Traditionally during midterm elections two things take place nationally:
- Voter turnout is normally low because it isn’t a presidential election.
- The party that holds the presidency, the senate and the house loses seats.
Fernandina’s incumbents would face the same fate, but none are on the ballot this November 3 except the somewhat harmless job of mayor.
Since the mayor’s job is purely ceremonial with no more authority than a sitting commissioner and poses as the face of the city during public events it really doesn’t matter. It’s a “beauty” contest. Current Mayor James Antun is not running for office again. He usually voted with the money spenders on every issue and did little harm as mayor.
This year the race is between Genece Minshew and Tim Poynter, two Commissioners who have never asked how the city can reduce spending but instead how can they generate more revenue to pay for all the goodies they insist the city needs and they want.
I’m voting for the lesser of the two evils….Ms. Minshew. At least she halfheartedly accepted the fact that voters overwhelmingly rejected paid parking, while Poynter still holds out hope that it will rise from the dead.
In other races here’s how I’m voting.
For U.S Senator, incumbent Ashley Moody.
Fernandina native Congressman Aaron Bean once again gets my nod for District 4 Congressman.
Byron Donalds will make a terrific governor succeeding Ron DeSantis who is term limited.
Jamesa Uthmeler, a fierce law and order guy, for Attorney General
Blaise Ingoglia, Chief Financial Officer.
Wilton Simpson, Commissioner of Agriculture.
Dean Black, District 15 State Representative.
Retain Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and the three other Judicial positions, Yes.
Denece Minshew, City of Fernandina Mayor, the lesser of the two evils running.
I’m not really sure what the Amelia Island Mosquito Control representative of District Group 2 does but I assume that person attempts to rid us of mosquitos so, take your pick between Todd Nuckols and Debby Portier. Hand whoever wins a can of “off” and wish them well. Other than progressive Democrats, mosquitos may be the only living parasite whose only purpose on this planet is to annoy and infuriate humans.
Constitutional Amendments: Yes on all of them particularly No. 3 which increases homestead exemption and lowers the cap on Non-Homestead property assessments. This helps put the brakes on out-of-control local commissions that spend like drunken sailors and gives many home owners and renters a tax break.
Nassau County School District Ad Valorem Milage Election: Yes. I hate tax increases, but this increase of 1 mil goes to teachers who work harder than almost any other government employee and many times dip into their own pockets for school supplies and other expenses for which they are not reimbursed. My wife is a retired Georgia and Texas teacher, so I have empathy for these educators. They have made Nassau’s schools the second-best in the state. Excellent schools not only produce well-educated children but increase the value of our properties.
Remind your friends and neighbors that this election is important and to stifle their lethargy, get off the couch and go vote.
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Things I’ve Wondered About: During a conversation when someone says, “Gen Z or “Generation X,” do you ever interrupt and ask what age group they’re talking about.
Yeh, me either. I just sit and listen like everyone else without interrupting so I don’t appear to be an ignorant doofuss.
Well, I looked it all up and here’s what I discovered courtesy of Jean Twenge, PhD., professor of psychology at San Diego State University, who authored a book on the topic.
Here’s how Professor Twenge breaks the various groups down:
- Silent Generation: 1925-1945, 81 years old to over 100.
- Baby Boomers: 1946-1964, 62 to 80 years old.
- Generation X: 1965-1979. 47-61 years old.
- Millennials: 1980-1994, 32-46 years old.
- Generation Z: 1995-2009, 17-to 31 years old.
- Alphas: 2010-2024: 2 to 16 years old.
- Bettas: Beginning in 2025, currently under the age of 2
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Stealing From Taxpayers Is Easy: If a government program spends money, then someone somewhere will figure out a way to steal it.
Nick Shirley a 23-year-old freelance conservative reporter was one of the first to draw national attention to the rampant and brazen fraud by filming Minneapolis Somali daycare centers without kids. When he tried to ask questions, he was rudely told through closed doors to “go away.”
Shirley was so successful in those and future efforts that this week he appeared in the oval Office standing next to President Trump, who congratulated him on his work while detailing how he was going to offer financial rewards for turning fraudsters in.
How brazen are some of these crooks?
Well, in California fraudsters extracted tens of billions of dollars from the system after the state removed a safeguard preventing payment to individuals who had unconfirmed identities.
How easy is it? One of the recipients included an applicant named: “Poopy Pants.”
To say the system is broken is an understatement.
