Waters will be term-limited just as Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan<\/strong> would if she wins re-election.<\/p>\n That context may explain recent text messages and phone calls, including from a shadowy entity called \u201cPeople over Profits,\u201d that calls attention to city funding for the Chamber and urges cessation of the long-standing process.<\/p>\n However, six years is a lifetime in politics. If you go back from now that far, you\u2019re in an era where the pandemic couldn\u2019t have been imagined.<\/p>\n It raises the question: who runs against Deegan in 2027?<\/p>\n Names have been floated. State Rep. Wyman Duggan<\/strong> is likely the best fundraiser of the bunch, while Elections Supervisor Jerry Holland<\/strong> and City Council member Ron Salem<\/strong> likewise haven\u2019t discouraged speculation.<\/p>\n And there may yet be bigger names to come.<\/p>\n They and other candidates should figure it out before the qualifying period in January 2027.<\/p>\n Assuming they do decide, new polling shared first with Florida Politics says there might be a window for a Republican.<\/p>\n The survey shows that on a ballot with just party identification and no candidate names, voters prefer a Generic Republican to a Generic Democrat, 42% to 37%.<\/p>\n The Tyson Group contextualizes the result of the survey amid a shift in the electorate to the GOP, as Republicans have winnowed down the Democratic plurality from D+4.3% to D+1.6%. Additionally, history tells them Republicans will win the turnout battle.<\/p>\n \u201cThe survey was administered online to a recruited panel and the data was weighted to reflect the expected partisan composition of the likely electorate \u2014 Republicans at 45%, Democrats at 41%, and No Party Affiliation\/Minor Parties (i.e., independent voters) at 14% \u2014 based on recent Duval County mayoral elections,\u201d pollsters note.<\/p>\n Further supporting their thesis, the Tyson Group notes Republicans have added 8,667 voters, Democrats have lost 9,167, and independent voters have increased by 324 since the 2023 mayoral election.<\/p>\n Deegan, well-known locally after decades as a television news anchor, took advantage of a fragmented Republican base, many of whom rejected GOP candidate Daniel Davis<\/strong> after a fractious and bitter March election saw him and other Republicans run profoundly negative campaigns.<\/p>\n The survey suggests that if Republicans can avoid a circular firing squad in two years, they may again take control of the Mayor\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n The 410 people surveyed also made their preferences known about fiscal issues.<\/p>\n They think they are taxed too much and that the government spends too freely.<\/p>\n Seventy-eight percent of respondents support a reduction in property taxes, one that has already cleared the Finance Committee ahead of next month\u2019s ratification of the FY 25-26 budget. That mandate crosses party lines, suggesting a winning argument in 2027, especially if Deegan continues to balk at cutting the millage rate.<\/p>\n And 73% said government \u201ccan cut waste and lower taxes without cutting essential services.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tyson Group says this shows \u201ca clear disconnect between city officials\u2019 framing of the budget and how voters believe city finances should be managed.\u201d<\/p>\n All told, 14% of respondents say property taxes are the most critical issue to them, putting it in third place of priorities. 35% of poll participants put improving the economy first, while 21% say fighting crime is the biggest local issue.<\/p>\n Reinstatement redux<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, a former Jacksonville Mayor is still pushing to get back on a Board he was appointed to by President Joe Biden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Alvin Brown<\/strong><\/a>, a former Vice Chair of the panel, claims he was removed without cause from the National Transportation Safety Board<\/strong><\/a>, and got a letter of support this week from Democracy Forward.<\/p>\n The group is already helping with his case, so the letter echoes contentions made in the original filing.<\/p>\n \u201cCongress made the National Transportation Safety Board independent for a reason: to ensure that investigations into transportation disasters are driven by expertise and evidence. The termination of Rev. Brown and the undermining of the independence of this Board does nothing to keep people safe. At a time when transportation safety is top of mind, we should be strengthening, not weakening, the systems meant to protect all Americans,\u201d said the group\u2019s legal director, Elena Goldstein<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Unsurprisingly, Democracy Forward\u2019s 32-page letter of support echoes the arguments Brown makes that he should have been allowed to serve his full term, rather than being dismissed by the Donald Trump<\/strong> administration earlier this year.