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Escambia And Century Becoming Part Of Pensacola? Governor Signs Consolidation Bill
May 6, 2009
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed into law the Florida House bill that will form a commission to study local government consolidation that would combine Century, Pensacola and Escambia County into one. Crist signed the bill yesterday in Pensacola.
“We are really excited about it and look forward to showing the community the unique opportunities it presents,” Jason Crawford, co-chair of the group Escambia All For One said. Escambia All For One is the driving force behind the consolidation effort. “We appreciate the governor making it a priority to sign this bill.”
The next step under the bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Evers, requires the creation of a consolidation study commission by July 1.
“Florida’s families and business are making sacrifices, and it is important that they know their government is listening and learning how we can be better, more efficient and more accountable to those we serve,” said Gov. Crist. “Their priorities are our priorities, and I welcome their input.”
Once a consolidation plan is created by the study commission, it is to be submitted to the Escambia County Commission, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century for action before submission to the Escambia County legislative delegation by January 15, 2010. Once approved by the legislature, the plan would be presented to Escambia County voters.
“We have some really important work to do in the next seven months,” Crawford said.
Escambia All for One believes the consolidation of the three governmental entities into one Pensacola will benefit all residents, including those in North Escambia.
“We will look at how we can look out for the north end,” Crawford told NorthEscambia.com. “There are a lot of things in the current system that keep the north end from thriving.”
Century, Pensacola and Escambia County will not be required to pay for the commission, under the house bill, but they will be required to provide clerical, technical and legal assistance to the commission.
The commission will include up to 25 members from various groups in the county. Crawford said he expect the group to hold its first meeting either Tuesday, May 26 or Tuesday, June 2.
The commission will include:
- Five members appointed by the Escambia County Commission, with one member being appointed from each district
- One member appointed by the Century Town Council, with that member being a resident of Century
- Two members appointed by the Pensacola City Council, both of them being residents of Pensacola
One member will be appointed by each of the following groups:
- NAACP
- Escambia County Taxpayer’s Association
- League of Women Voters of Pensacola Bay Area
- Pensacola Young Professionals
- Pensacola Ministerial Alliance
- Escambia County Farm Bureau
- Home Builders Association of West Florida
The president of the University of West Florida will appoint one member with expertise in local government matters. The sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of court and supervisor of elections will each appoint one member.
The chief judge of the First Judicial Circuit will appoint two Florida Bar members with legal expertise in local government matters.
One member will be appointed by the Escambia County School Board, and the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will appoint a member.
A special advisory committee on public safety will be appointed under the house bill, consisting of the following or their designee:
- Escambia County Sheriff
- Pensacola Police chief
- Escambia County Community Corrections Bureau
- Escambia County Public Safety Bureau Chief
- Pensacola fire chief
- Escambia County Medical Director
- chairperson of the Escambia County Fire Services Advisory Board
- Police Benevolent Association of the City of Pensacola
- Police Benevolent Association of Escambia County
- Chapter of of the International Association of Firefighters of the City of Pensacola
A special advisory committee on economic development will be appointed, including members appointed by the following groups:
- Pensacola Junior College
- Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
- Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce
- Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board
- Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce
- local chapter of the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce
- Florida’s Great Northwest
- Town of Century Chamber of Commerce
- Walnut Hill Ruritan Club
- Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce
An advisory committee on health care will be appointed by:
- Baptist Health Care
- Sacred Heart Health System
- West Florida Hospital
- Escambia County Health Department
- Escambia County Medical Society
Click here to read the entire bill (pdf format).
Comments
56 Responses to “Escambia And Century Becoming Part Of Pensacola? Governor Signs Consolidation Bill”
Learn to annex like mobile, make your city a place where people, would like to move or be annex. (This is about getting enough people within a city to put us in a positiion of having more swing in Tallahassee. Consolidation would do that. Annexing about piecemeal wouldn’t do that and it would require just as much time and money as consolidation) , but The city needs to focus , on their problems (The county has as much if not more problems as “The city” and Pensacola would inherit those as much as the county would inherit the city’s problems. Furthermore, these problems affect you with or without consolidation (i.e. ECAT). Pensacola is to (too?) lose (loose?) with their money,instead of a maritime park being built in a flood zone in a hurricane city,and borrowing 38 million dollar’s, clean the thing up and get it in to public use as soon as possible (Well, it’s going to be a maritime park now. Too much time and money has been invested at this point to do otherwise), you can built (build?) the park any time. Now EAFO is goin to want us to focus on all the beinfits (benefits?) of consolidation. but remember that the people we talking about are the one’s that are running the city now (Really, who? Who is running the city who is organizing the consolidation push?). Are you impressed with that? Do you want city government? As a new city resident, and this passes, would I not be held responsible for this debt. and when they need money , who are they going to look at? The city resident.. (How many times do I have to explain this to you? County residents are affected by what happens with Pensacola and Century and vice-versa currently. Any problems the city or county have currenlty, without consolidation have an affect on you. You see it in the form of higher service fees or cancellation of services now so they don’t have to increase your property taxes. As for the maritime park….I’ve said this about five times….so I hope you get it this time……….YOU ARE SUBSIDIZING THE CRA DISTRICT THAT IS PAYING TO BUILD THE MARITIME PARK REGARDLESS OF CONSOLIDATION. CONSOLIDATION AND THE MARITIME PARK ARE SEPERATE ISSUES. SEEEPPPPEEERRRAAATTTTEEE). So in my opinon, this type of government will not work for our area. So VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION (Please, please, please consider what I’m saying and keep an open mind. Nobody is forcing you to vote on this right now, just to look at the FACTS as they are presented to you throughout the process and then make a decision at the voting booth).