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Florida’s finest At Work: According to the Wall Stret Journal, the Florida Highway Patrol took more than 8,300 illegal immigrants into custody since August 2025, the largest number of any single agency in the U.S. As a result the agency was eligible for nearly $20 million from April through June.
Any chance we could write in Alfred E. Neuman as a third party candidate for mayor?
On the mayor’s election: “None of the Above” should be an option. On the one mil for the shool system: I would agree if the money really went to pay teachers and teachers only. They have used that money for capital improvements and to salaries other than teachers. What the school system doesn’t seem to understand is that without GOOD teachers, you don’t need administrators or schools.
Hi Dave – Another good one and right on as always!
Never been in court – so Judge advice much appreciated.
From the Silent Generation – but usually not so silent:)
Another fine column. Whoever is drawing your illustrations is clearly in tune with you. They just keep getting better. You’d think I’d be upset about being replaced as your artist, but I’m not. Drawings in that style would take me a couple of days to finish, and our traditional rate of payment—one beer—would make me one of the lowest-paid cartoonists in America. And probably one of the thirstiest.
Big shoutout to our FHP for keeping ALL of us safe everyday!
Anyone who thingks this increase of 1 mil would go to teachers hasn’t been paying attention. Teachers will still dig into their own pockets for needed supplies, except the ones that post a needs list on Amazon for others to fill. It will continue.
The meter situation has caused me to avoid going downtown for anything. I’m sure all the merchants have seen significant declines in shoppers. Am I correct about this?
Readin’-Ritin’-Rithmatic—the 3R’s
Nassau scores 47 in math/59 in reading
St. John’s scores 66 in math/73 in reading
Walton scores 72 in math/68 in reading
Nassau may be “#1” but not where it counts.
Less self-congradulating please–and NO on the 1mil.
Remember the Lotto promise still in use? We were promised the money would go to the schools. They showed us new schools being built (the money for which came from bonds), but it looked great to the public. The collections from Lotto went in one school pocket and the the equivalent funds came out of the other back into the general fund. I’m going to vote yes and hope the State follows through on benefiting the teachers.
@Charlie Monroe. I agree the teachers should be fairly paid, but it is the local school board that determines how the 1 mil gets distributed and The Real Jake is correct, it doesn’t just go to the teachers. Pay attention to the schoold board elections if you want better schools.
@Al Macdougall. If you, or anyone, wants to see a great school, request a tour of the Cornerstone Classical Academy in Jacksonville. It is a free public charter school that will blow you away. Charter schools in Florida are not controlled by local school boards they have their own boards. Cornerstone is building one in Nassau County in Wildlight that is to open in the fall of 2027. Its Principal is an ex-Nassau school teacher who moved to Cornerston where she could teach like she and the rest of us expect teachers to be able to teach.
Regarding the mayoral race, I just might follow Pajama Dave’s advice on Facebook and write in Kookaburra for the job. 😂 Voting “yes” enthusiastically on increasing the homestead exemption, likely “no” on the others. (Confusing wording on No.2, BTW.)
@Chris Boelkes. I’m re-reading the Millage vote (thank you for making me want to do that), and I’m seeing now that staff and particularly athletics programs (football?) can/shall also benefit. My concern is that there are too many other hands in the pot for teachers to see a majority benefit. So I’m changing my vote to no until teachers are listed exclusively.
Dave…..glad to see you came around on the mayoral election. A month ago you said you might leave it blank. Keeping Poynter out of that chair is important (and the mayor can do more than you think, like adding agenda items and controlling the meeting). Poynter’s stubborn refusal to concede defeat from 75% of August voters has left my boycott of his establishments firmly in place.
I voted No on the millage for reasons articulated by others. Teachers were not getting all the money….
To read that you were born during the “silent generation” made me laugh!
I voted “NO” on Amendment 3. Here’ why: 4 years ago the voters approved a 1 mil tax increase for the school district, which was put into effect for a 4-year period. Prior to the approval vote, the school district said it expected the increase to generate $1.3 million annually to fund various personnel and facility needs. Due to intervening assessment increases, the additional revenue realized was $600,000 in the first year! Did they return the excess to the taxpayers? NO! The excess continued to pile up over the next 3 years at ever-increasing assessment rates until the time came to ask for a continuance of the additional 1 mil. In total, the school district pocketed over $3 million in additional revenue. Meanwhile, rising property assessments at the old millage rate should provide more than adequate funding for our educational system.