<\/p>\n In that light, they seek his reinstatement to the Board.<\/p>\n \u201cThe one-sentence termination email provided no reason for his termination. Within less than 24 hours, Mr. Brown was forced to return his government equipment and ID. He is no longer able to access his office or to perform the duties that he was presidentially appointed and Senate confirmed to do,\u201d Democracy Forward argues.<\/p>\n Brown, who has become a reverend in recent years, allegedly brought unique qualifications to the Board through his \u201cpast experiences.\u201d He is said to have led responses from the NTSB to mass casualty car wrecks in Austin, Texas, as well as Belle Glade, Florida.<\/p>\n Black celebration<\/strong><\/p>\n Rep. Dean Black<\/strong> will spearhead the Republican Party of Florida\u2019s fundraising efforts in the near term.<\/p>\n \u201cDean brings a proven record of conservative leadership and fundraising excellence to this role. As a member of the Florida House, Dean has been a steadfast voice for our values and a consistent advocate for Republican priorities. In addition to his legislative service, Dean served as Chairman of the Duval County Republican Executive Committee, where he transformed the organization\u2019s fundraising operation \u2014 raising millions of dollars for his local REC and setting county records along the way,\u201d Chair Evan Power<\/strong> told members of the state party this week.<\/p>\n Power says Black will \u201cstrengthen our fundraising success at the state level, but to work closely with all of you \u2014 at the county level \u2014 to work on best practices and tools to make sure our RECs have the financial infrastructure to ensure we keep winning up and down the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n Tick tock<\/strong><\/p>\n Former U.S. Rep. Al Lawson<\/strong>, who represented Jacksonville for six years ending in 2022, might be looking to get back in the game.<\/p>\n As we noted last week, the Democratic perennial floated running for Governor.<\/p>\n And he\u2019s still pushing trial balloons skyward.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we need a good Primary,\u201d Lawson told the Tallahassee Democrat<\/strong><\/a>, as he expressed doubt that people outside of Tampa have any idea who former Republican Congressman and current Democratic front-runner David Jolly<\/strong> is.<\/p>\n \u201cAll these officials call me and tell me he might be our best shot, but your best shot does not mean you are going to win,\u201d Lawson added.<\/p>\n The 77-year-old says Jolly has three months to prove he can unify the party.<\/p>\n Nepotism schism<\/strong><\/p>\n Should the city of Jacksonville\u2019s lawyer have hired his father-in-law\u2019s firm<\/strong><\/a>?<\/p>\n That\u2019s the controversy the City Council voted to resolve via soliciting an opinion from the Florida Ethics Commission. General Counsel Michael Fackler<\/strong> hired the Bedell Law Firm, owned by his father-in-law Hank Coxe<\/strong>, for \u201clegal services directly rendered by his father-in-law for the Consolidated Government of the City of Jacksonville.\u201d<\/p>\n Former General Counsel Jason Gabriel<\/strong> would solicit the opinion rather than a member of Fackler\u2019s staff, via \u201ca legal memorandum \u2026 prior to the Council taking final action on this legislation, providing the relevant facts and background and any legal analysis the city would request the Commission consider in providing a written advisory opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked what he would charge, Gabriel didn\u2019t offer a verbal estimate.<\/p>\n President Kevin Carrico<\/strong> said the question was whether it was \u201cright or wrong\u201d for Fackler to make the hire.<\/p>\n The question of legality may be predicated on state law<\/strong><\/a>, given that local ordinances don\u2019t address it.<\/p>\n Florida Statutes 112.3135 defines a father-in-law as a \u201crelative.\u201d And it sets restrictions on a public official, such as a General Counsel, hiring a relative.<\/p>\n \u201cA public official may not appoint, employ, promote, or advance, or advocate for appointment, employment, promotion, or advancement, in or to a position in the agency in which the official is serving or over which the official exercises jurisdiction or control any individual who is a relative of the public official,\u201d state law reads.<\/p>\n Manufacturing muddle<\/strong><\/p>\n First Coast manufacturing contracted again in July, marking a half-year of contraction among industrialists in the region.<\/p>\n The University of North Florida (UNF<\/strong><\/a>) Jacksonville Economic Monitoring Survey (JEMS<\/strong>) showed 10 out of 12 sectors contracted last month, a further decline from June<\/strong><\/a>. It\u2019s a streak of overall contractions among First Coast manufacturers that started in February and has not reversed since.