Crime prevention is better than crime punishment but it takes work
Crime is rising in Jacksonville and liberals are pointing their fingers in the wrong direction. The mayor, sheriff and state attorney met with News4Jax recently and explained that they are doing what they can. But the city is in line with a nationwide trend. While the...
Sonny B writes a letter to Dove calling out their dirty agenda
This letter is in response to Dove Commit to C.A.R.E. program. View it here: https://www.committocarenow.com/ I asked DOVE to please share my thoughts as a black man with the NBPA, NBA and NBA players represented on their website. I wrote many pages to express my...
Another complaint is heard about Duval school students being subjected to political harangues
What is going on in the local government schools? Another parent has complained about her child being subjected to rants and raves against the president of the United States. When the 17-year-old girl objected, she was told that if she didn’t like it she could leave...
Telling the truth in the media would be refreshing
Once again, the local media is publishing dubious claims about “neglected” residents of the city. The so-called “I-team” at News4Jax said, “Residents of the Christobel neighborhood learned this week that the city doesn’t have enough money to...
Anti-police bill in City Council should be defeated
Liberals on the City Council are once again floating the very bad idea of a citizen review board for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. This is anti-police, anti-law and order and anti-justice. It was introduced by Council Member Garrett Dennis and is supported by...
City Council and the JEA scandal: Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
Yesterday the City Council Rules Committee voted 4-3 to subpoena Mayor Curry's former political consultant, Tim Baker as part of the Council’s investigation into the attempt to sell JEA. Mr. Baker is not happy with this decision and promises to take his fight to the...
It’s difficult to trust our Mayor and Mr. Khan. Can we rebuild it?
Jacksonville's Mayor has had a tough time being a trusted mayor due to the JEA scandal. As much as he would like to blame others for what went on there, we all know Mayor Curry put his own friends on the board and demanded the resignation of others who had served the...
Anti-Trump online rant aimed at elementary school children is captured by alert grandmother
One Jacksonville woman, listening to her grand-daughter’s virtual learning class in the next room, was shocked when the teacher presented a tirade against the president of the United States. This is precisely why Eye on Jacksonville advised parents to monitor their...
Lottery funds are no panacea for poor fiscal management
Judging by social media comments, there is a lot of confusion about public school funding. In discussions on the proposed half-cent sales tax on the Nov. 3 ballot, people keep asking, “What about the lottery money? It was supposed to fund schools.” This misconception...
Making good choices in life can prevent a lot of misfortune
Another young man is dead in Jacksonville as a result of making poor choices. This happens way too often. Lives matter. Kwame Jones, 17, died back in January because he had chosen to associate with two people who chose to steal a car and shoot at the police. Jones was...
Lot J: How to become a Billionaire. Negotiate with a Star Struck Mayor
Fair warning -- this post is a little sarcastic. We try to be positive and we are stunned by the big news about Lot J. I am convinced one day the City of Jacksonville will be the subject of a made for TV movie and the characters will be similar to those from the old...
Let’s take another look at our “investment” in pro football
After 25 years, football fever has subsided and today many of the city’s residents probably are wondering whether we really need the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yes, the NFL team has been an economic stimulus. But it also has cost a pretty penny. Is anyone doing the math...
Opposition to renaming schools is vocal and growing
As anticipated, the renaming of local schools is not going unchallenged. A growing group of rather irate taxpayers is fighting the proposed changes vociferously. Their website is savetheschoolnames.org and one member of the group gave Eye on Jacksonville a rundown on...
Pioneer leaders in consolidated Jacksonville are dwindling in number
Jack Carter, Jake Godbold, Walter Dickinson, Sallye B. Mathis, John Lanahan, Mary Singleton, I.M. Sulzbacher, Homer Humphrey, Earl M. Johnson and W.E. “Ted” Grissett, Don MacLean, Wallace Covington, Johnny Sanders, Joe Carlucci, Oscar Taylor, Earl Huntley, Bobby...
Today the music died: RIP Murray Goff
“He only has a few weeks to live, Billie.” That was the message two days ago. I ran out to sit with him yesterday worried about how I would handle seeing the Murray who would soon leave us. My fears were dashed the minute I walked into his...
Legal time bombs may be ticking all over the city
Is Jacksonville setting itself up for another huge cost? For some 20 years, until about 50 years ago, the city burned its solid waste in three incinerators. Naturally, the city had to do something with the ash. So it dumped it near the main incinerator in Mixon Town...
Does the “dogma live loudly within” a Nassau County Judicial candidate? You decide.
President Donald Trump asked that he and Joe Biden submit to a drug test before the debates. Trump was all for it and Biden declined. One of my clients said, "Isn't it funny how you have to test your employees and even horses are tested before a big race. But the...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 6 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Amendment 6 was placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. Amendment 6, if approved, would provide that the homestead property tax discount for veterans with permanent combat-related disabilities (as determined by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs), carry over...
It’s a mystery: Committee of social justice warriors still has not defined its purpose
At Monday’s meeting of a special City Council committee on social justice, a co-chairman declared that it is not the committee’s job to seek out and correct “systemic racism.” During public comments after the meeting, three far-left speakers complained the committee...
There is scant evidence of police injustice in Jacksonville
Social justice warriors in Jacksonville continue to allege injustice by the police. Even though no one but the Democrat media pay attention to them, it is best to dispose of the allegation by pointing out that there is virtually no evidence to support the claim. It...
