Author Topic: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.  (Read 100226 times)

Cheshire Cat

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Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« on: April 26, 2014, 05:53:01 PM »
http://jacksonville.com/news/2014-04-26/story/prominent-gop-fundraiser-peter-rummell-parts-ways-jacksonville-mayor-alvin#.U1wlHppywyw.twitter

Rummell delivers a "blistering" review of Alvin Brown's first term as Mayor.  Just a reminder Mr. Rummell you are the key player that put him there. 

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Rummell about Mayor Alvin Brown:Comment
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Former top fundraiser for Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown: 'He has no courage ... He has wimped out.'



Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/2014-04-26/story/former-top-fundraiser-jacksonville-mayor-alvin-brown-he-has-no-courage-he-has#.U1wlHppywyw.twitter#ixzz3023nA4dr

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It was spring 2011, and Peter Rummell, a powerful Northeast Florida Republican fundraiser, hastily gathered nearly 40 friends in a room at the downtown Hyatt.
Rummell made a surprising announcement: he would personally give $150,000 to help elect Alvin Brown, the underdog Democratic candidate for mayor. Within minutes, his pledge was matched by the other downtown business and civic leaders in attendance — many of whom, like Rummell, were registered Republicans but reluctant to support GOP candidate Mike Hogan’s hard-line conservative campaign in the runoff against Brown....


« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 06:00:33 PM by Cheshire Cat »
Diane Melendez
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2014, 06:05:28 PM »
Please read all of the reasons I listed on another thread with regard to Rummell's political backing of Alvin Brown and what it bought us as a city. Useless budgeting, no pension reform, complete lack of leadership, non support of the GLBT legislation and more.  Four years of lousy leadership which Rummell himself put into office using his money and friends in business. While he points his finger at Brown now, just remember that he is the guy that tipped the balance for Brown with money and influence. It cost us four years of leadership in a city that was in dire need of it with regard to all of the issues above and more   It appears Mr. Rummell himself now sees what I said all along.  Read Rummell's list of Brown's big failures according to Rummell.  What is not on the list but has him chagrined is the current DIA and it's lack luster impact on our city. 

This also points out what I tried to say previously as well about following Rummells lead in private endeavors and public.  He sure miscalculated on this one. I am not dissing the man or his personality, I am simply pointing to the influences money and power have on what happens to us and our future in Jacksonville and will continue to do so regardless of the backlash.  The reason is simple.  If we want better in all things Jacksonville, we must be focused on and understand leadership in this city both political and private.  We remain weak without that understanding. 
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 06:26:53 PM by Cheshire Cat »
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JeffreyS

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2014, 06:28:45 PM »
He still made the right call backing Brown over Hogan. We just wish the other choice had been Audrey Moran.
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2014, 06:36:59 PM »
Rummell, like a lot of posters here took a pragmatic approach during the runoff. Brown was likely to do the least damage to the city and would be easier to oust after the first term.

If anyone is to blame, it is the voters of Jacksonville, for not even giving us the option of Moran or Mullaney in the runoff.

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2014, 06:37:54 PM »
There were other folks in that race from the beginning.  Rummell could have thrown his support behind Audrey Moran early on and the outcome could have been much different as well.  Let's be clear, this is all about Alvin Brown right now from the moment he was elected mayor and what he has or has not accomplished.  Trying to make it about the other folks in the race is a non starter. 

Also another lesson in politics and power 101.  It is no mistake that Rummell is making this announcement while his support is high in the city because of One Spark.  No accident about the timing.  This race should never have been about party or personality and unfortunately folks picked personality over leadership skills across the board in this race.  There were several other candidates for mayor that knew what it took to deliver a "real" budget and could have also resolved the pension issue.  In the end someone who could have done that for this city was the right choice, not Brown.  It will be a few years down the road before folks understand in dollars and cents what Brown's lack of leadership skills cost us financially and that is going to impact what we as a city can afford in all other things.  That's the bottom line.  Brown sold us some snake oil, but in the magic oil just didn't work. 
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 06:49:42 PM by Cheshire Cat »
Diane Melendez
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2014, 06:53:01 PM »
Rummell, like a lot of posters here took a pragmatic approach during the runoff. Brown was likely to do the least damage to the city and would be easier to oust after the first term.

