Former City Council member, Council president, City Commissioner and Mayor Lou Ritter is one of Jacksonville’s most revered elder statesman. Born and raised here, Ritter graduated from Andrew Jackson High School and the University of Florida.
He became mayor in 1965 upon the departure of his predecessor, Haydon Burns, who had been been chief executive since 1949 and was elected governor of Florida, forcing his resignation. Ritter served out the remainder of Burns’ term until 1967 when he was defeated by Hans Tanzler, who would usher in Jacksonville’s unique system of consolidated government.
Ritter gained a reputation as a progressive champion of civil rights and an elected official who advocated for urban renewal through federal assistance.
In addition to his service to local government, Ritter also served on the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy’s national finance committee when Kennedy was running for president in 1979 and was a member of the Hospitality Committee for the 1980 Democratic National Convention.
A witness of the growth of Jacksonville for more than 80 years, Ritter possesses a vast knowledge of the City and its government’s history.
He sat down with the Daily Record editorial staff to share some of his recollections, insights and recommendations concerning the city’s future.
What have you been up to lately?
Well, due to my health, I’ve had to give up my major clients as a lobbyist including the Florida Funeral Directors Association and Florida Dry Cleaners Coalition, which is all the independent dry cleaners in the state ... they had significant problems that we solved some time ago.
My energy level is picking up and I’m very interested in writing a book. I spend 4-6 hours a day on that. Plus, I’ve been invited to meet with the chairman of the Charter Revision Commission (Wyman Duggan). Mayor Peyton and Ronnie Fussell have spoken to me about it, and I’m hoping to give some presentations on that. Other than that, my work is confined now to trying to get well, get to where I can walk again and keep up. I went down to the Tennessee-Florida game and on the way to my regular seat, fell on my tail twice (laughs).
What is the book about?
The political history of Jacksonville and it’s actually dated back to 1932. It’s on everything I can remember between these two ears. I want to be able to tell people some of the facts.
Should some folks be nervous about seeing their names?
They may.
How is your health these days?
I’m battling a lot of health problems. In late 2005 I was diagnosed with leukemia. I went to Mayo because I kept getting weaker. Some friends contacted the Cancer Research Department at UF. I had 31 chemo treatments starting in 2005 and they ended in August 2006. They told me the good news is, it worked well, but it will only last three years. Three years ended in November and I started feeling slow. My white blood cell count was creeping back up.
In December, I had one treatment that was a little rougher than the 31 before. I had three treatments and it worked. But, I developed bad stomach problems which they couldn’t tell if were from the chemo or old age. A team from St. Luke’s looked at me and some wanted to operate. A good friend, Joe Hardigan, said the operation would take 8-10 hours and my heart couldn’t take it. The net result is, with all of this I weighed 173 pounds in February, 132 pounds in June and I am up to 152 today. I want to get back to 160-165 pounds and my energy level is up.
How often do you keep up with the news? Do you read the newspaper?
Every day. I read The Times-Union, I read the New York Times, when I can get a Washington Post I read that. When I was in Tallahassee, I used to take the Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Tribune, St. Petersburg Times and Miami Herald. I try to keep up with everything.
What did you think of the recent budget process?
I think they did one very good job considering all the things that have been stockpiled on the general government through several years past. I think Mayor Peyton’s proposal and the Council’s counterproposal has worked and they did a great job. But next year the City will be faced with similar problems until a long-range study is made of how we can make our government more modernized and more efficient and less cumbersome to the average citizen.
In terms of revising the City’s Charter, Ritter said he’d recommend looking at one thing in particular.
There were 13 boards, authorities and commissions named in the original Charter in 1968. There are now in excess of 80 such boards and commissions. They (the Charter Revision Committee) ought to at least put in something that some states have put in which is a “sunset review process” every five years to determine if the boards and commissions are functioning.
Ritter also commented on Consolidated government based on his experience as an elected official prior to Consolidation and his experience as a citizen in the years since 1968.
