Jacksonville native Audrey Gibson was elected to the State House of Representatives for Dist. 15 in 2002, re-elected in 2006 and currently serves as chair of the Duval Delegation, the group of local representatives at the state level.
In addition to chair of the Duval Delegation, Gibson also serves on the Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee; Roads, Bridges & Ports Policy Committee; Civil Justice & Courts Policy Committee; Policy Council; and Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review.
A graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s in criminology, Gibson works as a paralegal for Terrell Hogan.
Wednesday, Gibson met with the editorial staff of the Daily Record to talk about her history in politics, the upcoming 2010 legislative session, issues affecting Jacksonville and even her green thumb.
How did you get into politics?
First of all, I credit my parents. They were not politically active, but they were socially active and helped a lot of people. My mom taught a lot of nurses in Jacksonville and she was dean of nursing at North Campus (of Florida State College at Jacksonville).
Both of my parents were also active civically. My dad taught at the old Douglas Anderson, not the one we know today.
When we moved to Southern California, after I graduated from the Florida State University, I went to work for a member of Congress and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
When I came home after 17 years, things seemed like they were not moving forward. Things could either stay the same or get worse. I could do nothing or I could take action and make things better.
I ran for City Council in 1999 and lost by 150 votes.
When did the Legislature begin to intrigue you?
I knew I wanted to be a public servant. I was very active in the Democratic Party in Southern California, so the first thing I did when I came back was to be active in the party.
The City Council seat was open and I lost, but I continued to be active. The Legislature opportunity came when (City Council member) Denise (Lee) entered the State Senate race against Tony Hill. I more than made up what I lost by.
As chair of the Duval Delegation, what are your goals?
To get the Delegation to rally around — and I don’t think this is too hard — transportation and education. I also hope they rally around voluntary pre-kindergarten. More and more we are relying on the FCAT and if we don’t get kids ready early, we are setting them up for failure. I go to graduations and kids are getting diploma jackets with certificates of completion instead of diplomas. Their future is mediocre at best and that is bad for the state. If we want to diversify the economy, and that has been our mantra, we have to change that.
Back in March with a smile on your face, you called the budget situation affecting the legislative session one of the worst legislators had faced. What’s it looking like for 2010?
I think the shortfall is a little less, but it’s still there. I don’t know if I was smiling because when there’s no money, there’s less to fight about (laughing) and who’s going to take what home because this year there won’t be any more Community Budget Requests, either. Already in my Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee, the folks have presented some cuts to early learning and voluntary pre-kindergarten ... and I just looked at it because what they presented is not going to happen. They’re going to have to come back with something else. (On the overall session) It’s not going to be pretty, again.
You voted against the 2009-10 state budget. Was it something specific or was it more philosophical?
It was a combination. The fees — all of the fees not just the motor vehicle fees — made me have major issues.
Also, I don’t think you find the biggest pots of money and say you’re going to cut that. Just taking five or 10 percent off something is not real budgeting. I don’t think we spent enough time finding extra dollars and we didn’t dig deep enough into the budget. That’s obvious because this coming year we’re going to have to dig in some more.
You mentioned your role on the Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee and wanting to rally the Duval Delegation around transportation. You’re also a Democratic Ranking Member on Roads, Bridges & Ports Policy Committee. On transportation, the latest buzz has been all about SunRail passing (Gov. Charlie Crist was in Orlando Wednesday signing the bill) ... what’s your take?
I told the public I initially voted no, but then changed my vote to a yes ... because I was really looking for more for North Florida. I was hopeful that something would happen for us even if it was for the regional transportation study that we want or making sure our road projects won’t be affected because there’s going to be some money diverted from road projects to pay for the rail. But ultimately, I think it’s good public policy that we look at how we are going to get around in the future. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the larger congested area is that I-4 area (in Central Florida) and we have to start somewhere. That was where CSX had rail they wanted to bring to the table and it’s an area where they really do need help, even if there is money for Tri-Rail there in South Florida. I was feeling a little more selfish for North Florida. But ultimately, state public policy should take precedence.
Are you optimistic it will lay the groundwork for North Florida?
It will, it’s just a matter of when. I don’t even know that we’re ready now ... even statewide, until we have a few generations of people riding rail like they do in some other states and countries, where that’s all they’ve known. We have to get used to that.
If you could pick one issue facing the state that needs to be addressed immediately what would it be and what would you do?
The solution is not always money but within the money lies the solution to all of the other ills. If I could I would wave my hand and we would have more money in the budget.
That would mean we could have a better health care system. If you look at our budget, Medicare and education are the two biggest chunks out of the budget. If we could take care of people’s health needs then we would have more money in the budget to better fund education.
The more we educate people, keep them in school and graduate them, the more they are able to work. The more they are able to work, the less they will commit crimes and the better the families would be because more people’s needs would be met.
Money isn’t the cure-all, but I think we could reduce a lot of ills if we could get the financing part right.
When we asked Duval Delegation members earlier this year about the biggest issues they and their constituents were facing, you mentioned foreclosures, school funding and unemployment. Are those still focal points?
Most definitely. Unemployment has gotten worse and foreclosures need to stop first of all. If we can get our housing stabilized, that puts money in the budget. If people are working, obviously, that puts money in the budget. But since they’re not, I think it was certainly not wise for us to look at the $444 million we left on the table for unemployment benefits to make more people eligible for unemployment, which then means there’s more money in the state that people are spending. And that means more money is put in the budget.