<\/p>\n Albert Loh<\/strong>, Interim Dean of the UNF Coggin College of Business<\/strong><\/a>, supervises the survey of industrial output. Given the national implications of President Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s international tariff considerations, Loh said, manufacturers remain nervous as most show a manufacturing index below 50, which is the threshold for expansion.<\/p>\n \u201cMultiple subindexes, including new orders, new export orders, backlogs of work, input purchases, material inventories, and employment, registered well below 50, showing broad-based weakness in demand and production pipelines,\u201d he noted in his summary of the survey.<\/p>\n He added that the remainder of 2025 could be a rough ride for First Coast manufacturers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the area\u2019s strong transportation infrastructure and port access provide long-term advantages, current conditions suggest that the remainder of 2025 may see subdued growth unless there is a rebound in domestic and export demand,\u201d Loh said.<\/p>\n Buyers\u2019 market<\/strong><\/p>\n July ended with another slide in housing sales in the six-county First Coast region.<\/p>\n The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR<\/strong><\/a>) issued its monthly market analysis<\/strong><\/a>. In July, there were 1,849 homes sold in the area stretching from the Georgia state line south to Palatka. That\u2019s down by 6.6% from July 2024, when there were 1,980 houses purchased. It\u2019s also a 9.4% drop from June\u2019s figure<\/strong><\/a> of 2,041 homes sold.<\/p>\n July represents the third consecutive month that home sales have fallen in Northeast Florida in the monthly comparison. The decline in closed sales is also coming as more houses are going on the market, with an inventory of 8,882 homes for sale in the region. That\u2019s 10.7% more inventory than July 2024, when there were 8,022 homes for sale and it\u2019s up by 0.8% from June\u2019s inventory of 8,808 homes on the market.<\/p>\n The median sales price for homes on the First Coast remained relatively stable in July, coming in at $394,000. It\u2019s a 1.5% decline from July 2024\u2019s figure of $399,882, but a slight increase from June\u2019s price of $389,900.<\/p>\n In the county-by-county breakout, in Duval County, the region\u2019s most populous county and home to Jacksonville, there were 947 sales closed in July, down 2.5% from July 2024\u2019s figure of 971 and an 8.5% drop from June\u2019s tally of 1,035. The median sales price in Duval was $329,000 in July, a 4.6% decline from a year ago but a slight 0.3% uptick from June.<\/p>\n St. Johns County, one of Florida\u2019s fastest-growing regions, saw home sales slow in July, when there were 468 closed sales. That\u2019s down by 13.3% from July 2024, when there were 540 home sales and a 7.7% decrease from June, when 507 homes were sold. The median sales price in July was $592,000, a 0.1% increase from July 2024 and a 2.1% increase from June in St. Johns County.<\/p>\n Nassau County, bordering Georgia, saw a substantial decrease in closed home sales last month. There were 113 sales, down 18.7% from July 2024\u2019s figure of 139 and a 16.3% slide from June, which posted 135 sales. The median sales price in Nassau in July was $464,000, up by 4.8% from July 2024 and 2% from June.<\/p>\n Clay County also saw a notable slide in closed home sales last month. There were 261 closings, a 4.7% drop from July 2024, which posted 274 sales and a 12.4% drop from June with 298 sales. The median Clay home sales price was $369,485 last month, a 0.7% increase from July 2024 and a 1.2% uptick from June.<\/p>\n Baby boom<\/strong><\/p>\n State Sen. Tracie Davis<\/strong> and Rep. Wyman Duggan<\/strong> are announcing a $4.5 million state investment to expand labor and delivery services at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville.<\/p>\n The funding addresses a critical need in Northeast Florida, where recent unit closures and a projected 14.5% rise in high-risk pregnancies have strained regional capacity. The expansion will double the hospital\u2019s labor and delivery rooms from 12 to 24 and add an OB emergency room, new operating suites, and a dedicated antepartum unit for continuous monitoring of high-risk mothers.<\/p>\n \u201cThis funding allows us to expand our capacity to care for the most medically complex pregnancies and deliver the highest level of obstetrical care,\u201d said Michael A. Mayo<\/strong>, president and CEO of Baptist Health. He called it a \u201cpowerful step forward\u201d in ensuring local access to advanced maternal care. The state funds are part of a larger $25.8 million, multiphase project supported by philanthropy and scheduled for completion in August 2026.