of revenue. With some all-age shows slated for FIVE, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Birdies, next to the concert venue, already sells liquor on the strip. Diebenow noted that other Five Points restaurants also have liquor licenses. But this won’t be a “full liquor license” like Club 5 had when it occupied “the former Five Points Theater.” Nor would it allow the consumption of booze outside the venue.

Needful things

The new Legislative Delegation for St. Johns County, which includes Sen. Tom Leek and Reps. Sam Greco and Kim Kendall, heard what stakeholders want in 2025.

One speaker Friday called it a “need list.” However, it remains to be seen how much Tallahassee can deliver.

St. Johns County Commission Chair Krista Joseph wants state matching funds for the District 23 Medical Examiner’s office (a “critical need” for the “outdated office” encompassing St. Johns, Flagler, and Putnam) and the North Beach flood mitigation project, which affects 84 blocks that “sit in a bowl.”

She also wants funding for the Florida Museum of Black History.

“We’re hearing crickets,” Joseph said about the state’s commitment to the “epicenter of African American history.”

Howard Holley, a member of the Museum of Black History’s Board and the state task force that established it, echoed these concerns.

Commissioner Ann Taylor bemoaned “severe traffic issues” at the “failing exit” of I-95 at the World Golf Village, exacerbated by increased commercial development approved by the County Commission.

She wants a new exit ramp to remedy “dangers and delays,” including people sitting through multiple light cycles, with “assistance at both the state and federal level.” Taylor noted the County Commission is unanimous in this plank of its “need list.”

School Superintendent Tim Forson said starting times for schools mandated by the state could lead to “very young children” waiting for buses in the dark, but he didn’t say what change he wanted.

St. Johns Property Appraiser Eddie Creamer noted that property is expensive in the county, and increasing senior exemptions from school taxes and other burdens could help “retiree homeowners.”

St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Sykes-Kline wants a roundabout on A1A and fire station relocation, which would be a $5 million hit if approved.

Airport ascendant

In other news from SJC’s delegation, Airport Authority Interim Director Courtney Pittman presented the local bill changing the name of Northeast Florida Regional Airport to “St. Augustine Airport.” It corrects a change made four years ago. This would align the name with that of the “city it serves” and its “global reputation as a high-end, culturally rich destination.”

Rep. Kendall will carry that bill.

Lawmakers wanted clarity on removing the regional airport designation, and Pittman noted that it is clunky and somewhat misleading for people trying to communicate.

“At that time, the thinking was … they would have more impact for commercial service by saying that we’re attached to the region,” Pittman said. “But then you would have people get on said commercial flights at that time, land here in St. Augustine and think that they (were) in Jacksonville.”

Per Jacksonville Today, here’s how we got here: “In 2010, the Florida Legislature approved changing the airport’s name from the St. Augustine Airport to the Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine. That name was shortened slightly to just the Northeast Florida Regional Airport in 2016.”

Temper expectations

Ahead of this year’s Legislative Session, which begins March 4, stakeholders converged on Palatka on Thursday to outline what they hope their new elected officials will do for Putnam County this year.

Sen. Leek and Rep. Judson Sapp heard from various people with skin in the game and expectations for 2025, noting their commitment to bringing resources to the county.

“Many years in the past, communities like ours have been overlooked in the state Legislature,” said Leek. “I think that should stop.”

“We all care about this community,” said Sapp.

However, the meeting clarified that locals may have to temper expectations this year and show how they will offer matching funds for requests. The fiscal climate returns to a pre-pandemic conservatism without splashes of federal COVID-19 funds for appropriation requests.

County Commissioner Leota Wilkinson, Clerk of Court Matt Reynolds, Laura France of the Putnam County School District, Crescent City Mayor Michele Myers and Palatka Mayor Robbie Correa sought money for, among other things, new financial software to track refurbishment at local schools.

“We understand not everything we hope for can be accomplished, but we certainly want some success,” Correa said.

In response to these asks, Leek noted that locals need to say what “skin in the game” is coming from locals for project requests regarding matching funds.

