Another in a series of profiles of candidates in Florida's 6th Congressional District.
Standing up to special pleaders at City Hall is good practice for Capitol Hill, says Richard Clark, a Republican candidate in Florida's 6th Congressional District.
"I've been fighting fees and taxes the whole way," says the seven-year councilman from Jacksonville.
"A lot of people, including Republicans, wanted us to put more money in the system. You have to be really strong because they come from all sides," Clark told Sunshine State News in an interview.
As finance chairman, Clark said the council, which is the consolidated governing body for all of Duval County, "cut entire departments and cut tens of millions of dollars in expenditures."
"And you know what? The sun came up the next day and people went about their business. We can do that at the federal level," he said.
Since arriving in St. Johns County at age 4, Clark says he has traveled up and down Florida's northeast coast -- home to the newly drawn CD 6, that also includes Flagler County and parts of Volusia and Putnam counties.
Running a commercial cleaning business founded by his divorced mother, the University of Florida graduate (and former school surf club member) keeps busy volunteering on boards of charitable organizations.
He sees Congress as "an opportunity to serve a broader community." But where philanthropic groups strive to say "yes," Clark said government's answer must sometimes be "no."
"I've been in situations where organization living on the government dole -- during at least the most difficult time since the Great Depression -- came after me," said Clark, who has served as president and vice president of the council.
Amid what he calls "heart-wrenching" appeals, Clark said responsible representatives must balance the needs of "taxpayers who are barely hanging on."
"Huge programs take tens of millions of dollars out of our government and redistribute it to all kinds of entities. Instead of pulling back, they want to spend more. Everybody wants someone else to sacrifice," he relates.
Clark believes that locally, as well as federally, government's core priorities must be "safety and security."
"You have to stand up for the little guy," he says.
That starts with recruiting and retaining jobs, Clark believes, and he cites his council track record of helping to land the French company, SAFT, at Jacksonville's Cecil Commerce Center.
"We have the people and the skill set. We now need the jobs, and we need to diversify," he asserts.
Clark praises hard-hit Flagler County for its local employment initiatives.
"They're making themselves competitive by fast-tracking permits and aggressively closing deals. The community leadership is in lockstep. They need to know Congress is there to help get companies across the finish line."
Clark, whose Duval County home lies outside CD 6, says his house is on the market as he eyes a possible return to St. Johns County.
His congressional bid has received the endorsements of Tom Slade, former Republican Party of Florida chairman, and Sam Newby, chairman of the Florida Assembly of Black Republicans.
With Rick Scott's 2010 campaign manager Susie Wiles serving as general consultant, Clark figures to be a contender in a wide-open field that includes three other announced GOP candidates, and possibly more to come.
"In just 16 days of fundraising, and no formal fundraising events, we raised $185,000 from up and down the district," he reports. "Now we feel like we're hitting our stride."
And looking to Washington, Clark says he's ready to make the tough cuts there.
Excoriating Democrats for failing to produce a budget, and even jabbing the House spending plan formulated by Republican Rep. Paul Ryan, Clark says, "I'd like to see a more aggressive approach to balancing the budget."
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
