Ray Holt City "Councilman District 11" and Lake Ray "State Rep. District 17" hosted "Town Hall Meeting" July 13th.

Ray Holt spoke first and brought us up to date on a couple of issues he is working on.   

Transportation:  Road work is being done at Alta to South of 9A and 9A to Heckscher with widening of the roads to endure the truck traffic we will be seeing in a few years.  Turn lanes at New Berlin and Yellow Bluff is currently in the design stage and will be completed one yar from now, the East West Connector should be completed in 60 to 90 days.  A temporary light will be installed at Faye Road and Alta.  This area will eventually be widened to four lanes. 

Budget:  The Mayor presented his proposed $1.02 increase to the millage rate or $1.02 for every $1 of assessed value.  A $100,000 home would be assessed at $950.00, $1,900 for a $250,000 home.  The Council has to ratify the budget line by line.  Ray told the attendees they are trying to find cuts.  

We can view the Mayor’s proposed Budget on line at coj.net. 

If there are areas you see that need change, let Ray know.  At the present time, Ray indicated there were 4,600 road problems that need to be addressed.  The Human Rights Commission is a duplication of what the State does and needs to be eliminated.  While we are in the lean, tough years, we need to make cuts when we can.   

The Mayor/Council have a choice of three things either raise taxes, cut services, change tax base. 

There are businesses looking to come to Jacksonville.  Ray wants to see more light industrial businesses because they require fewer to no services.  They bring in more tax dollars and not more people. 

Lake Ray spoke to us regarding his first term in Tallahassee.  The House has 120 members – one for every 50,000 per District.  The Senate is 40 members or 3 times the size of the legislature.  Basically Republican and the budget issues are controlled by conservatives.  The were able to reach a balanced budget in spite of what is going on in D.C. and other states.  The balanced budget did include the stimulus package.

The budget was balanced without raising sales tax and other taxes.  They reached a $66 billion dollar budget.  $6 billion decrease. 

Education – no cuts in education.  Increase in cost of $27 per student.  There are challenges out there, every department and division being held accountable.  The budget was cut by $6 billion. 

$60 million is lost in school books each year.  Students need to be taught to be responsible. 

Universities – 15% per tuition increase – out of state rate is lower than the instate rate.  The University professors have been spending too much attending conferences around the world, about $12 million was spent.   Cost of books also in question.  Again, Ray made reference to accountability.  The teachers and course work need review.  A new book should not be issued on a subject but every five years. 

Insurance issue:  Ray is in support of freedom of choice.  The companies are charging rates to make them solvent.  Citizens insurance for example – plan that enabled small companies in default – rates charged to make the companies solvent.  We are paying these costs.  State Farm is leaving Florida.  Ray believes that we should be allowed to choose the company, and how much you want covered – free market – offer different policies for us to choose from. 

Transportation – very important impact – money moved back and forth into trust funds. 

The House Budget – cut other expenses – 7% cut. 

Cigarette tax increased because of the demand on medical services and cigarette related diseases.  Many dollars go to those people. 

Gambling tax on the Seminoles.  Lake was not in favor of expanding gambling.  He felt we should not be negotiating with an Indian tribe – they shouldn’t have rights as citizens of Florida, they are a Sovereign nation inside a State. 

The size and growth of government has been on this path for years.  We need to get control back to the States. 

10^th Amendment Resolution – last amendment of the Bill of Rights which allows for freedom of speech, religion, gun ownership.  Not in the Constitution, the Federal government cannot get into. 

Lake stated we need to tell Government to cease and desist of what they are doing and pay attention to the Constitution. 

What do you want state government to be doing?  How do we define roles of Government?

Ray Holt took the floor again and asked the attendees what areas we should look at reducing the budget.

Suggestions were:

Parks & Recreation

Travel budget of Administration

Homeless shelter give away

Cut Administration

Pay freezes – Mayor or across the Board

Proposed – one week furlough – one week off without pay for all non-emergency

positions. 

C02 emissions effect on the environment – see Publicpolicy.org, Not a real science.

The government wants home and auto improvements to meet guidelines.  

Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. 

Extremely informative and conducted well by both Ray Holt and Lake Ray.

Nancy Burnett:  Secretary/ Treasurer Northside Business Leaders