Mayor Curry extends mask mandate for 30 more days — but not for him and his family
In breaking news today, Mayor Curry extended the wearing of masks in Duval County another 30 days. Many who support the mask mandate were thrilled with the decision. Those who do not, were not. But the biggest and loudest group of upset Duval County residents came...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 5 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Proposed by the Legislature, Amendment 5 amends the Florida Constitution, effective Jan. 1 to increase the maximum time from two years to three years the period of time you have to transfer your Save-Our-Homes cap from a prior homestead to a new homestead. The "Save...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 4 analyzed by Jerry Holland
On the November ballot will be Amendment 4 which addresses how State Constitutional Amendments will take an additional step for approval. Currently today citizens, legislature or the Constitutional Revision Commission can place a proposed amendment on the ballot for...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 3 analyzed by Jerry Holland
If Amendment 2 got you fired up wait for Amendment 3 it is a major change to our voting. This is a personal perspective of Amendment 3 for your consideration. Amendment 3 is a citizen-sponsored amendment sponsored by "All Voters Vote, Inc.". The amendment changes how...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 2 analyzed by Jerry Holland
A personal perspective of Amendment 2 for your consideration. Amendment 2 is a citizen-sponsored amendment sponsored by "Florida for a Fair Wage". The amendment changes the current Florida minimum wage of $8.46 per hour to be an adjusted amount over time with the...
Ring around the Rosie playing out in Jacksonville politics… may they all fall down
The minute you saw the headline, you probably started singing this nursery rhyme. Most of us grew up with it and did you know -- folklore states it was a song about the plague - the Black Death? The Black Death was said to have come from fleas off rats from ships...
The Democratic Party hypocrisy: Choose abortion but no school choice!
Let me count the ways of the many failed policies of the Democratic party and the Biden/Harris ticket, that hurt many Americans, the black community in general. I like to say, the Biden/Harris duo isn’t dynamic at all, but they have dynamically wreaked havoc on the...
Local government school succumbs to left-wing complaints and bans a salute to police
In what can only be viewed as a snub to law and order, the principal of Fletcher High School has banned the display of a flag honoring a dead police officer. A student at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach had flown the Thin Blue Line flag honoring his late father...
On the Ballot: Florida Amendment 1 analyzed by Jerry Holland
Amendment 1 makes the smallest change to the Florida Constitution. Simply put it changes one word with two words. It changes what is currently in the Florida Constitution, "Every citizen of the United States who is at least eighteen years of age and who is a permanent...
Police defunding proposal from out of the blue puzzles onlookers
City Councilman Garrett Dennis made a half-hearted attempt Monday to defund the police in Jacksonville, to no avail. He announced his intent to hold half the $484 million police budget hostage. It got a swift, negative response from the head of the police union and...
Time once again for local politicians to spend some of the money you will earn next year
City Council will be voting Tuesday night on how to spend nearly $6 billion of your money. That’s the total amount of the city budget for 2020-21. (Not $1.3 billion, as local media reported.) The good news is the property tax rate will not increase. It will take about...
SonnyB blasts the NFL
Greetings John Elway, Joe Ellis and Roger Goodell: I am a proud black American father of six awesome children with my beautiful wife of 22 years. We teach our children to have honor and loyalty to God first, family second and third to our Country. I believe these are...
Local TV station shows how old-fashioned reporting is done
These days cases of true, hardcore reporting are rare, so a big Wink to News4Jax for this story. The reporters discovered and detailed links between a recent series of shootings in Jacksonville and the hip-hop culture. Scott Johnson and Travis Gibson obtained a copy...
Call to Action: JEA investigation team needs our help — let’s do it
Eye on Jacksonville supports the efforts of Our Jax. OurJax.com is a group of concerned citizens who care deeply about the governance of our beloved City of Jacksonville. We encourage you to sign up on their website to receive updates on the work they are performing...
The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to have confused loyalties
Maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars need to decide whose team they are on. Like other teams in the NFL, the beefy millionaires hid in their locker room last Sunday during the national anthem. Also, while the “other” national anthem played. (Because nothing says “unity”...
Council plan to redirect dollars is changed by its sponsor
City Council Finance Committee Chairman Matt Carlucci has tempered his bill to redirect capital outlay money to the core city. A bill he had sponsored would have directed one-third of the planned spending for next year to the area covered by the former city before...
Are all those bad downtown deals tearing down hope for Jacksonville residents?
Michel de Montaigne once wrote, “I am afraid that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and that we have more curiosity than understanding. We grasp at everything, but catch nothing except wind.” In the last two weeks, we have seen numerous headlines about downtown...
Twitter suspends Eye on Jacksonville’s account
Shortly after posting this article on Eye on Jacksonville's Twitter account, we found our account suspended. Executive Privilege: The rise of the dark side in Jax politics We did not hear from Twitter as to why our account was suspended. We simply went there to post...
Examining claims of social injustice in Jacksonville
Eye on Jacksonville has been skeptical from the start about the rationale for the Special Committee on Social Justice and Community Investment created in the City Council. One reason is that forming a committee on social justice implies there is social injustice in...
Sonny B has experience as a chef and calls “nonsense” on government COVID regs
This column was inspired by an article I read from the Chicago Tribune. The headline reads: “Chicago closes 4 more restaurants and bars for Covid-19 guideline violations.” This type of nonsense is happening all across the nation. Has anyone stopped to think, why...