It gave us an opportunity to be the largest city geographically in the nation and people were anxious to change the government. The interesting thing is that the leadership in the African-American community was not so convinced. Mary Singleton, who was certainly one of the leading proponents of things back in the ‘60s, was against Consolidation. I spoke to a group several months ago that didn’t think the Black community got their share of what was good (about Consolidation).
I used to represent Brentwood when I was on the City Council. I rode through the old neighborhood recently. When you look around you begin to wonder if Consolidation helped people there. It’s the highest crime area around Liberty Park, Brentwood Park, Panama Park — I rode through all those on a Friday afternoon. Kids were sitting at the playgrounds with nothing to do. I got out of my car and went to talk to some of them and discovered the City does not furnish playground directors any more. When I was on the Council, we had perfect playgrounds. Now we have all this (crime) trouble.
Ritter also explained why Jacksonville has a 19-member City Council, which was created through the Consolidation process.
It’s the largest legislative body there is for any municipality. There were five City Commissioners which included mayor-commissioner. Then there were nine City Council members. They lived in their district but ran (for election) citywide. I’m very much in favor of that. That made 14 members and somebody suggested adding seven more, but they compromised and added the five county commissioners who became the at-large members. When you look at it that’s a hell of a way to structure it.
My idea of a structure would be to first review the City Charter in terms of what the powers of the mayor should be. We need a strong mayor (form of government) and decrease the City Council to 13 or 11 members. Require them to live in their district and have staggered terms so you would always have some experience on the Council.
I think having term limits for City Council has hurt Jacksonville. By going to term limits we lose all the people with good experience.
When I was on the City Council, James C. Merrill, who owned all the property (on Bay Street) from the Courthouse past Maxwell House known as Merrill-Stevens Shipyards served 26 years on the City Council. At the end of 20 years, he could have drawn a pension and made 50 percent of his pay. Merrill said, “I don’t need that pension.” Where else would you find the top executive of a major corporation spending 26 years on a City Council? That was good thinking. Let the voters decide term limits.
When I got on the Council I didn’t know how much ad valorem taxes were. It took me 8-10 years to figure it all out.
I think we should look at eliminating a Council member being able to draw a pension after just eight years in office. It’s supposed to be a part-time job.
If there had been no Consolidation what do you think Jacksonville would be like today?
How much growth would we have obtained if we had maintained the City of Jacksonville? What if we had done what they did in Miami? I can’t say we’ve gone backwards but I can’t say we’ve gone forward either. Jacksonville is still the only Consolidated government in America.
How important is the Charter Revision process to the future of Jacksonville?
It could be very important. I was invited 10 years ago to make a presentation to the (Charter Revision) commission on nonpartisan elections. I came out for nonpartisan in 1967 when they were having all the hearings. I thought I played it smart. I went to the Young Republicans Club at the George Washington Hotel to make a speech on why we needed nonpartisan elections. They booed me off the stage. Couple of weeks later I went to the Young Democrats, and they had a big crowd and they booed me off the stage. I knew I was right then and I’m right today.
It’s one of things I am going to try to get (The Charter Revision Commission) to look at, because most of the newcomers are registering nonpartisan or independent. You’ve got to take the politics out of it.
Along with that, I’d like to see them take a look at the structure of the government. My idea of a structure, that would be much more modern today, is first review the charter for what the powers of the mayor should be. The mayor had great powers when he started, but the midnight legislation passed by the various independent boards and authorities have eroded his power.
What makes a good legislator?
One, one who knows government and has pursued it as part of their schooling, like involvement with student government.
Two, someone who has a mind dedicated to do his task, and not looking forward to the next job. You don’t want someone who is looking at themselves in the mirror while shaving and saying to themselves, “Well, I’m a state senator now, I’ll be governor in two years.”
Do you think elected officials should be required to serve their full terms?
Yes. Why do you elect a person if they’re not going to stay in office?
If you could snap your fingers and make one thing happen to Downtown what would it be?
I’d try to revitalize Downtown at a cost people could afford. There is so much property there. Take Confederate Park where the old armory is for example. All that could be medium cost housing. It also needs resources like a drug store and a dry cleaning plant. Give those businesses a tax break and create a neighborhood.