Hall files for at-large seat
Sam Hall, Pensacola City Councilman for District 2, has filed to run for the At-Large B seat this November. The move comes just after a current at-large Council member, Diane Mack, filed to run for mayor.
Some have speculated that Mr. Hall may be trying to move to an at-large race in order to raise his profile, hoping that it will improve his chances to win a seat on the Consolidated Government’s Council if consolidation is approved in November.
In a statement to the News Journal‘s Jamie Page, Mr. Hall said, “I just want the opportunity to do for all of Pensacola what I have been able to accomplish for District 2. I think this gives me the opportunity to serve at a different level and think about citywide issues. I am not abandoning District 2, I just want to be able to serve in a different way.”
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All that anyone that wants to oppose Sam Hall for citywide seat needs to do is replay his “logic” for voting against the consolidation plan. Good luck with that one Sam
Hey Mr. P. What will city residents gain by the so called consolidation plan that consolidates the city’s assets into the county’s coffers?
Mike consolidation merges all assets together for everyone’s benefit. The existing assets in the city and the county are utilized and focused under a Strong Mayor form of government so that the entire community has a shot at a reasonable economic development plan. Without it, I fear, we will continue to be one of the poorest counties in FL and our kids and grandkids will continue to have to move away to find real employment. There is no focused political effort in this community. 5 single member districts in the county and a very small city provides for no accountability. The interaction between the city, county, school board, etc is dysfunctional at best. Now you can make the argument that we just need to get better people to run. My counter to that is that true leaders do not want to be 1 of 10 or 1 of 5. They want the ability to lead. Structure matters and our structure here inhibits leadership. Look at the firm from St Louis that does large housing development projects. When asked what it would take for them to come here they responded that the city and county had to stop bickering and the school board had to get involved. As I said before taxes at all levels of government are going higher. Unless we grow our tax base we are doomed. I don’t see that happening without consolidation. If you have another plan I would love to hear it. The city (and the county to a lesser extent) are in a difficult financial condition. Services including fire and police are being cut now and will again next year. I don’t see that changing unless we grow the income side of the equation. I don’t see anyone’s plan to do that. I think it is unfortunate that the pros/cons of consolidation are not really being discussed. It seems like the conversation is mostly about some conspiracy theories regarding taking of assets etc. I think that is crazy. If you understand consolidation no one loses, everyone wins. I find it ironic that some in the city are claiming they don’t want their assets given to the city and some in the county are making the same argument about county assets. How can both be true? At the end of the day this is about putting in place countywide the same structure that many of us worked so hard to get in place in the city. An accountable focused form of government.
John,
Please share how you used your positions and power to exempt your home neighborhood from the higher tax rates.
A bit self serving dont you think. John ensured that Marcus Pointe has an out in the agreement to not pay the taxes its density would determine. All they have to do is say they would rather not pay the tax and they are exempt. You see when you live in $400,000 plus houses you dont want to pay taxes. They are for folks like us.
Jeff, now that is great. Would LOVE to know how I did that. I am curious to this position and power that you seem to think I hold. Can I leap over tall buildings also. Your comment is not only wrong but totally ridiculous. Offer up one piece of evidence to that “FACT” and I will pay you $100. The truth be known and the minutes will reflect that I was not a fan of the urban district language in the document. The fact that 6 of the 9 commissioners can vote to create a USD (and one of them doesn’t have to be that districts commissioner) troubled me. I was out voted apparently in spite of my significant Power and influence. I have said since I moved to Pensacola that I think it is ridiculous that much of the area south of nine mile road is getting urban like servies and not paying for it. There is NO ACCOUNTABILITY for any of that and that is what I thought the consolidation process would bring. The same effort we worked for in the city. I believe that all of our taxes are going higher and services are going down over the next couple years. Nobody hopes I am wrong more than I. If the consolidation effort fails. I hope that you, Maren, and others in the city are Successful with annexation and are able to grow the city to nine mile road (at least). I will help you with that. I think that will be a much harder and longer project. Your characterization of my motivation by the way crossed the line. You of all people should be able to know and appreciate my dedication to this community (in the city and without). Jeff I don’t think that you have bad intentions or are an evil person because you oppose this effort. My comments on the other post were in jest. I apologized to you on the site publicly and on a voicemail. If you want to not accept that, you have to own that. To attack my integrity is beneath you
True or false, self contained communities like Marcus Pointe can opt out of higher taxes?
