by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
John Peyton seemed to get along well with Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings during an impromptu Wednesday morning meeting at the mayor-elect’s transition headquarters.
Jennings’ laugh came booming through the closed office door of Peyton’s fifth-floor office throughout the meeting, which ran 15 minutes long and had to be broken up by an aide to keep the lieutenant governor on schedule.
Jennings said she expected “spectacular leadership” from the incoming mayor. She termed the meeting a “meet and greet,” but said they discussed Jacksonville’s importance as a business leader within the state, and the 2005 military base realignment.
Jennings serves on the governor’s realignment advisory council, charged with protecting Florida’s 21 military bases from closure or downsizing. Peyton pledged during the campaign to fight Jacksonville base closings.
Jennings was in town to speak to the Amelia Island Chamber of Commerce. Following a Wednesday morning speech at the Jacksonville Chamber, her staff arranged the meeting with Peyton.
According to her staff, Jennings pressed the governor’s case for medical liability reform at both chamber speeches. She was “cautiously optimistic” that the legislature would be able to pass reform legislation during its special session, beginning June 16.
Peyton said he came away impressed with Jennings, who he said shared his pro-business, pro-literacy outlook.
“We had a great meeting,” said Peyton. “The lieutenant governor’s record is clearly pro-business. As a former teacher, she shares my view that good early literacy programs are important to an effective education.”
Jennings taught fifth grade for two years prior to her election to the Florida Legislature. She spent 24 years in the State House and Senate, including a four-year run, ending in 2000, as Senate president. She left her job as president of her father’s Jack Jennings and Sons construction company to take the job as lieutenant governor.