I see no so called advantages, as he state’s, (You don’t see them or you don’ agree with them? Which one don’t you agree with, specifically?) the city is broke (not it’s not, prove it and be specific with your data) an (and?) as a county resident the county should not be saddled with pensacola’s problem’s or growth,(It’s really the other way around, but whatever you want to tell yourself) LIKE I SAID, LEARN TO ANNEX LIKE MOBILE .(Consolidation is annexation and it’s more efficient than Mobile as I outlined below) Well I am going to do what ever I can to make sure that , this annexation fails. (That will sum up the general history of our area’s problems) We do not wish to be city residents or be ruled by a tourist obsessed city (Move).
And yet you still miss the point. We do not wish to be city reisdents, (Some of you are…Century) we do not trust the city with the ability to govern or live’s or spend our money….(It will not be the same city under the consolidated government and most likley won’t have the same elected officials). This is about power and money, ( (life is about power and money, I’m sure you’re old enough to know that by now ) and we do not trust the city with either (again, it won’t be the same city). Suzanne M. Lelend wrote ” it is up to the civic elites to define the economic developent for the community, then to conveince the average voter that existing political structure is inadequate to support and implement that vision.” We do not share the same vision, and being a realist, I know how things really work. (So you’re saying you have a problem with this because it uses the same method of communication and marketing as every other political movement as Suzanne Leland highlighted in her book. She didn’t invent that system, that’s any decision in society is made) It is still all about pensacola , has been and always will be. (That’s your viewpoint, everyone that sees there’s a problem in this area sees it being about the citizens in our community regardless of whether they live inside or outside city limits. SO VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION (Vote YES for a better form of government and a better economic future for our community).
Learn to annex like mobile, make your city a place where people, would like to move or be annex. The city needs to focus , on their problems. Pensacola is to lose with their money,instead of a maritime park being built in a flood zone in a hurricane city,and borrowing 38 million dollar’s, clean the thing up and get it in to public use as soon as possible, you can built the park any time. Now EAFO is goin to want us to focus on all the beinfits of consolidation. but remember that the people we talking about are the one’s that are running the city now. Are you impressed with that? Do you want city government?As a new city resident, , and this passes, would I not be held responsible for this debt. and when they need money , who are they going to look at? The city resident.. So in my opinon, this type of government will not work for our area. So VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
Well hoo’ ray for you, I see no so called advantages, as he state’s, the city is broke an as a county resident the county should not be saddled with pensacola’s problem’s or growth, LIKE I SAID, LEARN TO ANNEX LIKE MOBILE . Well I am going to do what ever I can to make sure that , this annexation fails. We do not wish to be city residents or be ruled by a tourist obsessed city.
Bob, anonymous presented all the facts of the advantages and disadvantages and you still don’t get it. The advantages out way the disadvantages. You not wanting Pensacola to grow is like saying you don’t want us as a WHOLE to move forward and that’s very selfish of you. Also, I am a county resident just like you. And just like you are representing people in the county who don’t want this, I’m representing those who do. I and many others know that this is for the best in order for our voice to be heard. And I believe that it will be passed. Escambia County will move forward because this is America, we always move forward. It is within our nature. You cannot stop positive change.
We do not wish to have your city rule’s or even take a chance, that your city rule’s will affect our live’s. Plain and simple. Annex like Mobile does and let those close to the city join if they wish.Once again, growing is the citys problem, and not the county’s And wanting to annex the entire county in to pensacola is nothing more than good old fashion greed. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
And yet you still miss the point. We do not wish to be city reisdents, we do not trust the city with the ability to govern or live’s or spend our money. So once again, no sell. This is about power and money, and we do not trust the city with either. Suzanne M. Lelend wrote ” it is up to the civic elites to define the economic developent for the community, then to conveince the average voter that existing political structure is inadequate to support and implement that vision.” We do not share the same vision, and being a realist, I know how things really work. It is still all about pensacola , has been and always will be.SO VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
Bob, it’s nice having a civil conversation with you on this. As for staying anonymous, there is really no way you can fully trust that the name I put up is real, I don’t care that you don’t care if I alienate my clients (I do because it’s how I put food on the table and roof over my head, I’m not risking it), my name shouldn’t matter anyways because you don’t know me and I don’t know you. You choosing to believe everything I state to be “fictitious” because you don’t my name is understood, but I would recommend you at least consider it to be a fact until proven otherwise instead of basing your decision on an assumption. I expect you to treat my anonymous posts no differently than the anonymous postings of the news stories on this website. Do you see any names posted on those stories? No, you don’t. But, I bet you believe them as fact because the website’s name has North Escambia in it. That doesn’t mean it’s accurate.
