by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Rising gas prices and how to tackle the issue have been topics debated far and wide. Michelle Barth, regional director for Sen. Bill Nelson, heard plenty of opinions on the topic during Friday’s meeting of the Downtown Council of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The business networking group met at the Aetna building and around 50 members heard about Nelson’s regional office, how it works and how the local business community can be heard by notifying the office.
“We intake all of the opinions of the community,” said Barth, who works with a part-time employee and interns to handle the outpouring of concerns and opinions on Nelson’s work.
Barth’s office in the Gate Riverplace Tower is tiny, she said, but her work is anything but. She pores through hundreds of e-mails daily and directs them to the right place – and she had some advice for those looking to be heard.
“Send your mail to the local office here,” she said. “Sending it to his (Nelson’s) office in Washington, D.C. will take an extra 3-4 weeks due to security.”
Barth said she’s seen many rants and raves on topics such as the Department of Veteran Affairs, rising health care and food costs but one in particular seems to be on everyone’s mind and subsequently in her inbox – gas prices.
“By far the biggest,” she said.
Several Downtown Council members voiced their concern over prices and offered solutions of their own. Answers ranged from increased national drilling to conservation, but most agreed that solutions need to be found and looked to Barth for answers.
Barth did note that Nelson recently introduced a bill that would ban speculative trading on oil and other commodities in response to the price of crude oil and gasoline, but couldn’t speak on behalf of the rest of Congress.
“I can assure you Sen. Nelson and the rest of Congress have taken notice,” she said. “And they are taking steps necessary to combat it.”
The Downtown Council will skip its next meeting and reconvene July 18. No speaker has been confirmed, yet. For more information on Downtown Council, go to www.myjaxchamber.com.