<\/p>\n This initiative strengthens the region\u2019s only Level IV Perinatal Health Care Center, which is directly integrated with Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital\u2019s Level IV NICU. \u201cBeyond expanding physical space, we\u2019re expanding our ability to respond to urgent complications,\u201d said Nicole B. Thomas<\/strong>, president of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. This ensures even the most medically fragile newborns receive immediate, expert treatment without having to leave the area.<\/p>\n E-bike efforts<\/strong><\/p>\n Bicycles have long been an entrenched mode of transportation in Florida, but the latest iteration of the vehicles, electronic bicycles or e-bikes, has grown increasingly present on many of the state\u2019s beaches, restaurant areas and tourist destinations.<\/p>\n St. Johns County<\/strong><\/a>, home to tourist-rich locales St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach, is now taking measures to increase safety awareness for e-bikes after two troubling accidents<\/strong><\/a> involving the two-wheeled vehicles this year.<\/p>\n The e-bikes<\/strong><\/a> are electric-powered bicycles that still have pedals that can help charge the electric battery. But the push of a button or turn of a throttle can get e-bikes traveling to speeds of about 20 mph to 30 mph, depending on the brand and capacity of each e-bike battery.<\/p>\n The St. Johns County Commission passed a resolution<\/strong><\/a> this month to join forces with the Sheriff\u2019s Office and the St. Johns County School District to promote more awareness and safety for the operators of e-bikes, as well as e-scooters and other electronic motorized devices.<\/p>\n The move comes after two 15-year-old boys suffered serious injuries following separate accidents on e-bikes in St. Johns County. For a town like St. Augustine, tourists often rent e-bikes, and they\u2019re hardly limited to the streets of historic districts. They\u2019re increasing in presence on beaches, and beachgoers use them to traverse miles of coastline.<\/p>\n \u201cI am excited about this partnership to improve safety in our community on this issue,\u201d \u201cI was honored to be supported by my fellow County Commissioners to assemble a partnership with the Sheriff\u2019s Office and School District,\u201d said District 3 Commissioner Clay Murphy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cTogether, we will address this public safety issue of e-bikes in the classrooms with students, in the community with parents, and on the streets with our community. This resolution is the first step in a campaign to educate e-bike users proactively and provide enforcement when necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick<\/strong> said the resolution\u2019s timing is right.<\/p>\n \u201cEducation and enforcement are critical to promote safety in our communities. We\u2019ve experienced far too many tragedies involving e-bikes and young people; this resolution is a reminder of our unified commitment to prioritize the safety of our citizens,\u201d Hardwick said.<\/p>\n Free ride<\/strong><\/p>\n The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is making it easier for students to get to and from school.<\/p>\n No bus fare will be charged for middle and high school, college and university, and trade or vocational students in Duval County, JTA announced last week.<\/p>\n \u201cHelping students get to school each day allows the JTA to support families, neighborhoods and the future of Jacksonville,\u201d said JTA CEO Nat Ford. \u201cWe are proud to play a role in learning, achievement and opportunity for Duval County students.\u201d<\/p>\n My Ride 2 School<\/strong><\/a> is there for the younger students, while the JTA College Student Annual Pass Program<\/strong><\/a> is there for those attending FSCJ, UNF, or other colleges and universities.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/donna-deegan-video-via-x.png\")
<\/a>Polls show Donna Deegan could face a tough 2027 re-election against a Republican challenger.<\/p>\n<\/a>Alvin Brown fights for reinstatement to the National Transportation Safety Board after his dismissal.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Evan Power names Dean Black to lead the Republican Party of Florida\u2019s statewide fundraising efforts.<\/p>\n<\/a>Al Lawson hints at a potential run for Governor, questioning Democrat David Jolly\u2019s statewide viability. Image via Tallahassee Democrat.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Michael Fackler faces scrutiny for hiring the law firm of his father-in-law, Hank Coxe.<\/p>\n<\/a>A UNF survey supervised by Albert Loh shows First Coast manufacturing has contracted for six months.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Northeast Florida home sales declined for a third straight month as housing inventory continues to rise. Image via AP.<\/p>\n<\/a>Tracie Davis and Wyman Duggan announced $4.5 million to expand Baptist Medical Center\u2019s delivery services.<\/p>\n<\/a>Clay Murphy and Rob Hardwick launch a St. Johns County e-bike safety awareness campaign.<\/p>\n<\/a>The JTA, led by Nat Ford, announces free bus fare for all Duval County students.<\/p>\n