Florida Times-Union Editorial Board Questionnaire – Mike Hogan

 
1. In recent years, the mayor and City Council have used a mix of revenue
increases and cuts in expenses to balance the city budget. Do you agree? If not,
what would you do differently?
 
For the first 10 years of our city’s consolidated form of government, elected officials
realized savings from removing duplicate layers of government and efficiencies from
centralized services. Because of these savings, city officials were able to lower the tax
rate each year during this period.
 
Until about four years ago, each year’s growth in the city’s tax roll provided city budget
makers with additional revenues. We do NOT have a revenue problem. We have a
spending problem! We must learn to live within our revenue stream like every family in
Jacksonville does. We will not present a budget with tax increases to the City Council.
We will look at replacing full time employee vacancies with part-time workers. I will also
totally overhaul our finance department and our procurement procedures, review all
investment programs, reserve levels and request an independent, pro bono audit of our
financial infrastructure to provide other areas to reduce spending.
 
We will tether the growth of our government spending to the growth of our economy. I
fought hard at the state level for measures that would have required local governments
to live within their means and avoid increasing the burden on taxpayers.
 
Temporary fluctuations in the economy should not be met with increased taxes and fees
that tend to be permanent. That is why the city has reserves. Those reserves, on the
other hand, should not be used in an attempt to fund recurring expenses such as salary
or benefit increases.
 
Meanwhile, the local government must do whatever it can to aid the local economy --
not by increasing costs to the taxpayers but by reducing costs to businesses, especially
small businesses.
 
To quote Sen. Marco Rubio, "It’s pretty simple to understand”. The economy doesn't
grow because of politicians. It grows because of people that start businesses or expand
existing businesses.
 
2. Do you support the Jacksonville Journey? Explain your answer.
 
As mayor I will meet with the Sheriff and the Jacksonville Journey Oversight Committee
and review the program to ensure that it is having a measurable impact on the crime
rate commensurate with the considerable cost. My decision on whether to continue,
discontinue, increase or decrease funding will be directly related to the return on
investment those hard-earned tax dollars are producing.
 
While first reviews of the Jacksonville Journey suggest it is having a positive impact, we
must create partnerships with existing programs like PAL, Junior Achievement and
others who can administer these same programs at a much smaller cost. My goal is to
privatize and partner with existing 501C-3's and create savings of 15-20 percent by
2012. Also, there should be no need for additional funding for the Jacksonville Journey
until the city regains its fiscal strength.
 
3. What endorsements have you received?
 
My campaign has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police and The Northeast
Florida Builders Association in addition to many individual civic, business and political
leaders.
 
4. How much civic activity do you perform outside work?
 
I am and have been very involved in numerous civic activities. Some of my civic
activities have included: United Way Allocation Committee; Leadership Jacksonville;
Telephone Pioneers; Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity; Vice President, Intra-fraternal
Council; Little League Baseball Coach (seven years); Member, Deacon, Sunday School
Teacher, Department Director and Secretary First Baptist Church of Jacksonville (38
years); Board of Directors of the following: 121 Credit Union; Riverside Rotary (Past
President); Fellowship of Christian Athletes(past chairman); Women In Need; Bob
Tebow Evangelistic Association (past president); Northeast Florida Safety Council.
 
 
5. How do you intend to comply with Florida’s public records and government in
the sunshine laws? If you saw an elected official breaking the sunshine law, what
would you do?
 
I intend to comply fully with all of Florida’s laws, including its public records and
Government in the Sunshine laws. Naturally, if I saw or knew about anyone breaking
the law I would report it to the proper authority.
 
6. What can you do to help support the clean-up of the St. Johns River?
 
The St. Johns River is many things to many different constituents. It is an environmental
treasure, an economic resource and a signature natural feature that defines
Jacksonville. The city has a responsibility to play a leadership role in balancing all those
competing and complimentary interests while ensuring that we protect the future of this
resource for everyone’s benefit for generations to come and still respecting private
property rights. 
 
Our next mayor must provide leadership on this issue. There has been continuous
improvement in the river for almost 40 years beginning with the city ending its long
practice of dumping millions of gallons of raw sewage into the river daily. I support the
work being done by The St. Johns River Alliance, Sen. John Thrasher and other state
leaders in building coalitions among representatives from all the St. Johns River’s cities
and counties to continue the improvement. I will call upon my contacts in Tallahassee
and Washington DC. to help our efforts.

 
7. How can you become engaged in the city’s high murder, infant mortality and
suicide rates?
 
Ensuring public safety will be one of my highest priorities as mayor. I look forward to
sitting with the leaders of our public safety departments and studying the impact staffing
levels are having on public safety in Jacksonville and ensuring that the newest, most
productive and cost-effective technology is being employed.

I am also very interested, as Jacksonville’s next mayor, in sitting with the sheriff, state
attorney and other community leaders to examine the impact the Jacksonville Journey
is having on crime in our city. My decision on whether to change funding will be directly
related to the return on investment those hard-earned tax dollars are producing.

Infant mortality is a public health issue related largely to the strength of the family unit
and how well the mother takes care of herself during pregnancy. Mental health is a
problem nationwide and I am keenly aware of the connections between these health
issues and crime and suicide in our community. I will strongly support community-based
efforts to address these problems and increase awareness of services available. As a
former employee of the Duval County Health Department and Vice-Chairman of the
Health Promotions Committee while serving in the Florida House of Representatives, I
have an extensive background on health issues. This past service provides me with
knowledge of and contacts with the key players in the state and county health
Departments.

8. Has consolidation been a good or bad deal for Jacksonville? Please explain
your answer.
 
Consolidation has been a good deal for Jacksonville. Consolidation has allowed
Jacksonville to eliminate redundancies in government services and saved the taxpayers
millions. There have been some problems, such as maintaining the balance between
the cost-saving efficiencies of central services with the desire of some agencies for
more control over their own operations and jurisdiction of various agencies of
government. However, the overall impact of consolidation has been positive for
Jacksonville.