City Commissioners addressed a coalition of 19 religious congregations in Tallahassee which banded together to ask local leaders to make an in-person commitment for their two policy priorities that the group has worked to develop for more than two years. Over 600 residents attended the event on Tuesday night at the Old West Florida Enrichment Center.
Below you can view each commissioners’ response at the Capital Area Justice Ministry (CJAM) event. Pastors asked Commissioners to support two initiatives of the CJAM, including allocating $1 million for youth gun violence intervention and $12 million to low and very low-income renter housing.
All Commissioners supported the gun violence initiative, while City Commissioners Jack Porter and Jeremy Matlow were the two commissioners supporting the low-income housing initiative.
Mayor John Dailey (No)
An audience member briefly interrupted Dailey during his response, who shouted, “$20 million to FSU for a football stadium!”
A handful of audience members turned their back to Dailey as he continued his remarks.
Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox (No)
Commissioner Jack Porter (Yes)
Commissioner Jeremy Matlow (Yes)
commissioner Curtis Richardson, Mayor Pro Tem (No)
CITY Commission Meeting : Porter and Matlow bring up CJAM priorities
Commissioner Matlow and Porter also brought up the initiatives at the following day’s City Commission meeting in the Sharing of Ideas section of Wednesday’s city commission meeting.
Policy & research by CAJM Coalition
St. John’s Tallahassee: Coffee Talk: Capital Area Justice Ministry [VIDEO]
Trinity UMC-TLH: Learn More about the Capital Area Justice Ministry Low and Very Low-Income Policy and Research [VIDEO]
Fellowship Presbyterian Church: Capital Area Justice Ministry Update – February 27th, 2022 [VIDEO]
WFSU: Perspectives Featuring Leadership Team of CAJM [AUDIO]
press coverage
FloridaPolitics: Tallahassee officials challenged on affordable housing, civil citations during Justice Ministry event
WCTV: Capital Area Justice Ministry hosts event to address gun violence, housing woes
WFSU: Justice Ministry suggestions for addressing youthful gun violence and the affordable rental crisis receive mixed reactions from local elected officials
Tallahassee.com: Tallahassee officials on the hot seat as gun violence, affordable housing assembly draws 600
2 Responses
Allocating $1 million for youth gun violence intervention? Really? Just make Jack Campbell seek LIFE In Prison for those committing Gun Violence Crimes and run TV and Radio Ads telling everyone that You WILL go away for LIFE. Bring back the “Stop & Search” and “Stop & Frisk”. Respect the Law and Law Enforcement, and STOP blaming them for YOUR Criminal Actions.
Note that Dailey slipped in “up to” before $5 million for gun violence.
Note that Dianne Williams-Cox went on after her “no” to detail the numbers of affordable housing units the city is creating—but she did not acknowledge the question specified units for families with “low- and extremely-low income” families with essential workers like those who care for children and elders, stock grocery shelves, collect garbage, etc.