Name: Chad E McIntyre
Family:
Occupation: Flight Paramedic, Air Medical Program Manager
Political/Government experience:
Years lived in Jacksonville: 14
Campaign website: www.Chad4Jax.com
Why did you decide to run for office: Either by circumstance, fate, or nurture, my entire life has been dedicated to serving others. My first job was a summer lifeguard at my local community public pool. I went on to be a volunteer EMT/firefighter in my small union community and continued my path of saving lives to become a ground paramedic, flight paramedic, EMS training author, respected prehospital lecturer, and program manager. After over two decades as a first responder serving the needs of my fellow citizens, I felt it was time to put my ability to lead change and get things done to use for our entire City. I have lived downtown for over 10 years watching each year pass by with hopes and chatter of development yet to come. Our homicide rate and failing schools have a direct impact on our ability to attract business investment and talent to our City. I am ready to get to work for real progress by applying evidence-based practices and bold ideas instead of outdated ideals and philosophy.
What is the biggest problem facing Jacksonville as a city overall, and how specifically would seek to address that: The most pressing moral and economic issue facing our city is the homicide rate. As Jacksonville continues to lead the State per capita in murders, we are losing an entire generation to believing this is the new normal. Why would a Fortune 500 company want to locate in a City that has failing schools, inconsistent development, and daily news coverage of shootings? Jacksonville's leaders have claimed we are the Bold City of the South, yet we have not had leaders with the political will to do bold things. Nationally recognized evidence-based programs like Ceasefire and Cure Violence must be implemented for immediate solutions and sustained for a generation if we are to see any real change in our violent crime rate. We should go back to the 2006 JCCI study Reducing Murder: A Community Response and implement the 12 recommendations that were never adopted over a decade ago.
What makes your constituents unique, and how would that influence your time in office: The great thing about running At Large is that I will represent all members of our vast City. As a paramedic, I am called upon to rescue people of every gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation/identity, and socioeconomic status. This makes me uniquely qualified to be an elected official who knows how to serve a diverse population for a shared goal. I will collaborate with all district council members rather than being constrained by imaginary boundaries. Finally, I will be uniquely positioned to work with the Administration in negotiating projects which incorporate a master plan strategy for the entire City. Moreover, I have a full time job which I am accountable to just as I will be accountable to the citizens. Unlike current Council Members seeking reelection, I am not beholden to the special interest donors, more concerned about the next election than the work of the office, or been out of the workforce for so long to forget what it means to be accountable.
What would be your main budget priority for the upcoming fiscal year: The City budget should validate our priorities. As long as we keep trying to do everything on the cheap, we will get the same results. The current Council has demonstrated either a lack of resolve or ability to make bold decisions choosing instead to 'stay the course' until their next election. As your next Council Member, I will champion an independent funding source for the Kids Hope Alliance and seek collaboration with the Duval County School Board for specific, measurable, time-bound objectives in addressing the most vulnerable school system in Florida. The Duval County School Board needs $100m immediately just to maintain current facilities and $1b over the next 10 years to get us up to standards of neighboring county school systems. It is past time for the Jacksonville City Council to join 64 other Florida counties and play an active role in supporting our children and City's economic future by collaborating and supporting the DCPS infrastructure projects.
How do you define what you hope Jacksonville will be ten years from now: Ten years from now, I hope people see Jacksonville as a lifestyle rather than a City. Whether you want to spend a day at the beach or walk through an open-air shopping center. If you are young or retired and want to live downtown for the enjoyment of amenities or in a rural area for tranquility. If you are a business looking to move or start because young talent will come to live and raise a family, it will all be available in Jacksonville. With all the great medical centers in our City, you will find medical research and innovation facilities in LaVilla with the character of that area's rich history. Given the implications of climate change, the residents of Jacksonville 10 years from now will live in a city whose leaders accept science and have taken action to mitigate rising sea levels while also embracing the Green Chamber's ingenuity for energy usage reduction including a state of the art electric transportation system. The following generations will be more connected, informed, and active than any other in our history. Today's leaders must engage younger members of our community and include them in our deliberations. Finally, today's 1st grader will stay or come back to Jacksonville rather than moving to find a city that better aligns with their values rather than their grandparents.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: WOKV asked all candidates in a race to answer the same questions, and the answers here are their unedited responses. WOKV has not independently verified information in these answers, nor is WOKV endorsing any candidates.