Comments on: In the Arena: Mayors Over Time

By: Dirk Dynamic

Dirk Dynamic — Mon, 21 May 2018 01:21:08 +0000

In reply to Jon Ausman. Being liberal means never admitting you were wrong. You were wrong. Admit it and correct the record.

By: Jon Ausman

Jon Ausman — Sun, 20 May 2018 19:10:41 +0000

In reply to Franklin Thompson.

Franklin,
George Damon was elected to the City Council in 1866. He died in 1890 and his wife Sarah died in 1895. In 1963 the surviving heirs of George Damon conveyed his real property to The Fountain Chapel AME Church.

Russell,
Thank you for the note regarding the transfer of lobbying funds out of the Major’s Office. That was helpful.

I appreciate the notes from Franklin and Russell.

Jon M. Ausman

By: Franklin Thompson

Franklin Thompson — Sun, 20 May 2018 12:33:08 +0000

Left out my Great Grandfather, George Damon. (Damon House at the Village on the Green @ B.K. Roberts Law School.)

By: Dirk Dynamic

Dirk Dynamic — Sun, 20 May 2018 05:30:43 +0000

Russell: don’t confuse liberals with facts. Their heads will explode. Any rational reader knew there was no way in heck a government budget has shrunk I over several years. Leave them in their protective bubble.

By: j russell price

j russell price — Sat, 19 May 2018 16:43:38 +0000

Good history lesson and interesting observations on type of mayors we are now electing.
The city charter is clear-our mayor’s duties are restricted to presiding over meetings, a vote and a voice in commission proceedings that counts no more than other commissioners, no veto power, may use title of mayor in executing legal documents for the city; recognized as the head of city for filing civil processes, exercise of military law,military, and all ceremonial purposes. In other words, about the same as the county commission chairman, except that the city mayor is elected by voters.

I have seen no appreciable improvement in past rotating mayors and our elected mayors-to the contrary. Many would argue that we have had better county commission chairs than mayors.

Jon, you are correct about the number of mayor’s aides at 4, but the mayor’s budget actually has shown a net increase in personnel costs. The mayor’s budget decrease from 2014 to now resulted from transferring the lobbying contracts (now about $230,000) from the mayor’s budget to another department.

By: Vernon

Vernon — Sat, 19 May 2018 15:53:03 +0000

In reply to Edith Crow.

So, Edith… if a candidate for mayor does not have time do carry out this part time job, and put the citizens of Tallahassee first it’s really simple…They have no business throwing their hat in the ring in the first place. Holding public office should be viewed as a public service, similar to jury duty…not as a career. We should go back to mayor in rotation, one year at a time, with term limits on every office.

By: Edith Crow

Edith Crow — Sat, 19 May 2018 05:44:47 +0000

In my opinion, the City of Tallahassee has become much to large for a PART TIME commission and a PART TIME mayor, hence the talk of city/county consolidation. In turn, there would be a FULL time political influence in place that could understand the needs of the community without having to depend on so may aids / assistance / advisers that cost an insanely amount of tax payer dollars every year and that are employed by the city to “aid” them in there ultimate dissensions on critical issues.

Yes. You read that correct. Part time. They rely on “aids and advisers” to do all the work and suggest they vote on many issues based on their recommendations.

Just as an example: Mayor Marks (not picking on him but just using him as an example).
Full time attorney at the Marks and Marks law firm. How can an attorney with many ongoing and open cases run a full time law firm plus take on the responsibility of running a city the size of Tallahassee? It can not be done. Well… it can be but half ass’ed. Excuse my language.

Not to leave out Mayor Gullum, and of course, not picking on him, BUT…
How can you be full steam ahead in the upcoming governors race, (not to forget all the TIME and money that went into the potential VP race with Clinton), working multiple private and non profit positions AND be mayor of a growing city and have the best interest and undivided attention of the community? 1968, yes. 2018, not possible and it shows.

Tallahassee is growing. Take a drive down Bannerman Road and check out Bannerman Crossings, cruse through Mid Town, frolic around Gains Street, mull around College Town, take in a concert or walk around Cascades Park or view the thousands of new student housing units on Tennessee Street, look at all the new condos and hotels being constructed!

Tallahassee is not a quaint little southern town that it used to be. It has grown and will continue to grow just like the traffic congestion. LOL

What also needs to grow is the demand to have full time Mayor and commission.

-Edith Crow

By: Snidely Whiplash

Snidely Whiplash — Sat, 19 May 2018 02:26:27 +0000

Excellent historical information Jon!!!
Bringing it back to the future I would opine that our current crop of elected officials are so lucky to be living in these modern times.
I am sure if the elected officials of 100+ years ago engaged in the theft kickbacks and corruption our current crop is involved in and got caught they would have a whole lot more to fear than pending Federal indictments and cushy prison time.
Back in the day if the public used that tar and feather run out on a rail process it often resulted in painful death or a severe handicapped existence for the rest of the wayward politicians days. And that’s if they liked you. If not you would find yourself swinging as strange fruit from a tree.

By: Preston Scott

Preston Scott — Sat, 19 May 2018 02:02:34 +0000

Jon…Brilliant! I have questioned the purpose of the Mayor’s office in its current construct for years. I would have never framed it as you. Tallahassee has no need for a Mayor and the additional babysitting it has required. I will add, ethical questions and inquiries of each Mayor (and don’t think for one second John Marks is out of the woods…Harold Knowles has many skeletons in the closet and is in the midst of his own federal case in Georgia) have been a giant distraction. Additionally, Gillum has been an absentee Mayor for nearly his entire term. He has worked for the State Party, the Clinton Campaign, and People for the American Way…Foundation all while being the alleged Mayor. Time to go back to the rotation.

By: Jon Ausman

Jon Ausman — Fri, 18 May 2018 22:47:46 +0000

The current Mayor’s office has four (4) full time positions. In 2017 the funding for the Mayor’s Office was $476,736. This is nearly $100,000 less than it was in 2014.