Matt Schellenberg

Florida Times Union Questionnaire

1) In recent years, the mayor and City Council have used a mix of revenue
increases and cuts in expenses to balance the city budget. Do you agree?
If not, what would you do differently?

I agree that our city budget must be balanced. I do not agree; however, with the
premise that the base line for the city budget is $1 billion. More cuts must be
made. The budget should be reduced to about $850 million. Not only is this only
a 15% cut, but it is also the spending levels of as recently as four years ago.
True spending cuts will prevent the need for detrimental tax and fee increases.

2) Do you support the Jacksonville Journey? Explain your answer.

Despite the recent good news on Jacksonville’s crime rate, work remains to be
done. However, this work is police work. If the Sheriff needs more boots on the
ground, then he should have that. The Jacksonville Journey, while well
intentioned, is simply a spending luxury we can no longer afford. True integration
of the police force into the communities and better economic opportunities for all
of Jacksonville is what will help the crime problem in Jacksonville.

3) What endorsements have you received?

I am proud to have a large grass-roots campaign team. While I welcome formal

endorsements, it is the “boots on the ground” and the members of the Mandarin
community whose support I am proud to have.

4) How much civic activity do you perform outside work?

I am a former chairman and current member of the Board of Directors at Bishop

Kenny High School including the Finance Committee. I tutor underprivileged
inner-city children at St. Pius Catholic School. I coach volleyball at the Mandarin
Wiliams YMCA. I am a former Chairman and current member of Keep
Jacksonville Beautiful. I was a founding member of the Jacksonville Jaguar
Honor Row Committee and still am today. Former civic involvements include:
Leadership Jacksonville Class of 1985, Greenscape, JCCI, and “Paint the Town.”
5) How do you intend to comply with Florida’s public records and government
in the sunshine laws? If you saw an elected official breaking the sunshine
law, what would you do?

I will follow the law. The city has a General Counsel office to ensure that its
employees and public servants follow the law and I plan to follow their guidance
and advice. If a fellow elected official attempts to or does break the law, I will
report it to the proper authority: the State Attorney’s Office. The Ethics Officer is
an unnecessary and redundant expense.

6) What can you do to help support the clean-up of the St. Johns River?

As responsible citizens of Jacksonville, we have a duty to protect the St. Johns

as good stewards of our community. Not only is the St. Johns an ecological
wonder, it is a huge part of what makes Jacksonville what it is. It is one of our
major calling cards to the rest of the world and a huge economic resource as a
vital component of what makes Jacksonville such a logistics capital. Whether it
is attracting people with the river’s beauty, or attracting businesses with the
river’s vital role in commerce, we must protect the St. Johns. We must work well
with the State agencies assigned this duty of protection. I applaud Senator
Thrasher for showing real leadership in the legislature in forming the new St.
Johns River Caucus and I believe we may have the opportunity to see a new
commitment to a clean St. Johns.

7) How can you become engaged in the city’s high murder, infant mortality
and suicide rates?

Not only are police needed in the neighborhoods where crime remains a
problem, but to be truly effective, these police must be a part of the communities.
Once these communities and the Sheriff’s Office work together to take back
these affected neighborhoods, crime can and will go down.

Local community leaders must be where this process begins. Government can
help by providing the police to ensure public safety, but an engaged citizenry is
the path to a better community.

8) Has consolidation been a good or bad deal for Jacksonville? Please

explain your answer.

Consolidation was essential to the growth of Jacksonville. There was corruption

and inefficacy the only way to solve the problem was through a consolidation of
 governments and services. Today we should be proud of all the strides
Jacksonville has made since 1968; however, we face a new problem. Fiscal
irresponsibility, soaring taxes and fees and unnecessary spending are hampering
Jacksonville’s continued growth. For businesses to grow and create jobs, we
must put our financial house in order.

9) What is the role of a council member? As mini-mayor? Or as legislator?

City councilmen need to be good stewards of the people’s money and

responsible public servants, serving with trust, character and integrity. City
Councilmen must be totally accessible to their constituents and foster dialogue
between city government and citizens. The council should make
recommendations to mayor as a complement to his leadership, providing insight
and advice as the people’s representatives.