By Moné Holder | Vice President Kamala Harris’ policies in her bid to win the White House align closely with several local initiatives, positioning Jacksonville to lead in helping her implement her proposed opportunity economy at scale.
In the barely three months since her whirlwind presidential campaign began, Harris has rolled out detailed plans that cut taxes for working people; lower costs on everything from groceries and prescriptions to energy and health care; help more Americans buy homes and afford rent; invest in small businesses that drive growth, innovation and jobs; and invest in American innovation and industrial strength,
Meanwhile, her appeal to Jacksonville voters has crystallized because voters have seen her here on the ground and heard her echo our concerns and priorities, from bringing her “Fight for Reproductive Freedom” tour to the city on the very day Florida’s unconscionable six-week abortion ban took effect to mirroring local housing affordability policy on the campaign trail.
When she came to the city May 1 to rail against the unjustness and indignity of the abortion ban, Harris placed the blame squarely on former President Donald Trump for facilitating the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade. Meanwhile, several key local leaders rallied residents in late August to help propel Harris to the White House as the means to address unmanageable housing costs eroding Jacksonville’s quality of life. Mayor Donna Deegan, City Council Member Rahman Johnson and Florida State Sen. Tracie Davis (D-Dist. 5) implored voters to embrace Harris’ actual plan for helping struggling Americans regain their housing footing, all while highlighting some of the local success stories their progressive housing policies have made possible.
Earlier this year, Deegan unveiled the Headstart to Homeownership Program, providing up to $50,000 in down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers. To date, 13 Jacksonville residents are now first-time homebuyers through the program, and 87 others have been approved.
So yes, it’s fair to say Harris’ proposed the construction of 3 million affordable housing units and the promise of up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers resonates strongly with Jacksonville residents and leaders already seeing the life-changing impact an “opportunity” economy generates.
Her affordable housing proposal incentivizes builders to produce starter homes targeted at first-time buyers and creates a $40 billion “innovation fund” to help local governments build more affordable housing.
Harris’ proposals also include:
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Providing a $10,000 tax credit to first-time homebuyers.
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Expanding an existing tax incentive for building affordable rental housing.
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Blocking landlords from using algorithm-driven price-setting tools to set rents.
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Removing tax benefits for investors who buy large numbers of single-family rental homes.
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Using new revenue from raising taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals to help pay for implementation of a “new child tax credit” of up to $6,000 to help families cover expenses in the baby’s first year.
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Providing fully forgivable loans to Black entrepreneurs and others starting a business.
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Launching a National Health Equity Initiative focused on Black men that addressessickle cell disease, diabetes, mental health, prostate cancer and other health challenges statistically more prevalent among that population.
Jacksonville’s compassionate, people-focused policies position it to show others the way, but first things first.
Vote on Nov. 5.
How you vote is entirely your prerogative, but my hope is that you’ll choose the candidate whose goals and priorities align with those of the city we all call home, a city poised to establish itself as an opportunity economy hub.
Moné Holder is Chief Advocacy & Political Officer at Florida Rising, where she develops strategies to build political power in marginalized communities with a distinct focus on the Black and Brown communities most frequently disenfranchised by partisan maneuvering.
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