If anyone is to blame, it is the voters of Jacksonville, for not even giving us the option of Moran or Mullaney in the runoff.
City Life this is where you and others are grossly mistaken and I see it all the time when folks are discussing politics and leader ship. 
 Brown will have cost us plenty in the end when we realize how the unresolved issue of pension will impact our financial future.   I fail to see what is pragmatic about using a "less harm" approach to choosing a mayor.  We could have had someone in office who understood how the city functions from the inside out and instead we got promises and hype about taking us to another level.  That is just sad.  What is a fact is that Moran, Mullaney and Hogan all knew what a real budget means and how to put one together as well as all having the leadership skills to have tackled the pension issue.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 06:56:11 PM by Cheshire Cat »
Diane Melendez
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2014, 07:10:11 PM »
Stephen, I know you have been chomping at the bit to have me engage about Hogan and doggone it I am not going to do it.  But I will repeat that of the two final candidates, Hogan had the needed understanding of how a city government functions as well as knowing how to put together a budget and a sizable rapport with the police and firefighters union's which was huge when it came to resolving the pension issue.  He is certainly not a loon and both he and his family are very good people.  As far as an off the cuff remark geared to a specific audience about an issue that would never be discussed at the level of city business, it was unfortunate and he said as much later on.  Now for me that ends that discussion.  This thread is about Rummell parting ways with Mayor Alvin Brown and I am discussing how the politics of personality and power can make or break out city politically.  The lack of leadership, budget skills, pension reform and the rest is all on Alvin Brown, no one else.

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2014, 07:13:53 PM »
There are a number of reasons for the outcome Stephen, but the opening of the T.U. article begins with the very real impact Rummell had on the election of Alvin Brown.  That is the focus of the article as well as Browns "wimpy" leadership to use Rummells own words.  ;)
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2014, 07:25:51 PM »
the article itself that you referenced talks about the Mike Hogan debacle in the first third, and you yourself quoted the Hogan problem in the original post.
As you so often say Stephen...Meh....no mention of debacle either. lol The article said,  "many of whom, like Rummell, were registered Republicans but reluctant to support GOP candidate Mike Hogan’s hard-line conservative campaign in the runoff against Brown. 

That is what the article claims and makes that association for Rummell.  The real deal had to do with who was receptive to Rummell's agenda which was attached to his money and support.  The one willing to play by his rules was Alvin Brown and I have up front personal insight into a number of such discussions which happened in more than one political camp.  All things are not at all as they seem or as presented to media.  Fact :)  That is another thing that voters in Jacksonville need to understand about money/influence and what it buys. 


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It was spring 2011, and Peter Rummell, a powerful Northeast Florida Republican fundraiser, hastily gathered nearly 40 friends in a room at the downtown Hyatt.
Rummell made a surprising announcement: he would personally give $150,000 to help elect Alvin Brown, the underdog Democratic candidate for mayor. Within minutes, his pledge was matched by the other downtown business and civic leaders in attendance — many of whom, like Rummell, were registered Republicans but reluctant to support GOP candidate Mike Hogan’s hard-line conservative campaign in the runoff against Brown.

It proved a major milestone in Brown’s unlikely victory in a Republican-leaning town, a win that was buoyed by Rummell’s political action committee, which ultimately raised $431,356.

Rummell plans to enlist his financial might once again in 2015 — but this time, it won’t be for Brown.

In a sharp pivot, he offered a blistering assessment of Brown’s first term.

“He does not know how to manage. That’s clear,” Rummell told the Times-Union in an interview Friday. “He has no courage ... He’s wimped out. He’s deferred to City Council. It’s embarrassing the way he’s handled himself.”

Rummell — a former Disney and St. Joe Co. executive and a driving force behind Jacksonville’s highly touted One Spark festival — is throwing his support behind Florida GOP Chairman Lenny Curry.

Curry, in a statement to the Times-Union, was coy about whether he plans to run but said Rummell’s support was encouraging.

“Peter is a man who has made an unparalleled commitment to seeing Jacksonville achieve great things. His support and confidence in my abilities as a leader are humbling,” he said. “I look forward to soon sharing my vision for how I can serve our community.”

With Rummell’s public defection, Brown may have to look beyond Jacksonville’s usual suspects for financial support, while Curry could stand to benefit from Rummell’s influence.

“If you can find one person or a few people to write really big checks, that changes the game,” said University of North Florida political science professor Matt Corrigan. “Are there people willing to write checks to beat this incumbent? That’s the question right now. If you’re going to have a chance to knock off a candidate who has political skills, you have to be unified and you have to have money.”

David Beattie, a senior adviser for the mayor’s re-election campaign, said Rummell’s role in 2011 was important but that Brown is “building the campaign to win in the coming election, not the campaign that existed four years ago.” He also said Brown is reaching out for support across the political spectrum.

“The mayor ran a bipartisan campaign,” he said. “He’s working to govern the same way.”

City Councilman Bill Bishop and Omega Allen, both Republicans, and Tiffany Wingo, a member of the Independence Party of Florida, have filed to for mayor. Duval County Property Appraiser Jim Overton said earlier this month he won’t run for Jacksonville mayor as he had planned, having found less financial support than expected.

Beattie said Brown is focused on running the city and will not comment on campaign activity until after the November elections.

BROWN’S STRENGTH

With about a year until the March 24 first election, the mayor remains a formidable and politically skillful incumbent, Corrigan said.