Call me out if you want, line by line, and I’ll address it individually. I’ll go as long as it takes because I believe this is the right thing to do despite a few disadvantages.
I do read, listen and watch the PNJ and the blogs, talk radio and all four local television news broadcasts everyday. I see as many advantages from the news for consolidation than I do disadvantages. More importantly, I believe that a few of the advantages far outweigh all of the disadvantages.
I do not believe Escambia ends at Nine Mile Rd and I am aware of the prominent news that comes from the North end, particularly the issues that would have a bearing on this discussion.
I live in Escambia County also, it just happens to be within city limits. So I live and support the same community you do.
Consolidation Disadvantages from a county resident’s perspective: (feel free to add to this)
1. Escambia County residents will eventually share in the responsibility for the City of Pensacola and the City of Century’s finances.
2. You will have to re-elect your city or county representative to the new city council/commission position.
3. The incorporated areas (Century and Pensacola) will be renamed.
Advantages of Consolidation: (feel free to add to this)
1. One person charged with leading our community with respect to social and economic development.. No longer have three or four people to contact to get something done. (department, council/commission members and chair/mayor)
2. There won’t be three or four government departments working against each other at times to bring the best service possible to us (ECUA vs. County and City of Pensacola vs. Escambia County) using up our time and money to our detriment.
3. There will be one or two people to go to if a major business wants to locate to our area with a common message and proposal as opposed to three or four (Chamber of Commerce, City, County, CRA’s).
4. We will be seen as the fourth largest city in the State of Florida behind Tampa and therefore have a bigger voice in Tallahassee and on a Federal level.
5. We will have one person in charge so if things are not going our way we can vote somebody else in who has the power to bring in a new staff as opposed to having a chair or mayor who doesn’t currently choose the department heads and has no control over what they do unless they can convince a majority of the council or commission to vote the way they do.
6. Having one person (mayor) serve as a statesman to outside business on a proactive basis. Currently, we don’t have anyone within our government or chamber of commerce who any of us can agree is capable of proactively sell our area as a place to locate to because they don’t have the power to do it.
7. Better organization and communication between our municipal government and our school board.
8. Communities within Escambia County will maintain their identity, only the boundaries between the incorporated areas and the county will be removed.
Bad assumptions:
1. The current county residents will have to pay the current city taxes.
2. The new city will immediately pave every single road and make current county residents pay for it.
3. The names of unincorporated areas will have their names changed (i.e., one person seems to think Bratt will no longer exist)
4. County residents will be paying for the maritime park. The fact is that they subsidize the CRA that will be paying for the park already so that is already happening and will continue to happen unless something changes.
5. Annexxing the county into the city piece-by-piece will be better. What’s the difference? This way we just go ahead and include everyone in and have them receive the same benefits (see advantages above) instead of having to have numerous, costly referendums that create the same amount of discourse as this annexation is creating.
6. Consolidation is being done to bail out the (insert word of choice). The only thing conslidation is going to bail out is the people of Escambia County and the two cities from a poorly structured government. The pensions, civic center, maritime park, whatever you want to include will all be paid for by County residents. How is that you ask? Pensions are covered by city taxpayers who spend money in the county on goods and services. The taxes they pay to pay for those pensions wil not be spent at businesses in the county. Also, a majority of the city employees and retirees live in the county already so the city residents are paying their pensions. See #4 above about the maritime park. The civic center is supported by bed taxes and events. Tourists pay the bed taxes, city and county residents who attend the events pay the ticket prices and the county covers short falls currently when the civic center goes in the red. These things all happen currently without consolidation. How could it get any worse?
And to all my good freinds, in Escambia County, remember, they need us , we do not need them. We will be nothing more than a tax base AND WE ALL KNOW IT. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
Well you do not wish to address the Mobile issue because it is not your real agenda so once again you dodge the question. Pensacola can barely run it’s self, And you wish to run our county???, that is very, very, funny. Do not guess that you read PNJ, Progessive pensacola , Or listen to WEAR-TV , Every day if you look there is another reason not to consolidate, No we do not wish to join your community, because for some reason I get the feeling that you think Escambia County end’s just north of 9 mile road. Now as far as you not giving your name, I would expect that from some one who support’s consolidation, but is not willing to see if his facts can be verified, So your fact’s to me are fictitious, just like your name, your blowing smoke, Do not make claims that you can not back up with your own name, I do not care who your clients are, Now yes,I have studied it very,very throughtly, since the last election and I see who is endorcing it now. And it still is all about pensacola,and it always will be, so find anouther way to support your life style, because we do not wish to! But I tell every one that I know that reads this blog, IF I am misrepresenting you then tell me or blog on, and correct me, But I speak for alot of good people. and we do not wish to be part of your( community, city, or pensacola bay area,) We live in Escambia county , Fla. And we love it. We will take care of the county, you people need to learn to take care of your broken city . Never trust a man named ANONYMOUS. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
No, I’m not going to post my name here because I don’t want to alienate my clients. I wouldn’t be able address your comments if I did.
