Goldstein: Gainesville is no longer a functioning democracy
Letter to the editor
Gainesville ceased being a functioning local democracy about 15 years ago. The decline and fall could be observed in a succession of City Managers, apparently selected, as the record suggests, for ideological compliance rather than demonstrated competence.
A few local political operatives have managed, through social media influence, student ballot management, and voting bloc ballot control, to retain at least a majority of four and thereby control the Gainesville City Commission.
The results are orderly, predictable, and unfortunate for most residents who are forced to endure costly, repeated fiscal misadventures; defective but expensive management; the absence of competitive bidding; teams of lawyers and consultants; and lectures from uninspiring and uninformed ideologues without time limits.
Under this regime, the City created a public voting system to confuse voters across multiple changing tiny districts whose borders are impossible for most residents to define — borders that were rejected by respected authorities. If this doesn’t smell like, look like, and feel like a local democracy, it’s because it isn’t.
For example, many students, from whom political operatives solicit votes after registering them, are merely useable political rubes who can be counted on to follow ballot directions. And they do, sadly, their unequivocal support is provided, irrespective of what the City Hall-anointed candidate actually supported — like more impossible traffic, less safe pedestrian sidewalks, or downtown violence that was designed in by the City Commission’s indifference to mixing large crowds with open, roaming alcohol and the inevitable possession of guns.
Gainesville has become a poorly-managed, over-expensive civil system, not a democracy, really, in which participation is robust without fear of being arrested or chastised for speaking at their own City Hall. At the last public meeting I attended, five armed policemen surrounded the citizens — about five or so — who came to speak about the next 14-story skyscraper at a hearing that was conducted at a time to make it difficult for citizens to be present.
Cities, systems of governance, like civilizations, can decline and fall, and it appears from years of incontrovertible evidence that we here have. However, I believe we can come back as a legitimate, well-managed, truly representative local democracy, but only with a restart as provided for in the state Constitution.
Mark Kane Goldstein, Gainesville
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Wow, a former City Commissioner seems to be calling for a state takeover of the City of Gainesville in recreate a sound local government. Makes sense to me.
“…the last public meeting I attended, five armed policemen surrounded the citizens…”
This has been an ongoing abomination since 2020. It makes the city and GPD look authoritarian, ridiculous, and weak. I still remember when Ray Washington was arrested for not properly wearing a face mask not too long ago. This is why people don’t respect the city and their police department.
Slice, yes and 4+ years later Ray still is banned from any contact with city officials or employees and from coming near city hall. Without a hearing or sentencing, yet under Marsy’s Law meant for domestic violence offenders with city government as his alleged victim.
You are right and you know what I say, Ha Ha Ha. Regardless of how you think we got to be the leaders of you underlings, the fact is we are your leaders and what we command happens. You are the folks that keep voting me in and Mayor “make you” Poe before me to be your leaders. You continue to vote folks like us in, even through we insist on driving the bus off the cliff with you in the back while you cheer us on the entire time. It is not like we have to be smart when we are continually vote in by the dumbazz we rule over.
I disagree. The people in Gainesville have voted for what they want. I disagree with a lot of what they have done.
But as Shakespeare once said, “T’is a mess. But is my own.”
Some of us are trying to “fix it”…some of us want to keep it the way it is.
But the messier it is the better it is. I would rather have a mess than one party rule.
Let’s make a mess!
In theory I agree with your first sentence but I think you underestimate the unique circumstances that impact Gainesville. The voting power of young transient students is enormous…UF enrollment is well over 50k and Gainesville is a small city. This loophole allows outsiders the ability to infest chaos into our local government.
Oh well…..I guess the old adage….”Ignorance is bliss” applies to your way of thinking? Keep doing what they’ve been doing and accept the higher taxes? Brilliant.
I agree with former Mayor Goldstein.
Local commies in every city hall like ours, only care about two things: tax revenues and their own political career longevities. Those are the root driving forces of their decisions.
But even when they have enough revenues, it’s never enough. They want power too, to further their careers with. One-party rule is the goal, but it’s a stumbling block for the other 97% of the city. It never works.
similar to the situation currently in our Federal government.
