Northside Coalition President Ben Frazier speaking out on dismantling confederate monuments.
A local activist group has issued a statement calling for a “Fulfilled Promises” transparency dashboard for a “New Jacksonville.”
Kelly Frazier, President of the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, said the following:
“In Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last speech before he was assassinated, Dr. King challenged us to be concerned about our downtrodden neighborhoods and to revitalize our cities so that people can thrive in a ‘new New York,’ or ‘new Atlanta,’ or ‘new Philadelphia.’ Today we call upon our leaders to bring about a “New Jacksonville” by finally quantifying the broken promises of consolidation in underserved areas and tracking the progress toward fulfilling them.”
“We applaud Mayor Deegan’s pledge at the recent MLK breakfast to move key infrastructure projects in Districts 1, 7, 8, 9, and 10 up to the front of the line, and we call for a “Fulfilled Promises” transparency dashboard so that the community can see progress toward meeting the goal of complete promise fulfillment.”
“The broken promises of consolidation include the lack of infrastructure improvements in predominantly-Black neighborhoods: lighting, sidewalks, roads, access to city water, septic tank removal, and stormwater management.”
“City council adopted a resolution decrying the practice of redlining in Jacksonville which involved denying services or loans to residents of certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition and has left a legacy of economic disparity, segregation, and lack of infrastructure.”
“The mayor and city council should accept Dr. King’s challenge and create a ‘New Jacksonville’ that serves all citizens and do so in a transparent way that fosters accountability.”
“We encourage residents to attend the budget town halls to be held by the mayor and speak out at those meetings to amplify our call.”
The Northside Coalition continues to demand a massive “Marshall Plan” level of investment in underserved areas so that all people have access to opportunities for meaningful work, affordable housing, and high-quality education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
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