I didn’t answer you question directly about Mobile annexation and why Pensacola doesn’t do it because I thought it was obvious that one of the advantages of annexing the entire County is so that we can be seen in Tallahassee as the fourth largest city in the State of Florida and have more pull. Mobile doesn’t have to do that because it is the only port city in Alabama and gets plenty of funding for that very reason. To answer your subsequent question, yes, it would be just as difficult to annex the immediate areas around Pensacola piece-by-piece so why wouldn’t our citizens just go ahead and do it all at once? Annexing piecemeal would not give our residents better representation in Tallahassee.
“Do you understand that WE do not wish to be city residents or be ruled by the city. Yes or No?” No, I don’t. But, I do believe YOU don’t want to be part of our community for reasons that you have convinced yourself of before weighing out the advantages versus the disadvantages.
Who are you and what do you have to gain? A name goes a long way when in come’s down to seeing which side of the fence that you are on.
Dear no name. Do you understand that WE do not wish to be city residents or be ruled by the city. Yes or No?
Dear who will not print his name, I know about the CRA funds, and I do not care if pensacola get’s it’s share of those, but that is all that they are entitled to And let us not forget the extra like 12 million that the county threw in to the city to move the sewer plant, Now you have not ask any thing really, you are to busy dancing around the questions of, Why do you not want to annex like mobile? Is it to hard? Or is it that you know the people living near the city would not join because of poor services? Pensacola can build on the waterfront as long as they are willing to pick up the tab to rebuild it over and over. We in the county do not wish to.Now no name, what part of we do not wish to be city residents or be ruled by the city do you not understand??? The city has been driven in to the ground and you want us to support it and your grand life style, Well we say no. You can not have our money , and you can not rule us. Better figure out how to pay your CITY pension’s, and stop people from moving out of your city, because when you get right down to it and all the fact’s are known, Only a fool would jump on a sinking ship, Bob Hudson VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
Bob, I’m sure I heard someone say something about the maritime park not being paid for by county taxpayers also, but that doesn’t make it true. Just like you keep repeating how consolidation will mean you will have to pay for the maritime park. The truth is you’ve and the other 250,000 county residents have been supporting that CRA for the last 24 years and you will continue to support it as long as you live in the county or city and the CRA continues to exist. The consolidation will not change that one way or another. I was hoping you would pick up on that after the fourth time, but it’s not sinking in. You just keep mentioning that same thing over and over again, never directly responding to my rebuttal. So until you can learn to do that, I’m giving up on trying to help you help yourself.
What is a stake , are mllions of dollars in revenue, and a lot of power, and we trust the city, with neither. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
Your pensions are your fault and your little red wagon, Remember your a city, but if you use county service’s then pay for them and quite crying. Unless of course you wish to dissolve the city.
Well every one I have talked to , and I talk to a lot of people, we do not see it your way, and we do not want to be city residents or be ruled by a city that is obsessed with nothing but tourism, There is nothing EAFO or you can say that will make us change our minds, And I want you to tell all of us again how when on one hand you say that the maritime park will not cost the taxpayer’s any thing , then you say we are paying for it any way? Now as for me I donot trust any thing EAFO has to say and I beleive they will say anything to try to make their point. I see also that none of you will address the annex the way Mobile does. But we do not have to join the city and we will not. So VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
Bob, as was stated at least two other times, you’re already paying for the maritime park and you will continue to do so regardless of whether you vote against consolidation. As for pensions, the City of Pensacola pays for county services so I guess it should stop doing that and pay the pensions. That would solve our problem and create one for you, get the point? It’s not about the North end against Pensacola. Your only hurting yourself and those you care about no matter how you try to rationalize it.
Well good luck with that, but I have never seen any thing that mother nature could not destroy. Now the people who have been annex in to the city of Mobile, did so willingly, it was a benefit to them. Your plan to annex the whole county is not going to benefit me. Read my early post, The maritime park, RIght now I do not care if you build it, And I do not care if it get’s blown away. Because what ever happens to it is the city’s problem. Not mine and not the county’s. And I want it to stay that way.Right now it is not going to cost me a thing. BUT if we join the city as { new city resident’s ) yes, it will be our problem. So let the city annex close to those who want to join. BUT the rest of us do not wish to join your city. Plain and simple. Your pothole’s , your drop in city resident’s, your maritime park’ your broke pension plan, your semi-working port, what ever your problem’s are,,,,,,,,,,are your’s and not the county’s.You know what , we do not wish to take on the city’s debt, or be ruled by a city. There is only one reason that the city WANT”S us to join them. We would be a good tax base , and we do not wish to pay for all of your tourist plan’s. Remember that consoidation fail’s by a large margin because it is a bad plan. And we do not wish to carry the city’s load. VOTE NO FOR CONSOLIDATION
Right, so Pensacola should learn to annex like Mobile, but it shouldn’t build on waterfront property like Mobile does. It’s common knowledge that the waterfront is the primary attraction and whether you like it or not your services are supported by the southern districts, Perdido Key, Pensacola Beach and the Pensacola area. You’re suggestion is to stop and hinder growth in those areas. So your in favor of hindering opportunities for economic viability in our area? I wander why you don’t find that logic in any successful economic development plan? Also, the next time you come down to Pensacola take a look at the Baskerville-Donovan building that was completed prior to Hurricane Ivan when we had Cat 4 storm surge and Cat 3 winds. It had almost no damage and zero flooding. The park will use the exact same construction codes. I look forward to hearing your next excuse that has no bearing on this issue.
