by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
The first Democratic candidate jumped into Jacksonville’s mayoral race Monday as Keith M. Myers opened a campaign account with the Supervisor of Elections office.
Myers, a Westside resident, makes his first run at political office and cited a number of campaign issues including education, transportation and land use.
“I’ve had, in my bonnet, ideas I felt needed to be done ever since (John) Delaney was first elected to office in 1995,” said Myers. “Now I have a chance to do it.”
Myers retired from the U.S. Navy in 1978 as a Chief Petty Officer and is a five-term union president of the National Association of Government Inspectors and Quality Assurance Personnel, Unit One. He says his time as a serviceman has helped give him a balanced perspective of life.
“My insight is tempered with my experiences with the Navy,” he said. “I’ve been around the world twice and been to virtually every country you can name.”
A preliminary campaign fact sheet pings heavily on Jacksonville’s educational shortcomings, noting that children should receive the best education possible and that teachers “deserve” at least a $5,000 increase in their salaries.
Transportation also plays big on Myers’ soap box: “Every neighborhood needs sidewalks, every neighborhood needs dependable municipal transportation and our Interstate systems are inadequate to provide us safe use as an emergency evacuation route.”
Myers would form a “Leadership Council,” a think tank of former city leaders to research solutions to various civic problems, perhaps on a quarterly basis.
“It’s a waste of talent. When a person retires from being mayor, they’re pretty much forgotten,” he said.
In a race that some say will take $1 million in campaign money to be competitive, Myers admits his ability to collect contributions won’t be as hardy as other candidates.
“People like what they like and they’ll make their choice,” he said.