I believe that to be false. The commission can create a USD with a vote of 6 of the 9 commissioners. Marcus Pointe by the way is not “self-contained” These are public roads serviced by the county.
Contraction of Urban Services Districts. Except as otherwise provided
herein, the Council, by ordinance enacted by majority vote of the full membership
of the Council, may contract an established urban services district to remove
portions of the district that do not need or receive additional services or levels of services beyond those provided in the general services district( GSD).
please donate the $100 to the American Cancer society
And by the way…
Constitutional Officers. The offices of sheriff, property appraiser, clerk of
the circuit court, tax collector and supervisor of elections shall remain as elected constitutional offices with the same powers, duties, and functions as provided by law.
Isnt where alot of your “savings and efficencies were to come from??
1) I think that is a stretch and 2) My comment regarding the $100 is for “proof” that somehow I used my influence to do any of the above. Stop emoting Jeff for just a fricking minute. Read post earlier post and you will see how I feel. As much as I agree that the constiutional officers should be consolidated it is not politically feasible to do that now. They are also fully accountable to the electorate. Our county is not.
So you admit that with regards to the constitutonal officers it is a bad plan?
And I disagree. The County Commissioners and all constitutional officers are just as accountable to the electorate as they would be under the proposed plan.
by the way im googling emoting…outside me current vocab
Never said it was a perfect plan. Welcome input from others. While we are throwing stuff out to ponder. Why is there so much venom? To my knowledge or at least from me I am not aware of any personal attack on anyone that opposes this plan. I have never said the opposition were bad people or had personal motivations. Why is it that “your side” seems to think that there is this conspiracy on the supporting side to do damage to the community. Would love for someone to explain to me what I, Remington, Crawford, Bell, or anyone else that supports this document stands to personally gain from this.
Obviously the commission didnt want input. They put a bow on it Jan 15 and quit, no input no changes. The exhalted Jacksonville took 18 months to study and present their plan. What I cant figure our is why the rush? Why vote this November? why not move it forward when its done and better vetted. Must be something political because I cant think of a practical issue?
The reasons I can think of are:
1) If strong mayor starts working it will beg the question why consolidate.
2) The governments involved may take some of the findings of the commission and do them outside consolidation
To sum it up from my point of view:
a) you set out to consolidate all offices the constitutionals said NO…failure
b) you tried not to assume the City pensions but the City bowed up and you took the Pension liability…failure
c) you promised efficencies Harper said None Proveable…failure
d) you promise economic development Harper said spread of wealth not increase…failure
e) you promised accountibility but dont even make the councilman from a district have to vote of new taxes in his district…how is that accountible…failure
Its a bad plan. I just hope it dies before my friends throw the $250,000 plus in marketing the bad plan they plan to to put some lipstick on this pig.
The current county commissioners are accountable to ONLY 20% of the county population. If we had AT LARGE members we wouldnt be having this conversation. It is IMPOSSIBLE to effect change with single member districts. Constitutionals are essentially strong mayor-esque in that the buck stops there!!
Then why not due a strong mayor push in the county and leave the City alone
Jeff, would love to “play” longer but have to go to a the very charitable “Mall Ball” God I HATE that is in a city building. I sure hope all the proceeds only go to COUNTY residents. Specifically those in Marcus Pointe. BTW GOOGLE “Sarcasm”
Have fun and see you soon
Sorry John, but I simply don’t believe it’s a good deal for the city and see no reason why I should pay county and city taxes to supply services to the county and then get another smack when they label us an urban service district getting more services. Who had the idea for urban service districts Not enough taxes to pay for the exempt neighborhoods so had to add another layer in the city?
I do believe that language was crafted to exempt certain areas from higher taxes . Why would the language Jeff referenced even need to be in the document if we are
All for One???
Wiggins who said he did not support strong mayor concept is running for strong mayor
Hall who said he would only serve two terms filed to run for his 3rd
Maybe they should write down what they tell voters .