You have been active with Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. in the past. Through your experience with JCCI, what is the value of the organization?
It studies largely social issues, – it’s a national model actually – and the value is supposed to be for us to figure out what steps we should be taking in our city to alleviate the issues that they find.
They also offer some solutions in the findings. It’s for city leaders and delegation members to take action to implement some of the recommendations.
When I’ve written grants, in my previous life, I’ve used some of the information as background for grant writing purposes.
You’re a board member of Jacksonville Juvenile Justice Comprehensive Strategy. (As a State Representative, Gibson also serves on Civil Justice & Courts Policy Committee, Criminal & Civil Justice Policy Council, and she has a bachelor’s in criminology from FSU) What is your stance on treating juveniles as adults in the court system?
I don’t think it should be automatic. I just think there should be extremely extenuating circumstances if we are going to do that. Juvenile justice is a passion area for me. Actually, the juvenile justice class I took in college was the impetus for me to really get my degree in criminology. Once a juvenile enters the adult system, they already have some difficulty in the juvenile system of making sure they get their lives turned around, but once they get into that adult system, their life is pretty much over. That is just a child in a world that is cruel and certainly unusual to say the least.
(The crime) has to rise to a certain level.
What can the Legislature do to get more more jobs for Floridians?
I don’t know if there is anything we can do immediately, but right now we do have an opportunity to lay the foundation for the future. Some of the jobs that have disappeared won’t be coming back. We need to make sure we get our people’s skills sets in order. We cannot continue to be dependent on a service economy, which is what we have now, because those salaries aren’t generally high. When the economy is bad, it’s really bad for service jobs.
We need to be ready for more technically oriented jobs. Enterprise Florida attracts businesses to create jobs but those businesses have to know that we have the skills and the capacity to fill the jobs they are going to bring. If we don’t do that, those companies are going to bring people with them. It’s been suggested that ultimately those people are Floridians but when we’re spending current Florida taxpayer dollars on bringing industry to the state we need to be putting current Floridians to work.
Now that we are having an economic downturn, I think we have an opportunity to look forward and make the changes to more technical type jobs.
That being said, do you think Florida’s Qualified Target Industry (QTI) tax incentive requirements should be amended?
I think companies who receive incentives should put Floridians to work instead of bringing people with them. That’s not job creation. If a company is bringing 100 jobs to the state but they are bringing 75 people here from other places, that doesn’t work for me.
Have you ever filed a bill with “pork” in the legislation?
First of all, there are no turkeys and there is no pork. Yes, I have brought money home for projects and that is not a negative. All of that money is taxpayer money. If you are fortunate enough to get a project partially or totally funded for the community, that’s good. Money to put your name on a building, or something that’s not for the greater good, I have a problem with that.
Any one piece of legislation you are most proud of?
My one bill I really believe is helpful is the Caroline Cody Act. (Cody was a student at the University of Florida who was murdered.) The defendant’s family could talk about his childhood in front of the jury in a death-penalty case. Mrs. Cody (Caroline’s mother) could not read to the jury things about her daughter. I thought that was a travesty.
I carried the bill in the House and Senate that said the victim’s family can talk about the victim in front of the jury in a death penalty case.
Who do you lean on for advice? Who is your mentor?
I talk to a variety of people. I lean a lot on the information that’s available to me, first and foremost. (U.S. Rep.) Corrine Brown, obviously, because the state and federal governments have to work together. I talk to my mom and dad a lot.
In the first couple of years, I’d call (former State Senator) Betty Holzendorf because she had already served. I talked to Wylie Dennis. I wouldn’t characterize it as leaning, but those people had historical perspective.
What makes a good leader?
You have to care about people. I tell people if you don’t feel it in your heart and in your gut, you probably shouldn’t run for office. But for me, It’s really caring about people and the community that you live in.
How often do you talk with your constituents and what are they saying now?
(laughs) All the time. I buy my own groceries, so I see a lot of people at the grocery store. Wherever I go. There’s no place I go, even out-of-town, where I see constituents and talk with them. When I send out my newsletter I talk to them. I just sent out an e-mail, a flier and a press conference right before special (legislative) session on the whole space heater issue. Anytime I do something like that, it’s talking to my constituents. I think I do that a lot. I was on the radio, National Public Radio, Monday ... I’m going out today, I’m going out Christmas to do fruit, I do carnations for Valentine’s Day, I do Mother’s Day cards ... I want people to know I care about them and appreciate the opportunity to serve.
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
I see that I’m getting older. I see someone who is so thankful. I have a deep faith and every day, without fail, I thank God for the opportunity that I have. Because I think it is an awesome responsibility and I enjoy it very, very much. I’m so grateful to be one of 120 to serve. I’m thankful for a wonderful family. That’s what I see, and I like what I see.
You are term-limited. What’s next?
I have already filed to run for State Senate, Tony Hill’s seat, in 2012.
When you want to get away from being a legislator and get away from work what do you do?
I dig in the dirt. I dig up my flowers and plant new ones. I don’t have a very big yard because I live in a townhouse, but I change my flowers quite a bit. I already have my plan for the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
It frees my mind and it’s my time. I get totally absorbed by the flowers. When do they bloom and what will they look like? The only thing I’m thinking about is what I want the final project to be. It’s very much my therapy.