RSS
Home
Jacksonville's race for mayor begins
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The race is on. The first Tuesday in March 2011, the voters of Jacksonville, Duval County will go to the polls and most likely choose their next Mayor.
They likely won’t choose a democrat. They likely won’t choose an independent. They will most likely choose a republican. Although it could be a candidate running as a republican in name only. This happened more than 10 years ago. But more on that in later.
Former Assistant State Attorney Audrey McKibben Moran filed her paperwork last week to run for the Jacksonville’s top job. Moran was joined a day later by current Tax Collector Mike Hogan. There are at least three others with far lesser known names who have filed, and only time will tell if they gain any traction. Missing so far is At Large City Councilwoman Glorious Johnson. Johnson, also a republican has been threatening to run for mayor for the last year. No movement as of yet.
It is a curious mix when you look at it. Moran, currently is the Executive Director of Jacksonville Sulzbacher homeless shelter. Although privately funded, the shelter does receive government funds. Hogan, on the other hand is a Tax Collector. He is in his second term in that post. He served two terms on the City Council immediately before that. But it certainly does seem to be an oxymoron when you use the words republican and tax collector in the same breath.
For Moran, with an extensive local legal background, being a republican and running a public charity also seems a bit out of wack. Witness the recent concern expressed over the proposed City Council tax cuts that would have possibly cut funds going to her tax exempt agency. And while her experience as an executive at Sulzbacher does add to her resume, it does not explain why she is a republican.
For Hogan, maybe one could say he is simply bored with collecting taxes and is now ready to spend the taxes he’s collected over the last six years. His executive experience is limited also to this one office. However the government experience between he and Moran is about the same. Hogan has worked in the private sector more than Moran. Bellsouth and Holmes Lumber Company being most noted.
Moran, assistant state attorney, attorney in private practice, aide to Mayors John Peyton and Ed Austin, married to a Judge and related to another. She declined to run for State Attorney two years ago, because of issues surrounding her husband and brother in law.
Should Glorious Johnson formally enter the race. It would add a bit more spice to the mix. However, it is doubtful she will raise the money that these two will raise over the next six months.
What is missing from the local mix is not only a candidate who is a democrat (they will all be on one ballot 16 months from now) but a candidate who enters the Mayor’s race with a broad public rapport with all of Jacksonville. But, then again, maybe that doesn’t really matter.
Related Articles:
Comments
.jpg)
