Daily Record Financial News &
Friday, May 1, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 120 • One Section
35¢
www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Bishop’s change of heart for Brown
By David Chapman Staff Writer A little over a month ago, Bill Bishop stood on the steps of City Hall with a message. After placing third in the First Election just a week before, he was not endorsing either Mayor Alvin Brown or fellow Republican Lenny Curry. He was concerned, he said, because the two wouldn’t give direct answers to direct questions. Bishop also said at that time he was gunning for the position again in 2019. Both elicited cheers from his “Bill-ievers,” the ardent supporters who helped him carry almost 17 percent of the vote this year. A lot can change in a month. On Thursday afternoon, the City Council member walked
stride-for-stride with Brown as the two headed to a portable podium just feet away from where Bishop made those first announcements. He’d had a change of heart. He was a Brown backer. The Democrat mayor had won the Republican’s support, although Bishop conceded the two “don’t agree on everything and we probably never will.” But Bishop spoke of positives he saw in Brown: his effort to move pension, his leadership on deepening Jacksonville’s port and Downtown’s development. Those complimentary tones came after a campaign that saw Bishop stay positive, but also criticize Brown over not answering questions, a pension plan with “fatal flaws” and submitting budgets that required heavy lifting
and tax increases from council. Bishop said over the month, he tried to take the emotion out a decision to endorse. He’s still adamant about being against the way Brown handled pension negotiations, but “even I have to admit, the plan they put together from a financial standpoint … you can’t really argue on the end result.” He was one of the nine council members who voted last month against the latest reform package after gridlock resulted in the deal staying at 10 years, not the three Bishop and others wanted. He said Thursday that Brown has pushed it farther than his predecessor and would end up getting it done. As for budgets, he said he told Brown the spending plan he subBishop... Continued on Page A-4
Mayor Alvin Brown and City Council member Bill Bishop shake heads Thursday, shortly after Bishop said he was endorsing Brown in his re-election campaign.
Hand says time is right for departure
Photo by Rick Wilson/Jacksonville Jaguars
By Marilyn Young Editor
First-round smiles from Bradley and Caldwell
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley, left, and General Manager Dave Caldwell were all smiles as they talked to fans at the draft party Thursday night following the team’s first-round selection of Dante Fowler Jr. Fowler is an outside linebacker from the University of Florida. See more photos from the party on Page A-3.
Lawyer, civic leader Towers dies at 91 By Max Marbut Staff Writer Charles Daughtry Towers Jr., managing partner of the Rogers Towers law firm, died Thursday at the age of 91. Known as “Charlie” to his colleagues and friends, Towers led a life of generosity, leadership and philanthropy in addition to his legal career that spanned more than 65 years. Born in Jacksonville in 1923, he was the son of C. Daughtry Towers Sr., also a prominent attorney and civic leader. After graduating from Robert E. Lee
Public
High School, Towers attended Princeton University before enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He earned the Silver Star at Okinawa for rescuing wounded sailors whose vessel had been attacked by a Japanese Towers Kamikaze pilot. When the war ended, Towers returned to Princeton and completed his degree and then earned his J.D. from Stetson University.
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He then returned to Jacksonville, where he married and raised five children and rose through the ranks of what was then Rogers, Towers and Bailey. Under Towers’ leadership, the firm expanded from a single office in Jacksonville to eight offices in Florida. With 80 attorneys, Rogers Towers is North Florida’s largest law firm. His colleagues recall Towers as a man who listened and always respected the opinions of others, even when he disagreed. “Charlie insisted on letting everyone be Towers.. Continued on Page A-2
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Chris Hand had been chief of staff for a couple of months when he got married in October 2011. At one point, while he and his wife were on their honeymoon, Hand was returning phone calls from reporters. It was part of the early confirmation the position he had taken in Mayor Alvin Brown’s administration was the all-consuming job he had expected. Even while in the Bahamas. Hand said from the beginning he planned to stay on two or three years. That morphed into nearly four years, as he worked on key issues such as retirement reform. Hand announced Thursday he would be leaving City Hall, probably in June, the month he turns 42. “The great part is I’m doing it at the right Hand time,” he said of his departure. “At a time I’m still enjoying it.” Another benefit: “I’ve got three wonderful redheads that live in my house who I will get to see a lot more,” Hand said, referring to his wife and their two children. Being chief of staff put Hand in the spotlight and, at times, at odds with City Council members, especially during highly charged budget and pension discussions. It also was a job that offered a good Hand... Continued
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2014 Unpaid Tangible Personal Property Tax List See Page A-20 or View the list on our website at www.jaxdailyrecord.com
26,647
consecutive weekdays