Eric Parker
Elections and appointments
Personal
Contact
Eric Parker (Libertarian Party) ran for election to the Jacksonville City Council to represent At-large Position 1 in Florida. He lost in the general election on March 21, 2023.
Parker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Eric Parker was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2006 to 2015. Parker earned a bachelor's degree from Florida State College at Jacksonville in 2019. His career experience includes working as an electronics technician and in the Military Police.[1]
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in Jacksonville, Florida (2023)
General election
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Eric Parker completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Parker's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I'm a native to North Florida and have resided on the Northside of Jacksonville for nearly a decade. I've felt a calling on my life to try to help our community and therefore I feel that getting involved in local politics is a great way to help those in my community discover the best ways for them to solve their problems on the local level.
I'm an Army Reserve veteran with 9 years of honorable service to my country, including one tour to Iraq and one tour to Guantanamo Bay. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida State College at Jacksonville with a Bachelors of Applied Science in Supervision and Management and I'm employed in the electronics industry. Most importantly I'm a follower of Jesus Christ and I love spending time with my family, friends and Church family.
- I've seen first hand, the problems with bureaucracies and big government and how no amount of tax dollars spent or campaign promises made is going to fix our problems. But this wasn't only noticed at the national level, this happens every other week at our City Council meetings. Well-connected politicians on both sides of the aisle are giving our hard-earned tax dollars to their crony corporate buddies. They have also been passing executive orders and mandates that attempt to limit our freedom and liberties. They prey on the poorest and most marginalized among us with the restrictive regulations and tax increases.
- My time in office will be focused on ending corporate welfare, cutting spending and cutting taxes. It's time to make sure the constituents and taxpayers have a government that represents their interests and not the interests of big corporations. We will be focused on improving the quality of life for every citizen of Jacksonville, not just the political elites and those that are well connected in Jacksonville.
- The level of debt here in Jacksonville is to high and our local government loses sight of what's important. The people have Jacksonville want a government that protects their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and their number one concern is increasing our safety and decreasing violent crime. I will work on making these improvements while also making sure to protect the civil liberties of every citizen of Jacksonville.
Featured local question
Yes. It showed me how little respect our elected officials have for the citizens individual liberty. Most importantly their bill fining small businesses $500 if they had 50 or more people on the their property. This was an attempt to control large gatherings specifically in minority communities but it was packaged as a concern for "public safety".
Featured local question
I'm not seeing any decrease in crime when you look at Jacksonville as a whole but we are seeing a decrease in different areas of Jacksonville. I get my information from FDLE Ans FBI.
Featured local question
I would like to prevent government bureaucracies and over regulation from stifling natural growth downtown.
Featured local question
I think it is very important and it is my motivation for running innthe first place. I felt my community’s concerns were going un heard so I felt running myself would show exactly how serious we are taking these issues. I hope to teach people how to be more involved with the civic process.
Featured local question
Public records request should be made easily available to all concerned citizens of Jacksonville.
Featured local question
I would focus our resources specifically on violent crime and other crimes of force and fraud.
Featured local question
My number one concern is going to be the taxpayers of Jacksonville and private property owners and their rights.
Featured local question
I'll look at legislation being proposed and make sure it doesn't infringe on anyone's individual liberty. I'll make sure that my constituents know that I'm open to hearing their concerns on each issue before a decision is made. I'll also make sure my constituents know when important votes are happening in City Hall with both committees and Council meetings.
Featured local question
I would end JSO involvement with no-knock raids being conducted by federal agencies which is dangerous for everyone involved including our officers. This practice is already outlawed at the state level but JSO currently uses a federal loophole by working with federal agencies.
I would also end any form of civil asset forfeiture.
Featured local question
I think our number one concern for environmental health in Jacksonville is everyone having access to clean water. I think we are above average and improving and I look forward to working with organizations on this issue.
Featured local question
I want to make sure the funding for previously planned infrastructure is spent for the projects already planned and not moved around the city to other special interests projects. I want to focus on fixing the same issues we were promised before consolidation but haven't been met yet.
Featured local question
I would end warrantless searches and seizures and the unconstitutional invasion of privacy as well as our information and data being collected and given to federal agencies by our local law enforcement offices.
Featured local question
I would have voted no on mask mandates as well as the city's decision to fine small businesses $500 if they had 50 or more people on the property. I wouldnt have supported any form of taxpayer funding going to any organization that mandated masks or vaccines or any other invasion of privacy.
Ending corporate welfare, cutting spending and cutting taxes.
A city council seat is 1/19th of the power to control the bills that are passed or repealed here at the local level. They also are responsible for deciding and controlling the city budget.
I look up to and am a follower of Jesus Christ. His lessons to love God first and secondly to love our neighbors as ourselves is very important to my life and my politics. I believe in individual responsibility and one can' love their neighbors and care for their neighbors as they do themselves if they don't first take care of themselves.
The Law by Frédéric Bastiat
Free to Choose by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman
Remembering that they work for and represent their constituents.
I hope I show people how to obtain liberty in their life time. I also hope to show them examples of how to love God first and love others as they love themselves.
I think most people my age would have to say 9/11 and I was 13 years old. I remember being in class when the news broke. My brother was serving in the Army at the time and I remember my family being concerned with what would happen next as a country. This event also influenced my decision to join the military. This event also led to the Passing of The Patriot Act which is one reason why I became a Libertarian.
My very first job was a grocery bagger at Winn-Dixie. I had the job for one summer in between the ages of 15 and 16.
Holes by Louis Sachar. I read this book multiple times as a kid and every time I discovered something new and interesting.
I won't repeat the name but it's an old 2000s rap song by the group Youngbloodz with Lil Jon. The song got stuck in my head from watching a funny video on Facebook.
Running this political campaign has been pretty difficult. Also my 2 deployments when in the Army Reserves. One to Iraq and one to Guantanamo Bay.
The power of making sure the voters are informed with what's truly happening and the ability to expose corruption is an important benefit of this office.
I don't think it should be a requirement or a benefit. It might help someone getting elected but once their are in the position as long as they remember their job is to represent the people and be a liason between the people and the government everything should work out.
Honesty and integrity are going to be most important.
America's Veteran Party and Mike ter Maat Libertarian Candidate for President 2024.
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Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.
See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 2, 2023
