The Oligopolists' Agend: SJCBCC Vice Chair Tom Manuel Quoted in Florida Trend -- Wants to Take Away Right to Elect 30 Elected Officials in SJC

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All for One?
By Jeff Brooks - 5/1/2007

With St. Johns County growing rapidly and increasing taxes for county services, Commissioner Tom Manuel of Ponte Vedra Beach recently proposed consolidating local governments within the county to save money, as Duval County and Jacksonville did in 1968 when they combined government operations.

St. Johns County has six elected taxing agencies, including the city of St. Augustine Beach, Anastasia Mosquito Control and the St. Augustine Airport Authority. At a recent meeting of the county's independent mosquito control board, which charged residents an average of $34.52 last year, Manuel asked the board to consider letting the county take over vehicle maintenance, auditing and insurance. Some see the proposal, which surprised many mosquito control district members, as the first step toward the county taking control of mosquito services.

Commission Chairman Ben Rich says consolidation would make it easier for residents to track how their tax money is being spent. "If it all comes from one pot," Rich says, "it's easier to hold one person accountable."

Hastings Mayor Tom Ward opposes any attempt to dissolve his town's local government. Ward appreciates the help his small town receives from the county but says it would be better for his community to maintain control of its own future.

In Duval County, some studies indicate the overall impact on the tax efficiency of Jacksonville's consolidation government has been mixed, with some research claiming the benefit to taxpayers has been minimal.

Manuel says the county has a long way to go before deciding how to proceed and what consolidation model to use. Consolidation talks could go on for years. The discussion, says Rich, "makes people justify the reasoning for why they're doing what they're doing."

Birmingham, Ala.-based Vulcan Materials has purchased Florida Rock Industries (NYSE-FRK), one of the largest public companies in northeast Florida, for $4.6 billion. Vulcan is the nation's largest producer of highway construction materials. Florida Rock, which produces construction aggregates, cement and concrete for buildings, highways and other projects, will remain headquartered in Jacksonville.

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