So I see that the county has a 39 million doller carry over for next year, bet the city would love to get a hold of that. But the money is going for improvements in my county. That is way we do not wish to be city residents. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
What dollar bills I see blowing away is any thing built in a flood zone in a hurricane prone city. You need to be trying to talk somebody else in to paying for it.VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
We do not wish to be city residents, And we do not wish to have your so call Advanced city government.Learn to annex like mobile, if you want to grow. Remember consolidation has been turn down far more time’s than it has been voted in. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
Bob, that issue will be handled very well by the Pensacola City Council. I’m sure you read the entire op-ed like I did and noted that our new council members are on top of that issue. Unfortunately, bad decision making from past council members and a financial advisor led to the pension problem. Like I said in an earlier post, this is not a problem that just the City of Pensacola has, it’s a nationwide problem with many municipal governments. It has something to do with investments not doing well recently. Do a search for yourself. Anyway, I like that you are keeping your eye on the ball, just don’t stand over the plate. I like it when my fellow citizens stay on top of our government to make sure they are doing the right thing, but sometimes they lose sight of the bigger picture and focus on one issue that your completely miss the fact that there are so many good things that you overlooked. In my mind, I’m picturing you trying to pry a quarter that’s been glued to the cement while dollar bills blow by.
News flash Pensacola News Journal 5-11-09 City pension plans need reform. Without reform City pensions will remain a growing burden on taxpayers, I believe that they mean CITY taxpayers!! And you want us to join the city? What a joke. NO THANK YOU!! VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
I find your blog, kind of sad, you need to get out of the city more and see how we really live. Now Mobile, you know the city that is kicking our behinds in jobs. Well they ANNEX tracks of land ,and those who live there are ask if they would like to join the city. Now you people do not want to do that because you know that no one will join.Now what you want is to annex the entire county? Thats, funny. The city can not offer me one thing that I do not all readly have. My road it paved, which I help pay for. I have my own light and water company, I have my own sewer system, And the escambia county land fill is very close, so what do I need to be part of the city for? At any given time I can go to the cc meetings and stand before 5 cc that represents 5 districts and have my voice heard. And if I really want to be heard I MAKE ONE PHONE CALL, and I can talk to my CC. It does not get any simpler than that. Now the city people of jacksonville who live in it are happy, but the one’s in the out lying area’a are not .I know I lived there for a year.Let me address some of your points. Yes the folks of pensacola did vote for the maritime park. We in the county did not get a voice. So the good city can pay for it when it does get destroyed .They better get some good insurance for it . because it is not the county’s problem. Building where they plan to build it now, is what we call “STUPID” Kind of like when people keep building on a barrier island. Another point, that is what we call BAD LEADERSHIP. We do not care that people are leaving pensacola, Not our problem. So the longer we put off consolidation the more pensacola sinks to the bottom? Not our problem. What you are saying if I read it right, the city needs our money to support them . What you are saying, is that it is all about pensacola, thats what We do not wish to be a part of. We do not wish to be PENSACOLA CITY RESIDENTS. ONCE AGAIN, WE DO NOT CARE WHAT THE CITY DOES.we do not care about all your tourist plans. And it is like you said. Times are tough,and the county is hurting, but not enough to vote to give our money to the city and be ruled by the city. And those pension plans are the city’s problem, not ours. Suzanne M. Leland wrote” Lessons learned from 35 years of city/county consolidation attempts” In which she state’s that the Social Elites, must convince the average voter that the present government is not working and to not to focus on the real problems that face them. ( I believe she was talking about the city’s problems)This was given to the group who went to jacksonville on 12-14-07. It is a play book for how to sneek in consolidation. So you people need to come up with a better sales pitch than that, because we are not buying it.We do not wish to have leaders like you or EAFO. There is not one thing that you can say or write that will make me change my mind. That is why she called it 35 YEARS OF ATTEMPTS. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
Bob, you should study Jacksonville’s thriving government. They were about the same size as us if not smaller 40 years ago, but have become a Super bowl city with a population over 700,000 people. It is the largest in Florida and the largest city in land area in the Continental U.S. We can become the 2nd or 3rd largest city in Florida and the 65th largest in the US with a population over 200,000. And that’s just a start. Speaking of FEMA declared flood zones, look at Miami. It is more prone to hurricanes than we are here so your point is??? Let me tell you the facts of life. Things will get destroyed. They are not meant to last. That’s why we have insurance so we can rebuild bigger and better things. And by the way the citizens of Pensacola did vote for the Maritime Park and they approved it. FYI the city’s port will be restored. Construction for that is taking place. Check downtown for yourself. The city has 40 million dollars already for the park as of which is not loaned. The