by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
As the Jacksonville Journey was launched to develop programs to reduce crime in the city, its members learned how much the community is ready to roll up its sleeves and make it happen.
“This group has exceeded every expectation we had for Jacksonville Journey,” said Mayor John Peyton. “We have put our stake in the ground to say that the status quo is not acceptable any more. We have created a road map for change.”
That map was developed after Peyton announced the anti-crime initiative in December. Nearly 140 volunteers were appointed to develop methods to improve law enforcement, crime prevention, intervention and rehabilitation programs.
Seven subcommittees were created to find solutions for these problems: Education, Truancy, Dropout & Literacy, Funding, Intervention and Rehabilitation, Law Enforcement and Deterrence, Neighborhood Safety and Stability, Positive Youth Development and Public Relations.
While City Councils and mayors may change with the election of new officials, Peyton is firm in his support for Jacksonville Journey.
“We look at funding one year at a time,” said Peyton. “The budget reflects priorities and it is clear that one of the top priorities for the community is a safer Jacksonville.”
Being involved with Jacksonville Journey was an eye-opening experience for Steering Committee Chair Betty Holzendorf.
“I’ve always been one to talk to the Chamber of Commerce and the City to find out what they need and go to Tallahassee and bring funds back,” said Holzendorf, a former State Senator. “This process gave me the opportunity to see what the dollars were being spent on and what dollars were being cut.”
Cutbacks on the City’s budget weren’t the only thing that affected support for taxpayer dollars to pay for Journey initiatives.
“A lot of people were behind this when it first came out,” said Holzendorf, “but then they got hit with rising gas costs, a stormwater fee and a JEA fee increase. All the people who were positive about using tax dollars for this weren’t so sure after that.”
One point hasn’t wavered through the Journey process, that Jacksonville has a problem with crime. One member of the program was able to get a better perspective of what it will take to create a safer city.
“I learned a lot more about the issues and obstacles that the city has to overcome to create a safer community,” said Tony Boselli, chair of the Neighborhood Safety and Stability Subcommittee. “The solutions are out there, we just have to get on the same page and work together to find them. Journey may be wrapping up its recommendations, but we are just getting started. If it is structured properly it will be successful and it will move forward.”
One notion most people involved with Journey took away from the initial experience was the deep commitment of the community toward its goals.
“There are an awful lot of very bright, young, engaged people who want to work to improve the community,” said W.C. Gentry, chair of the Education, Truancy, Dropout & Literacy Subcommittee. “I was impressed with the people and the quality of work produced by the committees.”
Gentry was also interested to see what kind of changes will be in store for the program in the future.
“A lot of important programs are not being funded,” said Gentry, “But the core is there. Once we demonstrate the effectiveness of the programs it will be easier to get people to buy in and invest in it. We don’t want to just start up this program, we want to see it expand.”
Journey’s initial wish list was trimmed after Peyton decided not to follow the Funding Subcommittee’s recommendation to raise taxes to pay for the programs.
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