Two candidates are seeking this office. The race will appear on the March ballot open to all voters in the county, as this is an at-large race.
News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.
| CANDIDATES |
Joshua Hicks
Party affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Non-Profit Professional (Senior Platform Admin with Colorectal Cancer Alliance)
Age: 39
Your family: Phillip Perry (husband)
Education: Graduated from Florida State University (Double-Major in Political Science and Interdisciplinary Social Science)
Political experience: I ran for the Florida House of Representatives, District 11 in 2020. While I did not win in one of the most gerrymandered districts in the state, I did bring over more than 10,000 new votes that any previous Democratic candidate.
Over the last few months, we surveyed News4JAX Insiders to find out what they saw as the top issues facing our city, ahead of the city elections. These issues below are the top three – how would you address each one if elected?
Voters’ No. 1 issue: Crime
I support a community policing model that embeds law enforcement officers within our communities in ways that reduce violent crime while rebuilding trust between police and the community. Community violence intervention programs are also critical to head off violence before it happens. We need to undergo a review of the existing programs in Jacksonville to determine which strategies are working and which are not, while exploring new programs that have worked in other cities around the country. When we identify programs that work for Jacksonville, we need to invest more into them.
There are also foundational items where Jacksonville must do better to make a good quality of life possible for all our residents. Some neighborhoods have been neglected for so long that they lack basic infrastructure like streetlights and sidewalks. That’s unacceptable and it must be remedied with prioritization of infrastructure projects. There is also much more we can do on the economic front to ensure opportunities, jobs, and entrepreneurship are possible: workforce training, apprenticeship and incubator programs, and making small business resources available. Last, we need to be a good partner to our public education system, growing after school programs that keep kids in safe spaces that they can thrive in.
Voters’ No. 2 issue: Affordable Housing
I’ve made the housing crisis the #1 priority of my campaign. We must act on it. First, I believe we need to call a local housing emergency, something I did on May 11, 2022, to focus a city-wide effort around the crisis. Taking a citywide approach to affordable housing includes streamlining the permitting process, removing construction barriers, and rethinking zoning so we can bring more multifamily units into historic neighborhoods with existing infrastructure and where we need to build up density, especially the Urban Core.
We must find ways to address the influx of out-of-state corporate investors that are rapidly buying up local properties and driving up prices. And there is a complete lack of funding for affordable housing programs in the 2022-2023 budget. We must do better than that, which is why I called for remaining American Rescue Plan funding to be used for the affordable housing crisis instead of going into reserves.
All new housing projects should include a certain percentage of affordable housing units, and the city should conduct an audit of city-owned property not in use to see if it could be used for conversion into affordable housing units. There is so much we can do to tackle this crisis. All it takes is the political will to do it.
Voters’ No. 3 issue: Infrastructure
Promises were made in consolidation, and those promises haven’t been kept to all our neighborhoods. Jacksonville has done a good job of supporting new neighborhoods as they are developed but neighborhoods older than 15-20 years old are often left behind when it comes to infrastructure investment. We need to ensure we are fixing and upgrading the infrastructure in older neighborhoods that already have existing infrastructure geared for a higher density - doing so is another step to alleviating our housing crisis. Even basics like adding sidewalks and street lights to neighborhoods that don’t have them will help to improve home values for property owners. We need to stop ignoring the communities most in need, and address broken infrastructure promises, once and for all. Fixing streets, replacing septic tank systems, eliminating food deserts, addressing neighborhood parks in disrepair, and listening to the needs of the communities would be my top focus in resolving and addressing the infrastructure problems across Jacksonville.
Beyond those three issues, what do you see as the top issue you’ll likely face while holding this office?
I believe we need to do much more to support our small businesses, the engine of our local economy. While our city has focused on attracting larger companies it has come at the expense of supporting hardworking small business owners and entrepreneurs. First and foremost, we need to be promoting the available resources to businesses in every neighborhood, not just certain parts of the city. Those resources can include facade grants, incubator programs, merchant associations, and more. I would also look to streamline the permitting process after hearing so many stories from small business owners who have had to wait months or even years to receive simple permits that had a dramatic impact on their business. Last, we should look to connect small businesses with industries of the future, for example space manufacturing, to start nurturing burgeoning industries beyond Jacksonville’s strengths in healthcare, transportation, and finance.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
During my lifelong career working in the non-profit sector, I’ve advised young elected officials, advocated for healthcare solutions and working families, fought for solutions to climate change, and supported families facing cancer. It has always been about helping people and strengthening our community. For too long, the Jacksonville City Council has been making decisions that benefit powerful people while the voiceless are left behind. We need community-first, people-first leadership on the City Council that looks out for everyone who lives in Jacksonville. That is the representation that I will bring to the table by always showing up, listening, and acting in the people’s interest.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I hope to be remembered for being accessible and responsive to the needs of everyone who lives in Jacksonville. That’s what public service is supposed to be about. We have a lot of big challenges that will need to be solved in the coming years – from the affordable housing crisis to replacing crumbling infrastructure – and I am committed to bringing the community together, building the political will, and advocating for real solutions to these challenges.
Campaign website: votejoshuahicks.com
Social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Ron Salem
Party affiliation: Republican
Occupation: Healthcare executive
Age: 66
Your family: Married with 3 children and 5 grandchildren
Education: Doctor of Pharmacy
Political experience: Incumbent running for reelection. 3.5 years in office
Over the last few months, we surveyed News4JAX Insiders to find out what they saw as the top issues facing our city, ahead of the city elections. These issues below are the top three – how would you address each one if elected?
Voters’ No. 1 issue: Crime
Fund JSO at appropriate levels and resist any defund the police efforts. Support children’s programs in the Kids Hope Alliance. Support intervention programs that have a proven record of success
Voters’ No. 2 issue: Affordable Housing
Incentivize developers to build this kind of housing. Work with developers to include some affordable housing in market rate construction. Identify property that the city owns that can be provided free or at a reduced rate to developers
Voters’ No. 3 issue: Infrastructure
I have supported a massive effort to remove septic tanks in our Comunity. We have seen significant increases in road paving/sidewalks in recent city budgets. This also includes massive increases in road paving
Beyond those three issues, what do you see as the top issue you’ll likely face while holding this office?
Increasing the amenities in our parks as we have done the last two years. I will be implementing our opiate strategy as we begin to receive dollars thru the global settlement.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I have always been accessible to my constituents. I read all my emails and respond accordingly. I also publish a quarterly newsletter to keep citizens informed
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
My work on the JEA sake is one of my proudest accomplishments. I also hope to contumely work with the NEF early start coalition. My work to maintain our opiate program and expand it over the next few years. Most importantly just being a public servant
Campaign website: ronsalem.com