Legislators’ concerns and cautions are not unexpected for those following the state fiscal picture. Late last year, the Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) warned that the state could face Fiscal Year 2027-28 with a $7 billion deficit — unless belts tighten amid new fiscal realities.

Leek, a former House Appropriations Chair, noted that while the federal government was “dumping” money on Florida during the pandemic, he expected “substantially less” for member projects and urged locals to pursue grants rather than expect the Sprinkle List to be the way forward.

Gift rift

It wasn’t a holly jolly Christmas for the Jacksonville City Council after all, with Secretary Margaret Sidman getting coal in her stocking last week from the Personnel Committee.

As News 4 Jax reports, Sidman was criticized for ordering a subordinate to open mail containing gifts for Council members to tip off the Ethics Commission.

Sidman was put on paid administrative leave, but not before other complaints about her leadership were aired in the 90-minute meeting.

Committee chair Nick Howland says this will be resolved “quickly and amicably.”

Homeless help

Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond said the Beaches won’t be a “dumping ground” for the homeless; Mayor Donna Deegan’s Office says the city is continually working to address the problem.

“Since October, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has been enforcing the new state law banning public camping. As of Jan. 3, there have been 529 warnings, 86 arrests, and 27 notices to appear. Since late November, the JFRD PATH team has been conducting 24/7 outreach to the homeless community and connecting them to resources. More than 900 contacts have been made, and 60 individuals have been taken to the Trinity Rescue Mission shelter,” Deegan’s Office said last week.

Diamond said the city is “pushing homeless out of downtown and into the neighborhoods,” a read corroborated last year by Council member Ron Salem, who suggested that phase one of the city’s strategy was to clear the population out of downtown. This strategy is a response to phenomena like Citizens Insurance employees downtown saying they were “attacked” by a homeless person.

The Deegan administration uses anecdotes to say the strategy is working.

“The ‘carrot and stick’ model is helping more unhoused individuals than are being arrested. In one example, an unhoused individual repeatedly refused to enter a shelter in the past. This individual finally entered one after receiving a warning from JSO and is now receiving the medical treatment and wraparound services needed to recover.”

Regarding the Beaches, the administration said it “had a productive meeting about solutions with the Beaches municipalities in December, and we continue to be in communication about options.”

“While their police departments are responsible for enforcing their own ordinances that comply with the state law, the City’s outreach efforts and JFRD PATH team activities were always meant to be countywide,” the Mayor’s Office said.

Furthermore, according to the Mayor’s office, the homeless problem mainly involves people from outside the city: “More than 90% of interactions with the JFRD PATH team are with individuals who are not from Jacksonville.”

Home sales hopping

Home sales showed a solid uptick for the six-county First Coast region in December for the month and year-over-year.

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) figures showed a 23.4% increase in closed home sales compared to November. In December, 1,773 houses sold, up from 1,437 in November. The year-over-year comparison was solid when, in December 2023, 1,584 homes sold in Northeast Florida, an 11.9% jump in sales.

The median price for a home on the First Coast also reached new heights: $400,000, a 2.3% increase from November’s $391,000 and up from $385,000 in December 2024, a 3.9% increase.

The inventory of homes on the market showed mixed indicators. The 6,883 homes on the market in December were a 4.5% % drop from November’s inventory count of 6,883. However, December’s home inventory was an eye-popping 66.7% spike from December 2023, when there were 4,128 homes for sale in Northeast Florida.

In individual counties, Duval County, the most populous First Coast County and home to Jacksonville, showed the most significant increase in closings. There were 953 home sales, an increase of 34.5% over November and a 19.3% spike over December 2023.

Nassau County was a close second on the First Coast for the percentage increase in home sales in December. Last month, a total of 101 homes were sold in Nassau. That’s up by 27.8% over November but a 10.6% drop from December 2024.

St. Johns County, one of the fastest growing counties in the United States, saw a notable 23.1% increase with 474 homes sold, up by 23.1% from November and a 4.4% uptick from December 2023.

Hotel upgrades

Speaking of “individuals not from Jacksonville,” those staying at the Marriott Downtown can expect some upgraded digs soon.