“The mayor is an excellent campaigner,” he said.

And a big-name donor already sits in Brown’s corner: Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who gave $50,000 to a political action committee supporting the mayor’s re-election. Khan’s donation was a “very important moment for Brown’s campaign” because it shows the mayor has scored the backing of a deep-pocketed supporter, Corrigan said.

Khan’s support hasn’t ended there. He co-hosted a fundraiser last week at EverBank Field for Taking Jacksonville to the Next Level, the political action committee supporting Brown’s re-election.

Brown’s campaign has directly raised $383,967 and another $393,907 in the political action committee, according to the latest financial contribution filings. That far exceeds the some $165,000 Brown had in 2011 before making the runoff against Hogan — and prior to winning support from Rummell and other GOP backers.

The mayor will also have strong backing from the Florida Democratic Party, which considers Brown a rising Democratic leader.

And Brown enjoys name recognition and a solid approval rating, though it has slipped over the course of the last year. A University of North Florida public opinion poll of 422 Duval County registered voters released in February showed Brown with a 59 percent approval rating.

The same poll showed Brown leading Curry in a potential match up 45 percent to 25 percent.

Beattie said Rummell is an important community leader but that Brown has support from other significant downtown figures. Indeed, some business leaders see Brown as a mayor tackling long-neglected and difficult challenges, like pension reform.

“He’s what this city needs,” said Tony Sleiman, owner of The Jacksonville Landing.

Sleiman was a “100 percent” supporter of Hogan in the 2011 election but in the time since has been impressed with Brown’s efforts. Despite his support for Hogan, Sleiman said Brown called him after the election to reiterate his support for revitalizing downtown.

“I have never gotten a call like that from someone I was trying to beat,” he said. “That shows the character of that man.”

Sleiman and Brown both support a plan to tear down Landing and construct a “world-class” development in its place.

BREAKING WITH BROWN

Rummell said a number of episodes shook his faith in Brown’s leadership.

■ He was highly critical of the way Brown handled the city’s budget last year, saying it showed the mayor “is just not brave.”

Brown’s proposed budget would have made $61 million in service cuts while avoiding a tax rate increase, but it was criticized by council members because it was projected to cause police layoffs and closing of fire stations, as well as shuttering several libraries and community centers and taking a number of fire engines out of use at stations that remained open.

Brown had hoped the council would approve a pension-change deal that would have lowered the city’s retirement costs about $45 million in 2014, but the package was rejected.

The council raised the property tax to prevent the cuts, and Brown allowed the amended budget to become law without his signature. Brown responded to the budget by praising the council’s “hard work” but reiterating his opposition against tax increases — a campaign promise he made in 2011.

■ Rummell called the mayor’s proposal to enlist JEA’s financial muscle to help solve the city’s pension woes a “pipe dream.” He supported the recent recommendation from a Jacksonville pension task force, which Brown created, to raise taxes to help pay down the city’s unfunded pension liability. In keeping with his no-new-taxes campaign pledge, Brown has repeatedly reiterated his opposition to a tax increase.

Brown and his administration have repeatedly defended the JEA proposal — which calls for the utility to contribute $560 million to the city over 14 years — saying JEA has the financial flexibility, coupled with cost-savings measures the mayor is willing to identify, to afford the idea without raising utility rates. Rummell and others disagree.

■ In 2012, the City Council defeated a measure to expand Jacksonville’s human rights ordinances to cover protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. During the debate, Brown took no public position and repeatedly refused to say whether he would have ultimately signed or vetoed the bill had it passed. That position came under fire from people on both sides of the debate. Rummell, who supports the human rights ordinance, called the mayor’s silence on it “embarrassing.”

“We just cannot afford four more years of that,” he said. “I am convinced we need to do something. I’ll help (Curry) raise what it takes.”

Nate Monroe: (904) 359-4289
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 07:29:16 PM by Cheshire Cat »
Diane Melendez
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2014, 07:32:05 PM »
And he was just as terrible when he was on Council.  He tried to completely defund the arts in Jacksonville in order to prevent, you know....the gays from recruiting.

And he was one of the only votes against historic districts.

Just not very reflective of the future.
The future in the last elections cycle turned on the ability to lead a city and resolve the most important financial decisions facing us.  Art, while I dearly love and support it was not one of those issues. :)
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2014, 07:38:41 PM »
well one thing is certain, his support for Kim Scott is going to cost him.  And the whole HRO thing is going to be a serious pain in his ass.  Lots of hopeful young gay people worked very hard for him because they didnt want to face the prospect of tea party Hogan (who was actually from First Baptist, btw)
Those who know me, know that politics is my realm and particularly local politics.  The Kim Scott thing will be an issue if she can be fully exposed for her actions in Browns final term.  Unless that happens Kim Scott is not on the radar of most of Jacksonville or it's voters.  What is hurting Brown is the fact that he cannot lead and has been completely unable to not only take the city to that magical "other level" but more importantly to do what he promised from backing the GLBT community to pension reform.  He has caused a bigger rift between the city and police and firefighters unions than existed before and perhaps more importantly is not well liked by many in the Black community who also see him as a "wimp and sellout" when it comes to issues in the Black community.

