A tax on rain

Jacksonville has levied a new fee on it's residents for Garbage Collection and Storm Water. Yes, we're being taxed on rain. Because, well, you know, it rains here. Garbage collection is also a new fee, which in the past was part of our property taxes. According to the City of Jacksonville, not anymore.

Here's the City of Jacksonville's explanation in a nutshell from their website:

When Tallahassee directed local governments statewide to reduce their property tax rates for 2007/08, the City of Jacksonville immediately lost millions of dollars in anticipated operating revenue. The crisis didn't stop there. Jacksonville also faced the inevitable and increasing expenses of operating local government.

Here's my interpretation:

You voted to lower your property taxes, and we lowered them (only because Tallahassee forced us to do it). And we're not creative enough to figure out a way to cut costs and run this city more efficiently. So we hope you're happy with your lower property taxes. Oh, and enjoy your new fees!

As I recall, Mayor Peyton was all about running this city like a business. Well in my business, when profit margins are sagging, we find ways to run more efficiently. That means bidding out business for the best rates, finding creative ways to cut costs, going the extra mile for the customer, and yes, even holding back bonuses and salary increases to the employees. The last thing a business wants to do is stick it to the customer, and consequently lose it's competitive edge.

Mr. Peyton, you are not running this city like a business. And why should you? You CAN stick it to the customer because you have a captive audience.

While the residents of Jacksonville can't necessarily "shop around" for a better city government, they can kick those city officials with a "payback" mentality out of office come next election. That is, if the residents have a long enough memory.

I was sure to include a smart ass comment on my payment stub before dropping it in the mail.

Life in Jacksonville as I know it

Life in Jacksonville as I know it lately has been... well, me... not being in Jacksonville.  I spent most of December in California, working in my company's home offices.  After a little break for Christmas and New Year's day, I'm headed back for more work.  I won't return until January 20th.  Two weeks is a long time to be away from home.  I don't even take vacations that long!  Regardless, here I sit at the airport awaiting my flight.  I'll see you all in two weeks.  Try not to miss me too much!

BLOG PARTY IN JACKSONVILLE

Just want to quickly mention an event at Club TSI this Saturday(15 Dec)... a BLOG PARTY! What happens at a blog party, you might be asking? Don't ask, because I have no idea. But I'm guessing we won't be sitting around with our laptops. Perhaps there will be some life-casting going on. That could be fun. What I do know is this; there will be live music and possibly free swag... reason enough for me to go.
Joey Marchy of Urban Jacksonville is hosting and he has more details.

Shangrala: This Is How We Communicate

A few months ago I went to Jack Rabbits in San Marco to hear some live music.  One of the bands was Shangrala, a local group who has a musical style that seems to dominate my listening tastes as of late.  They now have a new (debut) album out called "This Is How We Communicate".  I've had a chance to give it a few listens and I must say I'm impressed.  Overall, the music is a nice mix of well put together vocals over a rich backdrop of harmonies and contagious rhythms.  The relaxed, almost mesmerizing pace of the album is balanced by just the right amount of driving guitar work.  

And they do not skimp on this album.  Every song is well composed; you'll find no "filler" tracks here.  Most of them extend beyond the 3 minute mark.  One of my favorite tracks, Zilla, is over 7 minutes.  Its time signature fluctuates between a standard 4/4 beat and an oscillating 7/4.  Those odd counts always catch my attention and keep the rhythm interesting.  I'm always glad to hear good local talent, and this group has put me and my ears in a happy place.  My recommendation; head over to Amazon's mp3 music store, iTunes, or their own site (to buy a physical CD) and listen for yourself.  If you decide to get it, it will come at a decent bit rate and DRM-free from both Amazon and iTunes.

Festival of Trees

I got a nice email from Leah at the Junior League of Jacksonville letting me know about their Annual Festival of Trees which is going on in downtown Jacksonville right now and continues through January 4th. Here's how she described it to me:

The Festival of Trees is an opportunity for local businesses to invest in the Jacksonville community and showcase their business by sponsoring or decorating a Christmas tree to be displayed at the library the length of the event. Each tree, inspired by a beloved book, is spectacularly decorated.

This is a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday season and to spend some quality time with friends and family. How about taking it all in at the upcoming ArtWalk on Wednesday December 5th? Or you can attend the Night of Lights Party on December 7th. This fundraiser will feature music from the Paxson School for Advanced Studies Music Ensemble, a live and silent auction, and food from some of Jacksonville's finest restaurants. Tickets are required for the party, but all other events are open to the public and completely free.

The Junior League has lined up several other events including Children's Story Time and Craft Hours, book readings by local authors and other notables, and a holiday lecture series to round it all out. It sounds like they've put a lot of work into planning this and I hope you make a point to enjoy the festival in one form or another.

The Junior League of Jacksonville has all the dates, times, and other details on their site. If you're interested in attending the Night of Lights Party, you can order your tickets here.

Go. Be merry. 'Tis the season after all!

Book Review - Historic Photos of Jacksonville

Recently, I got my hands on a copy of a book titled "Historic Photos of Jacksonville" by Carolyn Williams. If I were to judge a book only by it's cover, I would note that the 10 x 10 hard cover, the sewn binding, the appealing dust jacket, and the quality paper and printing all make for an attractive book, worthy of my coffee table or book case. But as we all know, it's the content that really matters. So without delay, I dove right in to find out what was hiding behind the cover.


What I found were photographs, culled from the archives, and lots of them. They are the heart of this book, and they took me back in time when Jacksonville was but a frontier town, and the world was a different place. They bear witness to the cycle of progress, destruction, and rebirth of a city that even today continues to evolve. I found myself rediscovering Jacksonville through the photographers lens; it's citizens, structures, and ideas.

The book is divided into four sections, each of which focuses on different historic periods. The sections are preceded by a short narrative that describes the time period in which the photographs were taken, and each photograph has a short caption describing the location or setting. This collection begins with the Civil War era, and continues up through the Sixties. Events like the Great Fire of 1901 and the rebuilding of Jacksonville that followed, the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, World War II and the Military significance of Jacksonville are all offered in a perspective that only photographs can bring.

After reading through the book, I found that I had a new appreciation for the city I call home. A better understanding of what Jacksonville was in the past and how it progressed to what it is today. I lent the book to a few of my friends who also enjoyed it as much as I did. If you are or ever have been a citizen of this fine city, or you simply enjoy historic photographs, "Historic Photos of Jacksonville" would make an excellent addition to your collection. You can pick up a copy at your local book seller, or from online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or directly from the publisher. You won't be disappointed.

Do not feed or harass alligators

Last weekend, I explored Amelia Island via bicycle. It's so easy to get caught up in life, work, etc, and forget the beauty that lies in our own backyard. I need to do this more often. Who's with me?