City Hall showup: Tuesday July 28th, 5PM

The cry of the month has been "Fix It Now". Well, it ain't gonna happen kids.

Jacksonville's about to have a vote of whether or not to increase taxes towards homeowners, which in turn will affect later availability of funds for grants and other money doled out to parts of the city to keep it going, whether that means frivolity, spirituality, or necessity.

I spoke with a handful of people on the phone the last few days. People that were afraid. People that didn't know if they would lose their jobs. People that were facing that wall knowing they had only so much in liquid assets before their electricity could be turned off.

And they were employed by non profit agencies providing services to people experiencing homelessness.

Cries for people to email City Hall on their behalf. Cries that the sky was falling. Cries that "we'll sacrifice the children if we don't get our way".

I've had the chance of hearing Mayor Peyton over the last few years, standing in front of cameras, sitting behind tables, belittled and having to be seen as the pivot point in a huge circle jerk: City Hall, residents, businesses, and agencies.

Good old boy routines, City Council members who don't know the bigger picture of things to come. Egos and the ability to leave it all at the office, spare the neighbor calling at home bothering them in their part time position that takes away from their already existing business interests.

It's all about money. Take away the money, and you'll still have homeless families though...won't you? People won't just go...away. Or will they?

The end point for all of this is simple. Take away the funding, and Jacksonville will begin to develop cells of homeless tent cities. In time, these will organize productively; or not; into larger cells. Whether in a year or two, we're about to see history made on the First Coast.

Luckily I kept my cache of camping equipment from three years ago. Just remember though, the food won't be abundant so start taking some weight loss supplements now to make sure you're fit and trim for the New Era. You wanted 'Change'. You got it.

Big Brother's been watching you since 1984. He just didn't follow the script.