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Money: Charity, Politics, Power and Vanity
By oceanguy | November 15, 2007
Following up on yesterday’s post about a local politician pitching a public fit over a rich white man having an inaccurate perception of a neighborhood in her district. Councilwoman Denise Lee
appears unrepentant. Unavailable for comment to any of the news outlets, she seems happy to wait for the Scheduled Council vote on the matter next week. Meanwhile another local community center in another district is also being renovated by the Boselli foundation and the Councilman representing that District is reacting as we would expect.
He told First Coast News he welcomes the help in his district.
“I look forward to seeing the eyes of those little kids, the excitement of them seeing their brand new, beautiful books,” Gaffney said.
But Councilwoman Lee is a different sort of person. Tony Boselli had coordinated the renovation project with the former Councilwoman of the District, who supported the project.
About two years ago, Tony Boselli, the former Jaguar who has chosen to make this area his home, wanted to use his foundation to help at-risk children.
He did it right. He met with at-large City Councilwoman Glorious Johnson and Councilwoman Gwen Yates, who represented District 8 in Northwest Jacksonville. He also met with John Culbreth, then the head of the city’s parks department.
Together, and with input from the community, they targeted the city-owned community center at Simonds-Johnson Park located on Moncrief Road. It was shut down and in disrepair - broken windows, leaky roof, graffiti.
“It looked terrible,” Yates told me Wednesday.
Boselli and volunteers from Builders Care, an arm of the Northeast Florida Builders Association and Home Depot went to work renovating the center.
Ms. Lee, however, doesn’t take kindly to outsiders’ involvement in “her” community. She had a reputation as a bit of a tyrant running any city money spent in her district as a Councilwoman before she graduated to the State Legislature. She also has a reputation as a bit of a race-baiter, crying racism and claiming victimhood at every opportunity. Now she’s back in her old Council Seat.
My guess is she’s just upset she didn’t get a photo opportunity to claim credit for the center’s re-birth. Had the Boselli foundation paid the proper tribute and dressed Councilwoman Lee in a #71 Jaguar’s Jersey along with a bunch of smiling kids in their own “71″ jerseys and called a press conference and let her talk about how much she is doing for her district, then there likely would be none of this controversy. I do believe Ms. lee is more concerned about her image than in helping the folks in her district.
But District 8 Councilwoman Denise Lee said she opposes private control in a city park, and so do some of her constituents.
“Our department has to provide programs for its citizens. It’s nice to have associations help, but tax dollars built that building,” said Lee at Tuesday night’s meeting.
“Opposes private control,” is nothing but a code phrase for, “I want my say-so.” Government can do it better than a private orgainization in her eyes because SHE gets a direct say so over how other people’s money is being spent. She’d rather have the center run-down and empty than run privately and open.
Ms. Lee is an example of why America is sick of career politicians. Her actions are not dissimilar from those of our federal representatives, and their approval rating is an abysmal 11%. Ms. Lee, in my opinion, is like so many other politicians, that are in it to BE somebody rather than DO something. This whole manufactured incident is about her… about her bruised ego and her race-baiting. She doesn’t like a private group, especially one run by a white man that she can’t push around. Well she’s ‘pushing’ at the moment while she still has a chance, even if it’s an ill-advised battle.
If she gets her way, the city won’t lease the property to the Boselli Foundation and the center will close. If she loses, the foundation will operate the center and helps some kids in her district… despite her objections and without her interference. No doubt, though she’ll eventually spin it as a personal triumph. Will the voters in her district buy it? Sadly, they probably will.
If the story interests you at all, then don’t miss the video, especially the short segment that could almost be satire where three of Ms. Lee’s supporters take the microphone together. “Henchmen” is the only word to describe their performance.
Topics: Local Flavor |
November 15th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
You have lost my vote on this matter and for your re-election as well. Shame on you for acting so petty. What answers have you offered to reduce the crime rate in Jax? At least Mr. Boselli is putting his money were his mouth is. Meanwhile, the black community suffers because of the lack of vision from our leaders.
November 17th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I stand by what I said in my last comment. She’s a racist, plain and simple.
BHG