Best Thing to Happen to Northeast Florida in 2011:

                     Mayor Alvin Brown

   Jacksonville was ready for a change after eight uninspired years of the Peyton Administration — Peyton himself could hardly contain his excitement at leaving office — and Alvin Brown certainly represented change. The city’s first Democratic mayor in 20 years, the first African-American mayor ever, Brown’s victory inspired even those who didn’t vote for him. It also offered a kind of affirmation that even in the midst of a fierce economic downturn, the city could look to its future, instead of turning to the relative comfort of the status quo, as embodied by Brown’s opponent. The road ahead could hardly be more daunting for a mayor, and his moves so far have been more conservative than game-changing. But Brown’s very presence on the 4th floor of City Hall says something to the city about its potential, and its capacity to change.

— AS

>> click here to read more

>> click here to watch more BOJ winner videos