city is not in debt. Well you might have a point cause our entire nation is not in debt! (Sarcasm) Leadership? Well that’s what people like myself are doing. We’re picking up the mantle and leading this community to reach its full potential. And just like Anonymous said earlier “annexation” is consolidation. So what’s your point with that? And you keep saying we’re avoiding the tough questions? We’re not; you’re just avoiding the truth. We need change here in West Florida and this is where it begins. What do you think people do when they leave Pensacola? That they just go live in the county? NO!! They move to cities with a better government that regulates better paying jobs through their liberation and industrialization. People are not moving cause they don’t trust the city. They love Pensacola, but are tired of many people like you keeping us idle and stagnant. Decades ago, we had the chance at becoming the largest tourist attraction in the world when Disney World decided to build itself here, but people reluctant to change purchased up the land as soon as they heard about this forcing Disney to move south into Central, Florida, Orlando. People move cause they don’t think Escambia, County is going to change. We need better stability here, which is nearly impossible with 3 different governments. And this inheriting debt thing you keep bringing up is false. Go do some research on the park and you’ll find that the citizens are not paying for it and no taxes are being raised because of it. I want you to give yourself a favor, research and learn the truth. Also take a look around the county and Century. It needs help. That school in Century didn’t have to close down and wouldn’t have if we were consolidated. Woodham high school wouldn’t be a middle school if we were consolidated. The longer we try to prevent Consolidation, the more sacrifices that will have to be made. Our economy is in a recession and we can help our community and country thru this act.
Downtown is reviving itself to attract tourist yet again since, people stopped hanging out down there throughout the years. I don’t think the people of this county are being treated fairly cause the lack of things that they would have in the city. (Better roads, sidewalks, regulations, benefits, etc.) The people living in the county have less say than the people in the city as well and that’s not fair to them. This is why we must work as one and order to succeed, instead of complaining and trying to send this brilliant idea plummeting. Why don’t you come up with something better that would help Escambia, County?
Even though I doubt you will. VOTE YES FOR CONSOLIDATION NEXT SUMMER OF 2010. IT IS THE SAME AS ANEXXATION. LOOK AT JACKSONVILLE, FL AS AN EXAMPLE.
Joshua, why do you not tell the good people that Jacksonville has not been hit with a major hurricane in 40 years? Jacksonville has a very large working port, pensacola does not by choice, because it is more important to have a tourist down town than a working port. But the big thing is just like you and all pro-cosolidation people, you avoid the tough questions an you think that we share the same vision as you do. For years we have watched the city make mistake after mistake, and the leadership is a joke. So when I say that alot of us do not wish to be ruled by the city. we mean it. So many of my facts are wrong, half true’ s and bais? Does the city have the money to build a maritime park in a FEMA declared flood zone on the water front in a hurricane prone city?. 38 million dollar loan,and the city voted for it, we did not. And if we consolidate, will not the “new City Residents ‘ by liable for the damage, because we are now part of the city? Will we not as the county inherit the city’s debt? Remember consolidate means ( to make one) . Is the city’s pension plan broke? Are not people leaving pensacola? The plan and simple true is, we do not trust the city and it’s management skill! We do not wish to be part of the city government and we sure do not wish to send our county money to you. So get over it, and learn how to ANNEX!!!!!!!! VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION
Anonymous is right bob. Many of your facts are wrong, half-truth and bias. I’m tired of seeing people in the county pay taxes they don’t see affect their neighborhoods unless you’re in a private sector. I’m tired of the many county residents who are not on sewer, who don’t have sidewalks for children to ride their bikes on, battered roads that take forever to be fixed as in the city, it would be taken care of right away. I’m tired of the lack of annual road clean-ups that don’t come unless you call unlike in the city. I’m tired of seeing our county as a whole suffer because people like you are resistant to change. Quite frankly, since you live in the county, I would think you of all people would understand what we’re talking about. Well unless you’re living in a private sector. Another thing, we are all apart of Escambia County and if one looks bad, so does the entire county. Tourism and aviation training is our main things here. Which means people will come to hangout or learn to fly but with return to their homes that pay better. This county is losing its population to bigger cities. Consolidation can fix that. This isn’t a one for all thing, because THIS IS AMERICA. We need more jobs here to increase our population and help our local economy. Let’s take Jacksonville, FL for instance. They are a consolidated government. It is the largest city in Florida in land area. It is a very beautiful city. The taxpayers there are actually seeing their money develop their neighborhoods. You know why? Because the money is going to one place instead of 3 different governments like we have here. The truth is Pensacola’s citizens overall have better qualities than those of the county and Century. Pensacola has better roads, property codes, sidewalks, and so on. So before you denounce this, think about the benefits it brings to us as a whole. VOTE YES FOR CONSOLIDATION NEXT SUMMER!!
