by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
In the last week, political aspirees have anticipated the void Matt Carlucci will create when he leaves his seat on the City Council to run for mayor. Within the last week, Republican Deno Hicks and Democrat Steve Bloomfield have both announced their intentions to run for the District 5 seat.
For Bloomfield, it’s his second attempt. The Coney Island native turned southerner decided to brush the dust off a failed bid in 1999 and have another go at it. The difference this time?
“I’m not running against Matt Carlucci,” he joked. “For me, it’s community service. I’ve been involved in community service my whole life. It’s less a political issue than what can I provide for the community? I come to it from a business perspective. I view it less as a partisan issue than an issue of community service. I have no political agenda.”
Bloomfield has been an active volunteer over the years. Since his defeat in 1999, he has stayed in the mix as a member of the City/School Board Joint Planning Commission, the Jacksonville Jewish Federation and the citywide Interfaith Council.
If elected he would inherit a wide range of issues in Dist. 5, ranging from the Baymeadows area to San Marco.
“The overriding issue is how will the district manage growth and preservation?” he said. “Part of Dist. 5 is very mature and part of it is very new. It’s a combination of rapid, hyper super growth and preservation. The exciting thing for me is that Jacksonville is on the cusp of greatness. I can bring to that a perspective that’s vital and needed.”
Clyde Collins, chair of the Duval County Democratic Party, offered his support.
“Steve Bloomfield is a qualified professional who would bring great experience to the City Council,” he said.
Bloomfield, owner of Bloomfield Psychological Services, is a forensic psychologist by trade and works closely with the State Attorney’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office. He and his wife, Serena, have two daughters. He plans to make a formal candidacy announcement in September.