Mayoral candidate: Omega Allen

Name: Omega Allen

Family: Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother

Occupation: General Contractor

Political/Government experience: I have 10+ years in Economic Development in Jacksonville through my service with the Northwest Jacksonville Economic Development Trust Fund (4 of which as Chair), overseeing $25 Million of the Better Jacksonville Plan for businesses North and West of the River. I Managed of the City's $26.2 Million Neighborhood Stabilization Program that reclaimed foreclosed upon houses in five zip codes and restored them to like-new status with green features for more economically feasible and sustainable living for qualifying Jacksonville homeowners. I was able to level the playing field for small and minority business to become aware of and participate in these programs that provided over $50 Million in funding for Economic Development.

Years lived in Jacksonville: I am a Jacksonville native. Although I have not lived here continuously, I returned to Jacksonville in 1980. I have been a business owner in Jacksonville for over thirty years.

Campaign website: omega4mayor.com

Why did you decide to run for office: I am running for office because the career politicians and partisan party politics have failed us. I believe as a No Party Affiliated Mayor, I will be free to make decisions that benefit the entire community without Party control and Party agendas. I will be able to approach every situation with integrity, accountability, and transparency as I seek and use citizen input in the decisionmaking processes that affect our lives. I believe I'm qualified to run this city and possess a vision for the city that will take Jacksonville to the peak of its potential. I hold a Ph.D. in Public Administration with a focus on Participatory Municipal Government and I stand ready to use every resource available to me to benefit the City of Jacksonville and its people.

What is the biggest problem facing Jacksonville as a city overall, and how specifically would seek to address that: The biggest problem facing Jacksonville is the lack of effective leadership and the lack of directed Economic Development to benefit the masses and serve as a deterrent to corruption and criminality. As Mayor, I will address the problem with a collaborative effort between me, the Chamber of Commerce, and City Council members to devise a plan that will attract and encourage businesses with high-wage jobs to relocate here and employ the citizens of Jacksonville (not just transfer workers from other locations). That plan would consist of incentives with specific employment stipulations as well as claw backs if those stipulations are not met.

What makes your constituents unique, and how would that influence your time in office: All of Jacksonville is my constituency. Each area is unique in its own way. As a parent must identify, respect, and nurture the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of each child, so must the leader of a community dissect and respond to each area…unapologetically providing what is needed to cause each to flourish. I realize that until ALL of us have made it, NONE of us have made it. Therefore, I will spend my time in office making sure that the needs of ALL of our communities are addressed.

What would be your main budget priority for the upcoming fiscal year: My main budgetary concern is to identify and eliminate fiscal waste caused by a myriad of factors e.g. duplicated services, excessive administrative cost, etc.

How do you define what you hope Jacksonville will be ten years from now: Jacksonville, a city that is progressive and competitive in Economic Development, education, transportation, and entertainment…garnering its rightful share of those markets and providing a sustainable, safe, and prosperous living environment for its citizenry.

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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.