by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
A law career spanning over 50 years helped feed and shelter his family, but Bill Basford’s passion has always been politics.
Basford has moved across the border from the place where he served on the Duval County Commission and, after Consolidation, Jacksonville’s City Council in an effort to focus on his law practice.
“I moved to Clay County out of desperation,” said Basford, from his law office in Orange Park. “I had to get back to work someplace where they wouldn’t elect me to office.”
He has been practicing law long enough to have been honored by the Florida Bar Association for 50 years of service in the Fourth Judicial Circuit at a June ceremony.
“The law has been good to me,” said Basford. “When I’ve taken the time to practice, I’ve enjoyed it.”
He will still take time to practice law, despite the fact he’s closed his law office in Orange Park. Basford plans to practice from his home. He is also planning to pay a little more attention to his bass boat.
“We used to fish 20-25 hours a week on the St. Johns River,” said Basford, who has been an advocate for the St. Johns River, “but the boat has just been sitting there lately.”
Basford has only recently thought about having “free time,” because most of his adult life was spent either practicing law or serving in government. He recognized at an early age that he had a passion for the latter.
“I vividly remember my dad taking me to the polls when I was six,” said Basford. “But it wasn’t until I got involved with the student government at the University of Florida that I really got hooked.”
Having classmates at UF like former Florida Governors Lawton Chiles and Bob Graham helped to spur this passion.
“When I was growing up, my dad and the people he knew were sort of like celebrities,” said Michael Basford, Bill’s son, “and it gave me a perspective that people who were famous were just regular people.”
Basford was active in Jacksonville politics shortly after he graduated from law school in 1958 and ran for a State Representative seat in 1962. He ended up losing a close race to friend Tom Slade, but later that year more seats were created due to an increase in population. Basford ran again and was elected to the State House of Representatives in 1963.
“He had notoriety from the last campaign, being one of the closer races in Florida,” said Michael Basford. “That helped him win the election for the new seat that was created.”
Basford may have lost to Slade in the ‘62 election, but Slade was aware of the strengths of his opponent.
“(Tom) Slade would always say, in a small group, (Bill Basford) was better than anybody in getting his way,” said Michael Basford. “(Bill Basford) knew how to talk to people and convince them to see things his way.”
Bill Basford served another term in the House and then returned to Jacksonville, where he was elected to the Duval County Commission, and, later, to the first City Council after consolidated government was instituted for Jacksonville in 1968.
“Something amazing happened when I ran for County Commission,” said Basford. “I have such good friends, that they and their wives went out and knocked on doors for me during the campaign.”
Long since removed from the campaign trail himself, Basford was intrigued by the recent presidential election and pleased to see Barack Obama heading to the White House.
“I’m proud of him for nominating Hillary (Clinton) as his Secretary of State,” said Basford. “She and Bill (Clinton) were outsmarted by the Obama people.”
He also keeps up with local politics and is a little disgruntled with the direction of state and local governments.
“I’m almost at the point of being irate with what (Gov. Charlie) Crist and the Legislature have done,” said Basford. “Schools, at times like these, shouldn’t be raising tuition. And cutting back on judiciary is inexcusable and so shortsighted.”
Basford also fears for the future of small business in Jacksonville.
“The small businesses that I’ve talked to are hurting,” said Basford. “There isn’t the teamwork we had with the council and mayor. I don’t feel the City is reaching out to the little guy.”
Operating his own law practice, Basford is one of the little guys, but he hasn’t lost sight of the big picture.
“It’s been a pretty interesting life,” said Basford. “I’ve been fortunate to have a great family and two good women that have put up with me.”
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