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2014, 07:40:25 PM »
And he was just as terrible when he was on Council.  He tried to completely defund the arts in Jacksonville in order to prevent, you know....the gays from recruiting.

And he was one of the only votes against historic districts.

Just not very reflective of the future.
The future in the last elections cycle turned on the ability to lead a city and resolve the most important financial decisions facing us.  Art, while I dearly love and support it was not one of those issues. :)

The election was decided by 1600  votes Diane.  How many of Jville's cultural community, facing cuts under Peyton and promises of cuts under Hogan went out and voted?  In this town especially, thats a pretty big group of likely voters.  They have the means, the education and the motivation to vote.

lol.  Sometimes I think you miss the obvious here and there.  The comment was about Hogan's mindset, not about arts funding in the 90s.

Too right wing, too anti government.

The city dodged a bullet.
To your view the city dodged a bullet to my view and the views of many others we took a direct hit and surprisingly most will fail to understand that until the ugly financial impact of Brown in office shows itself a few short years down the line.  On the inside of GOP leadership it is understood that they failed to close the deal on the last election and that is the reason for the small disparity in the votes.

I am guessing that most here did not have the lengthy conversations with Mike that I did, but I can tell you this much and that was there is no real Tea Party in Jacksonville.  It is really non existent but the influence was really played up in the media.  The degree to which the hard line republican vote was courted had to do with the campaign strategy adopted by the hired campaign experts and strategists.  They had not planned on seeing the shift to brown nor did they completely understand the playing field at the time which they should have.  Audreys presence and support in the race should have made that abundantly clear.  It was a miss on the part of the GOP and the campaign staff.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 07:48:18 PM by Cheshire Cat »
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Charles Hunter

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2014, 07:50:14 PM »
Although it would have been ... Mayoral ... if Brown had publicly stated a position on the HRO when it was before Council, I think we can be pretty darn sure where Hogan would have been on the issue.  Brown (disingenuously it turns out) expressed, support for "equality" during the campaign.  That was enough to prompt members of the LGBT community to vote Brown, after having been disappointed at Aubrey's failure to make it to the final round.  As stephendare said, the margin was only 1600 votes, it doesn't take many folks from various communities - the arts, LGBT, liberals, business republicans (as opposed to Tea Party Republicans) - to tip the balance.

I supported Brown - after Audrey lost - and cannot disagree with anything Rummel said (except for the Lenny Curry part).

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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2014, 07:50:32 PM »
well, i think we can match credentials there, Diane.

I actually called the outcome of the Brown election precinct by precinct by the night of the vote casting.

I think you were at Hogan's HQ when Sleiman announced that the race was all but over with Hogan as the victor. ;)


You did call the outcome correctly and as I just said there were plenty of reasons for the outcome.  :)  But I did point out long ago that Brown was without the needed skills at all levels to "lead" this city forward and deal with our most pressing issues which turn on our financial status now and down the line.  In the end Stephen, whether you or others want to hear it, I know the day and time the race changed course and it was in a very small window before the election and had to do with what candidate was willing to adopt the agenda of a certain group of business men and what candidate would not agree to that agenda over their own.  That was and is the bottom line of how this election turned. 
« Last Edit: April 26, 2014, 07:53:14 PM by Cheshire Cat »
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Re: Peter Rummell parts ways with Mayor Alvin Brown.
« Reply #14 on: April 26, 2014, 07:57:19 PM »
Although it would have been ... Mayoral ... if Brown had publicly stated a position on the HRO when it was before Council, I think we can be pretty darn sure where Hogan would have been on the issue.  Brown (disingenuously it turns out) expressed, support for "equality" during the campaign.  That was enough to prompt members of the LGBT community to vote Brown, after having been disappointed at Aubrey's failure to make it to the final round.  As stephendare said, the margin was only 1600 votes, it doesn't take many folks from various communities - the arts, LGBT, liberals, business republicans (as opposed to Tea Party Republicans) - to tip the balance.

I supported Brown - after Audrey lost - and cannot disagree with anything Rummel said (except for the Lenny Curry part).
You may have been pretty darn sure Charles, but you would have also been wrong.  I spoke at length several times to Mike about it and our GLBT community which he did support as an individual and leader, in spite of that being outside of the sentiment of others in his party and church. Brown infact did exactly what folks feared Hogan would do and their fear was ill placed  People made many judgements about a man based upon gossip and suppositions in the case of both Brown and Hogan.  Many were quite frankly not at all accurate.
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