For the most part, the Federal government is ruled by a uniparty. When they arent on tv or in public they are high fiving each other….
Presidents come and go, but for the most part they serve bureaucrats. They say things to amp up their base, but rarely do things change/improve.
If only I had known. . .
We moved here right at 15 years. We loved what we saw when traveling here for the Medieval faire every year (which is all but gone now too). Had we known then where it was all headed we NEVER would have moved here and currently can not wait to get out. The city is run by activists and special interest groups. The commissioners appear to go with whatever the next feel good virtue signal is in order to appease those activists and groups because they are the ones that endorse them for elections. Compound that with those same people (and even sitting commissioners) going over to UF and telling kids (that aren’t staying or don’t care) who to vote for, it has become a place where no one is actually listen to, the poor have gotten more poor, homelessness has increased, unused college housing has increased, affordable housing is now 300k + and you never own the land and no promises are kept other than those made to those same groups/activists. I never cared or even thought it mattered if a city was blue or red because I don’t do politics like that. For me it is about people and not party. After being here and seeing how far down it has all gone I will be far less inclined to ever live in a blue run city again. I have heard that some of the same issues and promises surrounding the East side have been being made for 30+ years. Nothing ever gets done or gets better because it is just words to get them elected again. I do not understand how the same people being so negatively impacted keep falling for it or listening to activists and these groups tell them who to vote for and if they don’t they are stupid, ignorant or racist. Have never lived anywhere like this before and do not intend to again
*If you vote for a mean, ignorant racist and fascist who raped children, you are not any better than they are. Never gonna live that down, dude. Better get used to it.
Our once fair town has become a skid mark on the underpants of society.
Those of us who live outside the City limits but are forced to use the GRU utilities should be able to be able to have a vote in City Elections.Those of us under their power grid map could possibly change the election outcome. Right now were stuck with who the college kids vote for.
Exactly. The people of Gainesville really need to get involved at the ballot box. The people that experience our dysfunctional government must speak up with courage and facts. The revolving door at city hall is not going to get us back to civility and thoughtful government and the laid back culture that is all but gone from Gainesville. Local politics must be NPA if we want Gainesville to thrive.
Apparently Mr. Goldstein and others have forgotten or choose to ignore that we are a REPUBLIC, not a democracy.
He is obviously referring to the democratic election process, as he is complaining about the processes that are exploited to re-elect the same representatives. With no electoral college at the local level, it is a more representative democracy than a republic. Also, not sure how the distinction matters in local politics. There is only a popular vote in local elections…smh
Gainesville is a Republic?
Think USSR…that explains things.
That is what you traitors call an “alternative fact” and what people with a grasp on reality call a LIE.
Thank you Mark.
“A few local political operatives have managed, through social media influence, student ballot management, and voting bloc ballot control, to retain at least a majority of four and thereby control the Gainesville City Commission. ….”
Uh, could you be more specific? How many students vote in Gainesville elections and how has that changed through the years? “Social media influence”? Are they in your yard and on your grass too? “voting bloc ballot control”? What does that mean?
You lodge a serious complaint and your past position says you should be taken seriously, but not without some facts and details, of which you provide none. Can you add to this letter with those details and facts?
I remember clearly that during the 2008 and 2012 elections there was a service on UF campus that would carry anyone downtown to vote early, then bring them back– for free.
Jazz… why aren’t YOU ever the one that relies on real facts as opposed to parroting party talking points or providing links to same. Prove us WRONG or just stop posting your cut and past dribble. Seriously. As for opinions, everyone is entitled to their own. Stop lecturing.
James I often reply with facts (see recent history of our doofus state CFO and his attempt to make the Democratic party illegal) – I dare say more than any other posters here .
In this case I googled info on student voting in Gainesville for about 15 minutes but couldn’t find it. Mr Goldstein made the claim, and I think would be the one you should be asking for facts from, like I did.
There should be a state law that bars college students from voting in LOCAL elections where they are attending college. They could still vote on state and national matters but should be barred from voting on issues that are made worse by their voting and leaving us with the fallout of bad policies.
Mark, good to hear from you. Yep, welcome to Gainesville.