As a reader service, the Daily Record plans to present daily information about candidates on the ballot in the spring election. The information is scheduled to be published in advance of early voting, which begins March 7 in Duval County. The Daily Record sent the same questions to council candidates and will publish their e-mailed responses. Candidates were given a word limit. Responses that exceeded it are edited for space.
Tom Baine, a Republican candidate for District 11, did not respond to e-mails or phone calls requesting his participation.
| The candidates say... | What is the single most important issue facing your district? | What are the most pressing problems facing the City? | Would you support new taxes or fees to improve the port and/or Downtown? | Why should district constituents elect you? |
| Ray Holt (incumbent) Republican | There are many issues: buffering residential and industrial properties, providing for needed road and park improvements and fixing drainage problems, but my district is no different than any other when it comes to jobs. The best thing I can do for my district is truly getting our local economy back on track, our unemployment rate down, vacancy and foreclosure rates down and property values up. | Bringing new business to Jacksonville is job one. The biggest problem we face –- pension reform. We must scale back our benefit packages to a point that they are still competitive but sustainable. That will mean changes to the DROP plan and a minimum age before retirement benefits can be collected. We need to reduce our obligations over the next 30 years by $1 billion. | I think our port is such a job producer that investments in it, even if it means raising additional revenue, will come back to us tenfold. To allow the opportunity we have, to be the first Post Panamax port on the East Coast, to pass on to Savannah or Charleston, would be a huge failure. | Because I’ve proven myself to be responsible in land use decisions, fiscally conservative, even when criticized for not “bringing home the bacon,” and I have worked with constituents to come up with solutions to problems facing the district, like drainage problems, public safety problems, code enforcement issues and improper tax bills. I have put my heart and soul in this job for 3 1/2 years and accomplished a lot for constituents. |
| Doug Moore Republican | The people want the First Coast Pool; this project has been funded for over four years and stalled by the incumbent. If elected, I will see that this project is carried through and the money available will be used in an effective, cost-efficient way. It will be built to handle national meets, which will boost the local economy and create income to offset overhead cost. | Budget, jobs. | I believe in our current economic environment, residents and businesses cannot afford higher taxes or fees. We must maintain our most important and basic services while holding the line on unnecessary spending. It should be self-supporting. | I will represent the people with an open-door policy, working for the people not the government. I will work to lower taxes, create jobs and make our city a place to be proud to live, raise our children and grandchildren. Being the largest district covering over one-third of the county, the needs of the district are very diverse. I will strive to see that no one is forgotten. |