Keep your eye on the ball, the city wants to build a maritime park in a FEMA declared flood zone on the water front of a hurricane prone city, and build it with money that they do not have. ANSWER let’s borrow 38 million dollars and try to talk the county into joining us to pay for it. Now when it get’s wiped out under consolidated government guess who get’s to pay for it. WHY THE “NEW CITY RESIDENTS” and we get to pay for it over and over and over. NO THANK YOU> VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
One more thing, you 2 pro-consolidated people have made my point, you will dance all around the question’s and not answer anything. SELL IT TO SOME ONE ELSE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT BUYING IT!!!!!!!!!>
Short Message, Question, why is the city always wanting us to join them? Simple, they need our cash flow. Do we want to join them and inherit their debt? NO!!!. Does EAFO want to address the problems of the city and ANNEX the way most cities do? NO. DEAR PENSACOLA , GET SOMEONE ELSE TO ASSUME YOUR DEBT . We do not wish to join you, your problems are your own so deal with it. One last note, with leadership as poor as pensacola has, it is all the more reason not to vote for consolidated govenment, and the other is that we just do not care what the city does.We just do not want to be in the city. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION!!!!!!!!! NO COMPROMISE.
I have been wanting and waiting for this to happen for such a long time and am pleased to have it finally considered once again. I have talked to our former mayor and commissioners, but all but one saw my vision. The other commissioners basically said that the people were not ready and that the people living in the counties are find with paying one tax unlike the people in the city who pays two. John Fogg believed it should happen but said politically it wouldn’t. Because of the power struggle. But it is time for us to do what is best for the community. Since this act was denied in the past, our 2 separate government’s separate decisions have been making parts of our community like such as Century suffer. Gene Valentino presented an awesome 5 point plan that was passed uniting city and county resources which is great. When I talked to him a few years ago, he said consolidation would be necessary for his plan. When I brought up this idea years ago, I did it for the best interest of our city. I wanted Pensacola to reach its full potential. This is the City of Five Flags, the Cradle of Aviation, and our Nation’s First Settlement.
Surely it deserves to be recognized and presented as such. Our population is decreasing when people move to bigger cities like Atlanta for better paying jobs when we could have that. Pensacola has a population of more than 56,000 people and Escambia County, Florida has a population of more than 200,000 people. Since Pensacola is the county seat, it gets the majority of state funds. Within the city limits, you’ll find the best roads and infrastructure. But outside of it, you see battered roads, citizens without sewer and a deteriorating city like Century. Perdido Key, NAS, and Pensacola Beach are exceptions because they are either a state park/tourist attraction and/or funded by the government. It’s time for change and not the same old traditional system. It may have worked in the past, but it won’t continue to work towards the future. By passing this, we begin the stimulus of better industrialization for our downtown which brings better paying jobs and leaves to an increment in our population. This worked with Jacksonville, FL who achieve consolidation its second try while Pensacola denied it each time. Let’s not make the same mistake. Let’s start anew. This is for our generation and the ones after. This is our opportunity. Let’s not waste it by being selfish and ignorant.
Bob, consolidation is annexation andI guarantee you Century and Escambia County will affect the current City of Pensacola as opposed to Pensacola affecting the other two governments; your voice (read representation) couldn’t be any more diluted than it already is; Pensacola provides enough tax revenue to support itsself and on top of that it still contributes to Escambia County services outside of it’s limits (ECAT, ECUA (relocation) and Emergency Ops Center); Pensions? Yeah, you have a point there because no other municipality in the country is having a problem with its pensions(sarcasm); potholes? every city in the U.S. has them; the maritime park is a non issue because you’ve been paying into that CRA for the last 24 years and it’s going to continue with or without the consolidation. Unfortunately, I think all of the problems you are describing (lack of rule, fiduciary problems, backyards needing to be cleaned up) are more representative of Century. Bob, instead of dragging the conversation down into a never-ending spree of stating false and mostly useless facts, why don’t you focus on the fact that the combined governments in our communities can’t work together in the current structure and will therefore keep us from being able to improve our local economy by making it easier for business to open up and function here. There’s a perfect examle of this nearly every month. Escambia County and Pensacola can’t agree who’s paying for ECAT and who’s paying for libraries, the school board closed down a vital elementary school in Century which means more citizens leaving that area and fewer people considering that as a place to live, Escambia County has an injunction against ECUA because of a disagreement over where we dump our waste (attorney’s fees). These are all things that cost us taxpayers money and resources. If our county can’t even make a simple decision over who’s going to pay for a facility or a service and where we’re going to put our trash, how can we spend any time trying to create opportunities for future generations to live here. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity – Einstein.
And I forgot one thing , people are leaving pensacola in droves and when they do , there goes your tax base. Now ever thing that I have said is true and EAFO knows it. All you have to do is keep your eye on the ball and see what is really going on. CONSOLIDATION is the diluting of our voice in government and alot of us are fed up with it always being brought up again and again. Like i said before, Pensacola needs to learn how to ANNEX, and if EAFO wants to do something, turn your attention to that and leave the rest of us alone.
