by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Downtown’s health, interlocal agreements and one-word descriptions of their opponents were among the topics Wednesday during a mayoral candidates forum.
It was hosted by the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association and the Hispanic Bar Association.
Candidates Alvin Brown, Warren Lee, Audrey Moran and Rick Mullaney along with write-in candidate David Crosby took part in the session at The River Club. Mike Hogan and Steve Irvine did not attend.
About 80 members of the associations attended.
The forum was moderated by Daily Record Publisher Jim Bailey. For a little more than an hour, candidates answered questions with time limits.
Among the responses:
• All of the candidates agreed that Downtown is important to the health of Jacksonville. As in previous forums, opinions differed in how to make it work. Moran advocated a reincarnated Downtown Development Authority. Mullaney disagreed with the need for a DDA, Brown called for public-private partnerships and Lee advocated for new leadership and a blueprint. Crosby said he wanted to see small businesses invest instead of “developers’ pockets lined” with taxpayer dollars.
• Opinions differed over how to create a better atmosphere for the Duval County School Board to succeed. Lee called for a one-cent sales tax for education as well as better teacher compensation
and improved communication between the mayor’s office and the superintendent. Brown called for raising dollars from the private sector for retired-teachers-turned tutors and an earn-to-learn program for high school students on college campuses. Mullaney said he’d take on the challenge for long-term success with public-private partnerships, and Moran said she would appoint a chief education officer and surround herself with a dedicated, smart team to tackle the issue.
• All candidates said the interlocal agreement between the Beaches and the City was working well.
• There were several quick-hit responses to a few questions. Each was asked whether he or she preferred an elected or appointed sheriff and school board. All but Lee said elected. On term limits for constitutional officers, Mullaney said he favored a hybrid system, Moran said no term limits and Lee, Crosby and Brown favored term limits.
• Asked to grade race relations in Jacksonville on a scale of 1 to 10, with one being awful and 10 being excellent, Crosby gave the highest grade, a 7. Mullaney said a 5 or 6, and Brown, Lee and Moran responded with a 4.
• Each candidate was asked to describe himself or herself in two words, and not use the word “trust.” Four of the five used “passionate.” Crosby did not, using “honest and hardworking.”
• Each candidate was asked to describe, in one word, the candidate sitting to the left. Candidates were seated in alphabetical order. Brown said Crosby was committed; Crosby said Lee was dignified; Lee said Moran was honest; Moran said Mullaney was funny; and Mullaney called Brown “friend.”
• Asked the three actions they would take when first elected, both Brown and Lee mentioned reaching out to the other candidates for input. The majority responded with tackling the budget issue immediately.
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