I'm sorry, it's been forever, but I want to finish up the Stearns-is-a-looza tour report.
Marty and I went to Cecil Commerce Center on the west side of Jacksonville, for the third town hall meeting of the day.
Just before the meeting, I warned Cliffy that people he would meet at the CCC would wear him out about the Cecil Field issue.
You see, right now, the Cecil Commerce Center hosts thousands of new jobs, filled by folks who are living in more than 18,000 houses that have been built in the area since the Navy pulled out in 1993. In fact, Wal-Mart is about to open a new distribution center at the CCC, and NASA wants the first official Spaceport in Florida to be based from Cecil's long runways (one of the longest public runways in the country.)
As a spaceport, Cecil Commerce Center would see normal aircraft, with smaller spacecraft under their wings, lift off from the runway, climb several miles above the Earth and drop the space planes, which would then rocket into the outer atmosphere...
It is at this point that I will stop my description of the great jobs, wonderful opportunity for growth, etc., that Cecil Commerce Center holds for Western Duval County. Because, when asked about the spaceport, and whether Duval resident could count on Cliffy to back the spaceport, he said, "You don't want the spaceport in Jacksonville... you don't want a bunch of Titan 4 missiles taking off outside your bedroom window."
Cliffy, as always, showed himself to be a mile wide and an inch deep. Rather than learning about the planned spaceport, he assumed that giant rockets would propel... whatever... into space. That's ok though, because Cliffy already received a surprise when he drove to the meeting.
"I drove through areas I didn't really see last time we were here," said Cliffy. He was of course, referring to the thousands of houses that have gone up on Brannan Field Road, throughout Western Argyle, and all along the corridor running from Middleburg to the Westside.
So, of course, as I predicted, after a few questions on immigration, it was time for Western Jacksonville to play pinata for a while. They spun Cliffy around with some questions about crash zones (and the churches and schools that are in them) and spaceports (and the nonexistent Titan 4's).
Then, a local Democratic candidate for County Commission wound up and slammed him. She talked about the mother who had to choose between dropping a bag of food to cover her babies ears, or carrying the food the baby would need to eat, as an F/A-18 flew overhead. She talked about the elementary school in the noise zone, where hundreds of grade schoolers would be impacted by the Navy returning, as their hearing was destroyed because their school could not be soundproofed. She spoke about the property values of the people moving into Jacksonville to create new production and business opportunities at places like Boeing, Northrop/Grumman, Embrarer and other companies.
Finally, she talked about Cliffy. She asked him whether he would support the Navy moving back, or whether he would do the right thing, whether he would listen to the thousands of people who spoke up and convinced the Jacksonville City Commission to offer NO help to the Navy, if it wished to return.
Cliffy's response?
"The city has already decided that," he said. "Let's move on."
Here's the thing though Cliffy, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, where you are supposed to be representing Western Jacksonville, hasn't made it's final decision. You are still lobbying the BRAC commission to close NAS Oceania in Virginia and move it's jets to Jacksonville.
You are still willing to sacrifice jobs, schools, children, homes, churches and property, just to beat Virginia's Congressional delegation.
You still don't know what a spaceport is, how many people live near Cecil and you don't know how to keep your word.
In 1994, You promised to term limit yourself, and you lied.
In 2004, you said, " I am delighted that our vision from years ago of transforming Cecil into an aviation/aerospace complex is coming to fruition," and you lied.
It's time for you to pay the piper, Cliffy.
There's a reason I'm working for Dave, and there's a reason I'm working against you.
It's called truth for the People. You ignore it, I treasure it and you're going to get hoisted by it, on your own petard.
PK