Dear Anonymous, did not see your name on the EAFO supporter’s list, I do not care what Century does, that is their business, But Pensacola is a 22.7 mile city that cannot run it’s self. I suggest you look at a map and you will see the city is just a dot. Cannot fund their own ECAT, cannot fill their own pot holes, a non working port, Building a maritime park in a FEMA declared flood zone on the water front of a hurricane prone city,and then borrow 38 million dollars to pay for it, and a broke pension system. Pensacola can barely rule itself, so they need to learn how to ANNEX, But they say it is to hard. Well that is to bad , because it is not the county’s problem. The city is only concerned with it’s own problems and they want us as the cash cow.The city can keep it’s debt because WE in the county do not wish to inherit it, or be under the city’s rule.You in the city need to clean up your own back yard’ before telling us how to clean ours. VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
As a Pensacola resident, I would be more concerned about being consolidated with Century. Why support people who don’t have any desire to create better opportunities for themselves and, more importantly, their children’s future? Your inital thought as a fellow Escambia resident is to have a team approach mentality to improving our system of government so it’s more proactive than reactionary, but when I read comments from people like Bob Hudson on this blog I realize you can’t waste your time with that mentality. You either fight hard to create opportunities for yourself or you sit back and watch it get taken away from you. I sincerely hope Bob isn’t representative of the majority of Century residents or you’ll have to change that welcome sign so people don’t laugh as they drive through.
It’s all designed to make your wallet thinner.As county residents all we will get out of it is higher taxes to help pay off the over spending incurred by the city.Pensacola is just a giant Century!
Vote NO! your wallet will thank you
Dear EAFO, we do not need your help, pensacola can find some one else to pay for that 38 million dollar Maritime park.
The city is drowning in debt, and they want the county to pick up the tab. Well just remember it is always the city that wants us to join them, All that they see us for is a tax base. Just remember VOTE NO ON CONSOLIDATION.
Nothing wrong with consolidation, but it’s unconstitutional to have specific groups to make this study. Most of these groups were created out of Marxism (unknowing to many). Any group is nothing more than a special interest group and does not represent the citizen stockholder.
Although the Escambia All For One campaign tried to avoid talking about it their actual plan is to eliminate all of the constitutional officers like the Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools, etc. and merge them all into one massive bureaucracy. They’d do the same for ECUA and perhaps even the Downtown Improvement Board too.
Escambia All For One didn’t want the earlier agreed upon “opt out” provision in the bill that said the City of Pensacola and Town of Century voters would get to have their votes counted separately. If a majority of those voters vote it down then they’re out of it. It happened in Jacksonville by the way where four towns said, “No thanks.” The “opt out” provision was only inserted into the very last of many versions of the bill.
Representative Evers believes the intent of “his” bill is to identify opportunities for the local governments to work together more effectively and efficiently. That’s a pretty good idea. Unfortunately, the people behind the campaign say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and the only plan they have is to do away with all existing governments and merge them into one.
Co-leader Scott Remington made an “interesting” statement. When asked why consolidated government wasn’t also a good idea in Santa Rosa County or Okaloosa County he said, “Because they have too many governments.”
Commissioner Valentino had the the bill amended so the five persons appointed by the Board of County Commissioners didn’t need to live, vote, or even just own property in Escambia County. He had the specific reference to residency removed and someone just working in Escambia County can help decide our fate. I hope he’s not planning to appoint someone from Gulf Breeze Proper.
How many times does Charter Government have to be voted down in Escambia County before someone finally gets the message. Not all of Florida has to be like South Florida.
EMD is apparently thinking out of his box…lol
I am just wondering if this “all for one” and “Nuclear Power Bill Passes Senate” have anything in common with each other?
A zillion times: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Can we see the picture ? if we can”t see the picture, then we will pay for it later. Let’s use wise judgement. To receive funding, they need numbers yes, ours numbers. This has always been the case,. but Century has never received the money. Why?
YOU KNOW THEY WILL CHANGE THE NAME OF IT AND MAKE IT SO UND SO APPEALING TO THE VOTER’S AND THEN CAMPAIGN IT TO DEATH. LOOK WHAT THE PROPERTY TAX AMENDMENT DID TO OUR SCHOOLS – IT WASN’T SUPPOSE TO AFFECT THEM. THE POLITICIANS WILL GLAMORIZE THIS ALSO.
NO,NO,NO,NO,NO AND IF YOU ASK ME AGAIN I’LL SAY NO!
Me for one. That could be my calling card. I moved into the country to get as far away from the so called all for one people of the world. All this kind of group means to me is yet another social , government or I just want what you got because I was born under the wrong star. My, me for one group already supports a multitude of social and government stimulus programs.
Give me a break let someone else take the load.
No! No! No!!! Is that enough?
We voted 3 times to not put the civic center downtown but look where it is. This is just another attempt to broaden city of pensacola tax base. They want county residents to bail out city, especially the city’s retirement system.
One more time I love being a “Bratt” , do not want to be a city girl. Hope this doesn’t get shoved under some other name when it comes time to vote to confuse anyone, or worded complicated to confuse the general public. What part of NO doesn’t our representatives understand?
It still has to be voted on & I won’t vote for it.