ATTN: The Alachua County Labor Coalition (ACLC) is a 501(c)4 and does not endorse candidates. We will print all candidates’ responses to our questions on our website and share them via our email newsletter.
County Commission Candidate Mary Alford
1) Do you support paying a living wage to all County workers including part-time, temporary, seasonal, and contracted workers? The ACLC defines a living wage at $15.39 an hour, the MIT Living Wage Calculator rate for a family of four with two working adults and employer-provided healthcare.
a. What is your plan to get us there using the Alachua County Government Minimum Wage ordinance?
b. How will you ensure contracted workers are paid the set wage?
c. What ideas do you have to help improve wages and benefits for workers throughout our community?
Yes. The ACLC has been working on a living wage campaign since 2015. I see no reason to reinvent the wheel, I would like to work with ACLC to implement their action plan of implementing increases in hourly salaries, and making sure that those same salaries are paid to contract employees and that contractors are required to also pay those wages. I would propose a community scorecard showing where we are on our goals to increase the standard of living in Alachua County, comparing salaries in government, in private industries and in education.
In previous roles in management and as a project manager, I was required to be a contract administrator. One goal that I have is to verify a process where all contracts are reviewed by the purchasing department, the legal department and reviewed for equity and safety. Part of equity is assuring that all workers are paid a living wage.
The “friendship seven” as well as the leadership in the small towns in Alachua County need to come together for a variety of goals, notably planning for climate disruption, climate migration, food security, transportation, etc. We also need to come together for an equity policy. Creating the political will to provide fair and safe and equitable hiring practices, contract practices and personnel policies across all cities, the UF and Shands, business (Chamber of Commerce) as well as the County is key in creating a place that is prosperous and equitable for all. In addition, I would like to implement a rating system for new businesses that come into our area before awarding them economic development and tax incentives. Part of that rating system would be employee pay and benefits. Recruiting large chains into our community where jobs are substandard and profits are sent to out of state shareholders is not how we build local properity. In addition, as mentioned above, I would like to implement a community “living wage” or community equitable prosperity “scorecard”.
2) Do you support providing paid administrative leave for part-time, temporary, seasonal, and contracted county workers in the event of emergency work closures (e.g., hours missed due to hurricanes, pandemic, etc.)?
Yes, within certain conditions. A seasonal temporary Christmas worker laid off for a pandemic would not still be collecting administrative leave from an employer in July.
3) Do you support a “Renters Bill of Rights’” which would:
a. Ensure universal licensing and inspections for all rental properties?
b. Inform renters of their rights under existing laws?
c. Offer an alternative to courts to settle disputes over security deposits and damages?
d. Protect renters from high utility bills by enacting policies that require landlords to make basic investments in energy and water efficiency?
Yes. And inspections should cover safety, security, energy efficiency.
Absolutely. And ask the renter to sign a document saying that they have been informed and their questions have been answered.
Yes, a quasi-judicial board (like the code enforcement board) that met monthly or as needed to handle disputes and with jurisdiction to revoke licensure of rental property for repeat offenders.
As stated previous, basic energy efficiency standards should be part of the licensure of any rental properties, and regular inspections of items of HVAC and HWH and appliances to ensure they are all in working order
4) What role should local government and private developers play in ensuring that there is adequate affordable housing in our community? What is your plan to help our community overcome its current shortage of affordable housing?
While there were problems with the way “Gainesville Rise” was implemented, communicated and conceived, there were also many ideas that are proven to be helpful in other communities that may be applicable at the county level. The ability to internally modify larger homes into appropriate smaller apartments (which has been done in the City of Gainesville bed and breakfast district and the duckpond area in the past), allowing a wider use of accessory dwelling units, looking at how “tiny homes” may be integrated successfully, the use of cohousing solutions, and requirements or incentives for developments to integrated a wide variety of housing types, sizes and prices are all concepts that the County has considered or used in the past and removing as many obstacles and financial disincentives for these ideas as is possible
within the current legal framework. We need to have vacancy taxes. The pro forma for many new developments assume a 60% occupancy. This drives the rental prices up and does not fully utilize the resources our city has invested in. A vacancy tax would compel property owners to keep a higher percentage of properties occupied.
5) Federal and state laws give most workers the right to form and join unions. Do you support the right of all private and public sector workers to organize a union? Would you publicly support workers in our community who are seeking workplace rights, including a living wage and the right to union representation?
One of my employees was a part time instructor at Santa Fe College and lost his position with no notice due to an administrative disagreement with the department chair. Because of this I personally worked to help unionize instructors at Santa Fe College because these instructors were underpaid, had no job security, and had no real benefits. While this endeavor was not successful, the conditions these workers faced was eye opening to me. The loss of union representation and union bargaining power is directly linked to lowered average wages (particularly for essential services), loss of rights and loss of benefits. I completely support the rights of all workers to form and join unions.
6) Do you support a local hiring preference that includes the use of responsible contractors and certified apprenticeship programs for taxpayer-funded projects?
I support a stronger local hiring preference and we should always use responsible contractors. Apprenticeship programs are how employers not only invest in their employees but also how they invest in the future of our community. We have a true shortage in some fields – for instance one of my clients needed to bring a master mason in from another state in order to install some specialty brickwork. I am told that a master mason apprenticeship program is being considered for this area – and these are jobs that can pay significantly more than a living wage. As stated previously, I would like to implement a score card where potential contractors are graded on everything from safety to equity. I would support the use of apprentices being part of that evaluation and scoring for awarding contracts. I want my tax dollars to be invested in my community in as many ways as possible.
7) Do you support lowering the Sheriff’s budget and diverting funds to social services?
Differently funding our LEOs and changing our expectations of the services they provide is an important part of the healing of our community. We expect our officers to do social work, mental health work and even education. We then judge them when they fail at doing those jobs well. I support diverting those funds to invest in stronger social services and mental health services in our community. What I do not support is cutting those funds and not reinvesting them in those areas. I would also like to see budget dollars that are designated for training programs be tied to policies for accountability. If there is no requirement for implementation of training knowledge, then those training dollars are poorly leveraged.
8) How will you reform the Alachua County Court Services, which recommends cash bail over 90% of the time?
Bail is a financial incentive (or disincentive) to compel people that have been charged with a crime to return to court, and this has an unfair impact to low income citizens. In Alachua County bail keeps potentially innocent people in jail using tax payer dollars and where a predatory jail system (in terms of the cost of phone calls, canteen services, clothing) makes a profit while potentially innocent people lose housing, jobs, and relationships. This ultimately costs our community. It is estimated that 70% of inmates of the Alachua County Jail are there because they cannot make bail. Transitioning to a non-bail system of compelling people to return to court would have a positive impact on housing, employment and families. In this digital age we could be used text messaging, tracking, or daily check-ins as ways to track defendants instead of punishing those arrested by treating them as already guilty. The average cost of incarceration is approximately $31,000 a year. A lot of services and follow up can be provided for that amount of money. I would also like a better communication system, tracking and accountability system set up for the public defenders. Too many defendants have no clue what is going on with their case and have no way of reliably contacting their public defender.
9) The Alachua County Commission is responsible for facilities and utility-related costs at the jail including the current inmate phone contract. Do you support making this contract more equitable so that incarcerated people can stay connected to their loved ones?
Yes. Families and friends should not have to choose between food/utilities/car payments and keeping in touch with their loved ones. The disproportionate and predatory charges for telephone communication, particularly with the availability of cheap digital options, needs to be eliminated.
Thank you. This is very helpful in deciding my vote.