by David Ball
Staff Writer
It was straight to business for State Rep. Aaron Bean at Wednesday’s meeting of the Duval County Legislative Delegation at City Hall.
After replacing State Rep. Stan Jordan as the chairman of the 11-member body that includes members of the state house and senate representing Duval, Clay and Nassau counties, Bean had the task of ushering through nearly 70 speakers, most asking for the legislators’ help in getting one thing — money.
While the annual procession happens every year, Sen. Stephen Wise began Wednesday’s session with a blunt statement to the crowd.
“We’re a billion dollars short right now before we even start the session,” he said. “If you didn’t get funded last year, there are two chances you’re going to get funded this year - slim and none.”
Wise continued to say that despite many groups, organizations and even government offices having compelling cases, it would be “almost impossible to come up with those dollars right now.”
Still, many speakers asked, beginning with Mayor John Peyton’s Policy Chief, Adam Hollingsworth, who asked for help funding programs to increase access to and protection of the St. Johns River as well as programs to increase police presence and crime-prevention measures.
Clerk of Court Jim Fuller asked for $1 million to be returned to his office from the Clerk of Court Revenue Remittance System administered by the Department of Revenue.
“I don’t have enough people to do the work,” he said. “I send back to Tallahassee over $6 million a year...and I need some put back.”
Others asking for funds included representatives from Shands Hospital, the Department of Children and Family Services, Beaver Street Enterprise Center and many others, but likely the most adamant plea came from State Attorney Harry Shorstein.
For months, Shorstein has publicly stated that state budget cuts could severely impact his office, even resulting in criminal cases that can’t be prosecuted.
“The state has disgracefully failed to fund state attorneys. I am telling you the issue is critical,” said Shorstein. “I’ve lost five attorneys the last several weeks.”
Shorstein said the comparatively low starting salary of about $40,000 for new assistant state attorneys drops to about $24,000 when you factor in an average of $100,000 in student loans for seven years of college. He said the problem is exacerbated by the increasing funding of police services that results in more arrests - normally a good thing.
“Law enforcement is funded by the county, and we are funded by the state,” he said. “I understand...the money problems the state is having, but I also understand that public safety is the number one priority of government.”
Other notes of interest from the meeting include:
• The selection of the Delegation’s vice chair. Both representatives Jennifer Carroll and Audrey Gibson were nominated, but the senate vote (2-1) went to Gibson and the house vote (7-1) went to Carroll. After a two-minute discussion away from the dais, the Delegation reconvened and Gibson removed her name from consideration, despite being the senior member to Carroll.
“I believe I’ve had a strong bond with this Delegation, and a respectful bond,” said Gibson. “For the good of the Delegation, I am going to yield to representative Carroll.”
During the vote, Gibson attempted to abstain but couldn’t, and so voted “no” on Carroll’s nomination.
“I wanted representative Gibson to know I appreciated her non-support support,” said Carroll.
• The creation of a new office of chairman emeritus for Rep. Don Davis. Wise made the request to honor the service of Davis, who won re-election this year but has experienced recent health problems. Davis was most lauded for his work in helping to bring feature film productions to Northeast Florida.
“You got title, rank and of course all the pay that goes with it,” joked Jordan, “without all the heavy lifting.”
• Talk of proposals to draw potable water from the St. Johns River. In his first statement as delegation chair, Bean said the issue would be one of the most critical in the coming session. He also asked representatives from the St. Johns Water Management District, which would permit the water withdrawals, and St. Johns Riverkeeper, one of the lead environmental groups opposed to the plan, to attend the next delegation meeting on Jan. 18.
Atlantic Beach Mayor John Meserve also expressed concern about the withdrawals, and Hollingsworth said Peyton sent a letter today to the Water Management District opposing the plans following the City Council’s approval Tuesday of an emergency resolution also opposing the plans.
• Some spirited verbal jabs between Jordan and Sen. Jim King. The Delegation almost didn’t have a quorum as two out of three senators, King and Tony Hill, weren’t present when the meeting began. As King and Hill finally arrived together a few minutes later, Jordan said, “Ladies and gentlemen, let me welcome you to the King of the Hill show,” adding, “we don’t operate like this on the house side.” King quickly responded, “That’s why you’re still in the house.”