Crime: Although crime is widespread, it’s an intensive need in the Northwest area. Allen said she’ll lead with a personally appointed liaison “to keep the pulse on Northwest Jacksonville.” In addition, she said she’ll make sure city departments like Neighborhoods work side-by-side with the sheriff’s office to help struggling areas.
Downtown: Allen said the first component of Downtown she would help is to care for the homeless population. Taxpayers, she said, save an average $21,000 for each person helped. Simultaneously, Allen said she wants to look into having residential incentives for developers who want to bring people to the urban core.
Education: Allen said she’ll work with the school’s superintendent, faith-based communities and private sector “any way I can” to help education.
“I believe relationships are key,” she said.
In addition, she’ll seek to use the office to leverage Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., to ensure teachers are fairly compensated, which she calls a “major problem.”
Human rights ordinance: Allen said she is in favor of crafting a document that “represents, respects and protects the rights of everyone” on issues like employment. “No one should be discriminated against,” she said.
Jobs/economic development: For the city’s economic development as a whole, it’s about bringing in people from the private sector who understand economics. Deals brokered will include taxpayers written into deals to ensure they’re receiving the proper return on their investment. In particular, Allen wants to focus on the Northside, which she says has been long neglected. She wants to determine how much each area of Jacksonville is contributing to the city and ensure the proper investments are being made.
Tax increases: Allen said that from the numbers she’s heard, the budget is the main problem — not taxes. “Mismanagement of funds very well could be our problem,” she said. But, if there is still a revenue need after “scraping the scrum from our budget” then she’d be open to some type of broad-based sales tax. She’s not in favor of a property tax.
Crime: Bishop said he’d lower crime over the next four years through economic development and jobs.
As far as crime fighting, tackling the budget and getting the city’s pension issues in order would put more resources toward public safety.
To attract and retain personnel, he said, you have to be able to pay them.
Downtown: Bishop said his career as an architect combined with his government experience make him poised to lead on the issue.
People-friendly infrastructure would help: Converting one-way streets to two-way, improving signage and way-finding.
Longer term, Bishop said he wants to speed up the development process by streamlining permits and reviews and a “wholesale revamp” of Downtown’s design standards.
One program he wants to see done is a Downtown riverfront master plan.
Education: Bishop said like almost anything else, it boils down to the budget. Getting it back in order could mean a library system that’s fully funded.
And on improving education as an individual, the mayor holds the bully pulpit.
“We’re all cognizant of what schools do wrong,” Bishop said. “It’s time to start promoting what’s done well.”
Top-performing high schools, feeder systems and quality neighborhood schools also serve as a marketing opportunity for economic development, he said.
Human rights ordinance: For Bishop, it’s simple: He’ll work to get an expansion to the city’s human rights ordinance passed. “It needs to get done,” he said. “We need to stop discriminating against people for who they are.”
Jobs/economic development: Bishop said he’ll bring economic development groups to the table to ensure success, just as he did during his term as council president.
There is one area he believes should have more of a focus: Northwest Jacksonville.
He refers to the area as “an open frontier” filled with inexpensive developmental property, access to the port and rail yards and an eager workforce as reasons it should be promoted.
Tax increases: Bishop contends that “you cannot tax your way into prosperity.” But, he doesn’t rule out a tax increase of some type if they’re for a dedicated purpose.
Paying down the city’s unfunded liability and pension reform would free up millions of dollars each year. All options should be available, he said.
Crime: Brown said overall crime overall is down 10 percent and the sheriff’s budget has increased $48 million during his term.
Brown said he will continue to focus on prevention and intervention programs, while the next sheriff handles the enforcement side of the issue.
He’ll meet with the new sheriff and have neighborhood walks every month to discuss a shared vision.
Downtown: Brown points to projects in Brooklyn and deals like Citizens Insurance Corp. as wins he helped.
He wants to continue those private-sector partnerships. Another goal is more housing, which includes residences for students of Florida State College at Jacksonville and Florida Coastal School of Law.
During that time, other projects will be completed, like the former Haydon Burns Library converting into the Jessie Ball DuPont Center.
Education: Brown said he’ll continue working with Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Like with jobs, Brown said advances in the STEM fields and improved graduation rates are priorities.
Expansion of the Mayor’s Mentors, summer jobs and Learn2Earn initiatives will be ways to directly influence education.
Another aspect Brown talks about advancing is the Young Leaders Advisory Council, which comprises more than 50 high school juniors and seniors.
Human rights ordinance: The human rights ordinance issues of 2012 never hit the mayor’s desk and Brown never publicly said whether he supported the legislation or not.
Over the past several months, he’s said he’s “against any form of discrimination.”
But he didn’t specifically answer whether he’d support or sign a similar bill.”
Jobs/economic development: First and foremost, Brown talks about the port and deepening the St. Johns River.
A port task force he established is weighing the pros and cons of dredging, and Brown said he’ll rely on its guidance whether to pursue the project and how to pay for it.
Brown also said Jacksonville being selected for the Global Cities Initiative will pay dividends for small- and medium sizes business in the coming year.
He wants to cut unemployment in half, from a little over 5 percent to just over 2.5 percent.
Tax increases: Brown’s stance on tax increases hasn’t changed. He remains against the idea.
City Council raised property taxes about 14 percent,which he didn’t support. He built his budget this past year based on that tax increase.
Crime: Curry has made crime a hallmark issue of his campaign, saying he will make the city save for all of Jacksonville.
He said finding the $14.7 million it would take to restore the 147 police officers cut over the past several years is his first budget priority. “It’s a billion-dollar budget and that’s where I’m starting,” he said.
He also wants to review programs from the now-decimated Jacksonville Journey program and restore those that were effective.
Downtown: He’s encouraged that key proposals and projects linked to Downtown are from locals who love the city. He singled out the Brooklyn development, the Shipyards proposal and the Laura Street Trio as examples.
Downtown will flourish, he said, if developers find it easy to do business with the city instead of facing red tape and unnecessary delays. The way the city operates, he said, is a disincentive to companies.
Education: Curry said he will bring back the book club for 4-year-olds created by former Mayor John Peyton.
He’ll also work closely with Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti and the school board.
He said he sees his role as anything from a cheerleader, collaborator, convener and fundraiser for programs that make sense for the school system and the city.
He also wants to make sure all children have access to quality Pre-K programs. He thinks by publishing the results of those programs, it will create competition in the market to improve them.
Human rights ordinance: Curry has said he is against all discrimination but hasn’t specifically answered whether sexual orientation should be added to the city’s discrimination ordinance.
Jobs/economic development: Curry thinks making it easy for developers and companies to locate here and expand current businesses will make the city flourish. It’s important, he said, for the private sector to be able to move quickly and execute their plans.
He also supports deepening the channel at JaxPort from 40 to 47 feet, which he said will drive business there.
Tax increases: Curry is against raising taxes, saying a drill-down audit will show exactly what financial shape the city is in. He pointed to recent revelations that showed tens of millions of dollars were discovered in city accounts that no one knew were there.