Republican Party of Alachua County: Better days ahead for GRU
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The transfer of Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) management to a Governor-appointed Authority sets the stage for better days ahead. Finally. Ratepayers outside the city limits who were never given a vote and have been used by the City Commission will finally be heard.
The recent bond issuance delay decision by Mayor Harvey Ward, costing ratepayers a reported $2.9 million, is the latest in a long history of poor leadership decisions that led to this situation. The City Commission needs to look no further than the mirror and to their fellow colleagues who chose politics over people.
If GRU did not have repeatedly high rates, abusive general fund transfers, and multiple rating downgrades, the State Legislature would not have stepped in. GRU was used as an ATM by the Gainesville City Commission. The financial viability of GRU became totally unclear, leaving the State Legislature no choice.
Though Mayor Ward speaks of a peaceful transition, the recent vote by the City Commission to set aside $250,000 to fight the bill says otherwise.
The Gainesville City Commission has run out of other people’s money. The Alachua County Republican Party hopes this new governing body restores GRU back to the excellence its owners deserve as quickly as possible.
I am sure you will get a lot of negative responses the left wing democrats they will never admit they done anything wrong it’s all ways someone else caused it.
I for one totally agree with you as a GUR customer living in the country I totally support this Bill. I also known the city is going to spend my money to fight it due to they took the 250.000 thousand from GRU
They will pay for that a thousand fold. What utter fools lead Gainesville.
I have never understood the general fund transfer reasoning from a business perspective. Thankfully, GRU is no longer functioning as a slush fund for progressive politicians and their social engineering programs.
Another great law passed by our state legislators and signed by our governor. Another protection for citizens.
It is permissible but what most people don’t know is that it is merely a hidden tax. The transfer has been going on for a long, long time but decisions made by pegeen and her minions over the past 2 decades have basically nearly destroyed the utility thus making those transfers much more difficult. And, of course, city government, instead of shrinking (tightening their belts) has grown. New departments, new personnel. The majority of those who vote in this city are nuts.
GRU and the City of Gainesville is the first utility to do the dirty deeds they have done in the State of Florida. The other 33 Muninciple Utilities have a soul, a brain, and financial sense/responsiblity and are stable. I hear the Tallahassee Utility is debt free and can contibute 60 million dollars anualy to offest taxes. GRU and Gainesville will also be the first to declare insolvency. Go Woke ,Go Broke. Thank the City commission for the past 2 decades, many who are suing to continue thier abuse of Citizens. What Zelots and Haters they are.
Related topic: I like what Hands Off My Stove is doing to push back against the nanny state trying to tell us what appliances we can purchase. https://handsoffmystove.com/
As Chairman of the party, thank you for publishing this. It has to be said repeatedly, the City Commission really gave the State Leg no other choice but to step in. For the sake of all the under represented customers not allowed to vote and be heard on these matter so many years.
Now no one votes you idiot. The board will be selected by the governor, not citizens. By the way, those served by FPL and Duke have no say in their operations either, so your pretense to unfairness by GRU is BS, especially since Rep Hinson offered an amendment on the House floor to allow those not in Gainesville to opt out of GRU service. Neither the traitor Clemons or any GOP lackeys supported that.
Speaking of idiots…how well does the commission listen to residents now?
There’s a vacant conservation easement somewhere – go bray in it.
Speaking of Traitors, you must mean the Biomass 8 and Sierra Club ?
Now, if the Republicans could field some worthy candidates with real ideas besides kick the Dems out.
Sadly, no chance. This is THE worse city commission, county commission and school boards I’ve ever seen in the 50 years I’ve lived here.
It would probably be helpful to foster a positive transition of GRU, and subsequent city budget and policy changes, to highlight the tangible benefits to all rather than keeping the political polemics at an 11-level volume.
Both political factions need to take a time-out and contemplate the failures which resulted from bad policy, not natural disasters or acts of terror.
Liberals need to concede their plans and actions did not work out and were, fiscally, not sustainable under any optimistic scenario.
Conservatives need to also concede, while their goals were both proper and sound, the political methods used to arrive at these conclusions prolonged their resolutions far beyond a timely end.
There is an opportunity for present and future leaders to actually lead by cooperation and, when needed, compromise rather than using a political shield to conceal personal deficits and anger.
Politicians cannot afford to be activists because activists are never wrong but everyone but them are. That level of bigotry is what destroys otherwise peaceful, productive communities.
The good people of Gainesville and Alachua County deserve so much more than the divisive ‘fight bait’ so often amplified by the media.
GRU governance was on the ballot every city commission election. Now, it never will be again. Any fantasy you have about the 2 sides working this out are as over as the elections which is where that is supposed to happen with citizen input. The governor owns the board and Tallahassee will not let go.
Like the commissions, city or county, ever try to work things out without injecting progressive ideologies into the conversation or the budget.
Would you like some cheese to go with your whine?
You got that right, Jizzy. 93,000 citizens win , you and Wokesville LOSES!
I am a Democrat, and I live in East Gainesville. I support the bill that will restore accountability, faith, and confidence back to the ratepayers especially the 40% of ratepayers outside city limits. Also it was Progressive of so-called progressive leaders that destroyed GRU, because of their inability to fix a Structural Budget Deficiency.
Hopefully we have real transparency and Sunshine. Because a Matrix or Canopy Partners deal is also a bad deal (aka Florida Power & Light)
As an independent I must say: “Thanks for saying absolutely nothing AC Republican Party!”
You jumped on the state bandwagon! So what? Let people vote? For what? Springs County? Even Clemons says that is probably never going to happen! Get over it! What is your plan to improve conditions for Alachua County constituents? If you really wanted to take back Alachua County, you’d have your people on the street corners with the panhandlers! Let’s hear your plan now, instead of two weeks before the 2024 elections!
What is your plan to ensure the GRU takeover by the State has positive effects for the majority of Alachua County? Until this piece, you have been quiet! What would you do different than the current AC political regime at County and City levels?
Mud slinging into the Democrat’s yard is not a plan! If it was, we’d never have to listen to the crap spread by the current AC BOCC clown show, Gainesville CC and Mayor, and their cheerleaders who are stuck on broken record, “DeSantis, nor Clemons, never prepared a payroll!” Right Jizzhead?
You might actually teach your children something if you could refrain from introducing perverse obscenities into discussions about principles and politics. If you’re unable to restrain yourself you might need help.
Amen!