As the Jacksonville City Council spars with the mayor’s office over the distribution of the free tickets to games, concerts, and events at city-run venues, Action News Jax is digging into the numbers and revealing the city’s top ticket-takers.
Among city council members, Councilmember Terrance Freeman (R-Group 1 At-Large) topped the list with 96 requests over the past two years, followed by Councilmember Reggie Gaffney Jr. (D-District 8) at 37, and Councilmember Ju’coby Pittman (D-District 10) at 28.
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In response to making the top three list, all three council members issued statements.
“I’ve used tickets offered to all ‘Council members and shared access with the residence (sic) and distributed to constituents who wouldn’t otherwise have access to events. The tickets have been a long-standing practice for Council members. Ticket assess allow me to stay connected with my constituents. If policy changes regarding the distribution of tickets, I will continue to follow policy. 28 tickets were reported and 5 were unused, revised ticket distribution is 23 that were used,” Pittman said.
“It’s no secret that my constituents are my top priority. In District 8, a lot of families, kids, teachers, and even first responders don’t always get the chance to enjoy events that bring people together. When I request tickets, it’s not always for me; it’s oftentimes so the people I serve can experience something uplifting and memorable that brings Jacksonville as a whole together, leaving no one out. I believe everyone deserves moments of joy and connection, no matter their circumstances. That’s why the number you’ve received is the number it is. And I wish to continue providing this opportunity to them,” Gaffney Jr. said.
“Blessed to have a large family and over the course of going on 8 years have attended events,” Freeman said.
RELATED: City Council requested more than twice as many free city tickets as mayor’s office over past 2 years
When you factor in requests made by council aides, Freeman remains at the top with 117 tickets over two years, while the ticket reform bill sponsor Councilmember Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large) moves up into second at 97, and Vice President Nick Howland (R-Group 3 At-Large) bumps up to third with 52.
Salem and Howland did not comment on the stats.
Council President Kevin Carrico (R-District 4) argued many of the requested tickets likely went to constituents.
“This isn’t about tit-for-tat at this point on who went to what shows. It’s about cleaning it up and making sure that these tickets that are contractually obligated through contracts to come to the city are given to people who deserve to go,” Carrico said.
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And council members aren’t alone.
In Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s Office, Chief Administrative Officer Karen Bowling led the pack with 64 tickets requested over the past two years, followed by her Deputy CAO Kelli O’Leary with 53, and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Brittany Norris came in third with 28 tickets.
“This practice began many years ago for economic development efforts and building relationships with community members. That remains true today,” the mayor’s office told Action News Jax in a statement. ”It’s part of the mayor’s job to be an ambassador and represent the city. It’s also useful for those who oversee event venue operations to evaluate the citizen experience and make it better.”
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But without any way to verify who actually received the requested tickets, University of North Florida Political Science Professor Dr. Michael Binder argued it lends itself to questions of potential favoritism or abuse.
“Are you giving them away to lobbyists? You know, who is getting them? What’s happening? It’s a bad look all around, and you know, maybe this is something good that could come from some middle school back and forth between council and the administration for once,” Binder said.
Both the Mayor’s Office and Council President Carrico said they’re open to introducing more transparency and accountability into the ticket request process and support prohibiting elected officials from personally using the tickets on themselves.
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