In this episode of Mikes on Mic, hosts Mike Miller, Mike Hightower, and Mike Tolbert sit down with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan live from City Hall. As she begins the final year of her first term and launches her 2027 re-election campaign, Mayor Deegan reflects on her commitment to turning renderings into reality and keeping her administration's foot on the gas.
From downtown revival and neighborhood infrastructure to navigating local political drama and bracing for a major state-level tax battle, Mayor Deegan shares an inside look at the challenges and triumphs of leading one of Florida's fastest-growing cities.
Key Topics Discussed
- Jacksonville's Momentum: Mayor Deegan highlights the city's growth, including major investments in riverfront parks, healthcare, and pioneering local funding to address the affordable housing crisis.
- Neighborhood Infrastructure vs. Downtown Revival: Addressing critics, the Mayor details how downtown development brings a high return on investment that funds neighborhood projects. She highlights an increase from $15 million to $100 million for infrastructure in underserved areas, including vital septic tank removals.
- Public Safety & Prevention: A look at why violent crime numbers are down, the impact of literacy initiatives in partnership with former Mayor John Peyton, and the implementation of Journey Forward intervention programs.
- Navigating City Council Relations: Mayor Deegan discusses her working relationship with the new Council President, finding common ground on jobs and economic development despite differing views on what constitutes "core services".
- The Tallahassee Threat: A deep dive into the upcoming November homestead exemption referendum, which threatens a $300 million revenue hole for Jacksonville and strips local control over quality-of-life funding.
- Florida’s Best-Run City: Mayor Deegan reacts to WalletHub’s recent study naming Jacksonville the best-run city in Florida, contrasting the ranking with recent unspecific criticisms from the State CFO.
Notable Quotes
"People say it all the time to me, that they can feel Jacksonville's momentum. It's clearly a city on the rise, and I think that is what I am most proud of...""This is big government, guys... We are the government closest to the people. We should be allowed to run our own cities without interference from folks who literally were not elected by our citizens."
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