Per the Jacksonville Daily Record, the city has approved $6 million of renovations for the former Omni.

The upgrades will be for the top 13 floors.

“Plans show about 154,000 square feet of space will be renovated,” reports Karen Mathis. According to property records, the hotel is “about 287,000 square feet.”

Marriott purchased the space in 2021 and re-christened it the following year.

JHA not OK

A contract dispute means that the Jacksonville Housing Authority’s search for leadership continues, according to News 4 Jax’s Ashley Harding.

George Guy of Fort Wayne made what has been called “shocking” demands.

“Guy had been offered a base salary of $310,000 but also wanted to provide consulting services on evenings, weekends or vacation time, would not commit to relocating to Jacksonville within six months, and a credit card for $25,000 to be used solely for his relocation expenses.”

But wait. There’s more.

“He also demanded a $300,000 buyout if he were to be fired in the first year of his agreement and a $200,000 buyout if he was fired at a later time. What stood out the most to some was that ‘disgraceful conduct’ and ‘insubordination’ would not be grounds for getting fired, according to his demands.”

To begin with, you have to wonder how he was a finalist.

Jaguars priorities in head coach search

After moving on from Doug Pederson after three seasons, what are the most critical aspects for the Jaguars to consider in the head coaching search?

In the awkward news conference that followed the announcement of Pederson’s dismissal, Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan said that he wanted the team to be less predictable on the field.

“Right now, we are the most predictable team on both sides of the ball,” Khan said. “Football, to win, deception is a big part of it. Unpredictability. If you know exactly what we’re going to do on offense or defense, you’d better have the 22 best players to help us win a football game. So, being unpredictable is, I think, modern football, and we have to be able to show that on the field.”

While that seems to be a line likely fed to Khan by general manager Trent Baalke, the Jaguars did lack the imagination on offense that Pederson’s team showed in 2022 when he was the chief play-caller. So, is Khan more concerned with play-calling than culture-building? Perhaps.

The Jaguars have completed preliminary interviews with Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The team also requested interviews with Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator Joe Barry, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

Of that group, Johnson, Spagnuolo, Coen, and Monken have the best reputations for being unpredictable. Some coaches have worked with top talent (Barry, for example, with Bills quarterback Josh Allen), and while that should not diminish their achievements, it should be used as a filter to understand how the approach would fit with the Jaguars’ roster.

Moreover, offensive and defensive coordinators should drive play-calling on most teams. The need for strong leadership has been overlooked, or at least not publicly acknowledged. A head coach’s first priority is to set a winning culture. While Pederson was well-liked among the players, he did not hold enough of the team accountable. Not enough leaders in the locker room were also doing the same.

The culture that empowers and encourages players to hold one another accountable must come from the top down.

Enforcing high expectations is not as easy as it once was. Players have more leverage than ever, based on rising salaries and a Collective Bargaining Agreement that limits the kind and intensity of discipline a coach or franchise can administer.

Four coaches on the Jaguars’ interview list previously served as head coaches. Spagnuolo was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 2009-2011. Spagnuolo led the Rams to three losing seasons, including a 1-5 record in his first year and a 2-14 record in his final year. Some coaches learn lessons from failure. Some are best suited as coordinators. Which camp Spagnuolo falls into is an important distinction for Khan and company to remember.

Flores compiled a 24-25 record in three seasons as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach. He is well respected as an Xs and Os coach, but can he lead a franchise that has made the playoffs only three times in the past 25 seasons?

Monken has not been an NFL head coach but did serve as the head coach at Southern Miss, where he lost twice as many games as he won (13-26).

Saleh just ended a four-year stretch in New York, during which he finished with a record of 20-36 and was ousted in a messy divorce from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

None of the former head coaches have records that will impress Khan, but can they sell a vision of how they would get the Jaguars back to a level of consistent competitiveness that has lacked since the early 21^st century?

That’s the ultimate question.

That, and whether they can and will work with Baalke, who seems to have Khan’s ear more than any other football person in the owner’s orbit.