Jacksonville Civic Council Review and Letter Regarding Lot J
Dear OurJax Members: In our continuing effort to keep you informed and up-to-date, we are sharing a letter from the Jacksonville Civic Council to Mayor Lenny Curry and
OurJax.com is a group of concerned citizens who care deeply about the governance of our beloved City of Jacksonville.
About OurJax.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael J. Ward, President
David Miller, Secretary
Michael Hightower, Treasurer
Warren Jones
Audrey Moran
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Scott Cairns
Kirsten Doolittle
Leslie Jean-Bart
Sherry Magill
Pastor James Sampson
Mike Tolbert
Recently, we believe that governance and the public’s faith in our leaders has been shaken to the core by those who have, by their actions, shown they do not have the best interests of the citizens of Jacksonville in mind – even as they make important policy decisions that impact our lives every single day.
We believe our government should be accountable to local citizens, operate with transparency and integrity and be subject to local control. The laws of our city and our state demand nothing less.
And we are here to demand more.
OurJax.com is just getting started, and we ask you to please join us.
We’ll provide ways regarding how you can make your voice heard to those who represent and work for all of us in Northeast Florida, and require accountability for actions taken that are not in the best interest of all the residents of Jacksonville.
Collectively, we know we are stronger together than apart.
Please join us to be a part of this advocacy campaign.
Join Us
AND DEMAND MORE
OurJax News
Nate Monroe: Auditor Review Pokes Holes in Lot J Deal
The anticipated report by the City Council auditor regarding the proposed Lot J development deal with the Jaguars has been issued. As reported by Florida Times-Union columnist Nate
OurJax letter to Councilmembers regarding Lot J, T-U story 11.11.20
Dear OurJax Members, OurJax continues its effort to convince members of the City Council to take a reasonable and unrushed expert review of the proposed Lot J deal
Editorial: A Hard Look at the Lot J Deal
Editorial: A hard look at the Lot J deal The Florida Times-Union, 11.10.20 It’s understandable that the Jacksonville Jaguars don’t want to negotiate with 19 City Council members
Council Auditor: City’s Return on Lot J Investment is 44 cents per $1
Council auditor: Jacksonville return on investment for Lot J would be 44 cents per dollar The city’s investment of up to $233 million in Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s
T-U Editorial: “Shore was right to resign, how was he there at all?”
Editorial: Shore was right to resign, how was he there at all? Our View Florida Times-Union Editorial Board, 10/30/20 It’s essential that the Duval County Canvassing Board conduct
Frequently Asked Questions
Our goal is transparency, integrity, accountability and local control. We believe the citizens of Northeast Florida all deserve a full investigation of the recent efforts to sell JEA. Only after constant revelations by the local media exposed the self-dealing, secrecy and scandals involved in the sale process, was an emergency Christmas Eve-morning meeting of the governing Board of JEA held which ended the effort to sell JEA.
This investigation should provide clear answers, accountability and understanding of a rushed sales process, that was hurried it appears at the direction at the highest levels of Jacksonville government.
We now know, through public records requests shared by local media, that many private utility giants bid billions of dollars to acquire JEA, which only proves the incredible economic value of JEA. We also know that continuing to locally own, operate and manage JEA has great value for our community and our citizens.
Our goal is to ensure this current halt to the process of sale is not a temporary pause. The best way to avoid future political pressure placed on the JEA Board to sell JEA is by conducting a thorough investigation to understand exactly what transpired among leadership in power in 2019.
We are a coalition of concerned citizens interested in working together to let our political leadership know that we will no longer standby while decisions are made without transparency, integrity, accountability, and local control in the operation of our entire city government.
Sign here to be a part of our coalition. We will keep you informed on the latest happenings in this rapidly moving process and provide you with the means to contact your elected officials quickly and efficiently.
OurJax.com Mission Statement
The purpose of OurJax.com, Inc. is to promote transparency, integrity, accountability and local control in governmental and quasi-governmental entities in greater Northeast Florida, including but not limited to the City of Jacksonville and its related governmental entities. OurJax.com, Inc. shall be operated as a social welfare organization within the meaning of section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and shall conduct research, provide information, promote policies, and advocate for resolutions, ordinances, legislation, and other actions to protect and promote the interest of all citizens of the greater Jacksonville region. In particular, OurJax.com, Inc. (the corporation) shall work to promote public confidence and trust in government; and, in general, to do any and all acts and things, and to exercise any and all powers which now or hereafter are lawful for the corporation to do or exercise under and pursuant to the laws of the State of Florida for the purpose of accomplishing any of the purposes of the corporation.
The purposes for which the corporation is organized shall be limited to those which it determines are in the best economic interests of Northeast Florida and its citizens. In no event shall the corporation engage in any activity which would be contrary to the purposes and activities permitted to be engaged in by any organization the activities of which are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as hereafter amended, and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder (the “Code”).
The corporation shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, nor shall the corporation engage in activities subversive to the United States of America.
The corporation shall not be operated for the primary purpose of carrying on an unrelated trade or business as defined in Section 513 of the Code.
No compensation shall be paid to any member, officer, director, trustee, creator or organizer of the corporation or substantial contributor to it except as a reasonable allowance for services actually rendered to or for the corporation.
The corporation shall not conduct its business or affairs in such a manner as to discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or age. It is the specific intention of the incorporator that the purposes and application of the corporation be as broad as permitted by Section 617.0301 of the Florida Not For Profit Corporation Act, but only to the extent that the corporation qualifies as a tax exempt organization within the meaning of Section 501(c)(4) of the Code.
The corporation is organized to serve public interests. Accordingly, it shall not be operated for the benefit of private interests.