Corrine Brown sentence delayed, RTS Sign still up

Between hearings, the conviction and now sentencing, Corrine Brown’s case has been a long process that should come to a close at the end of this year. Some residents are now left wondering why Brown’s name has been left on Gainesville’s RTS Center throughout the entire process.

The building was named after Brown in 2014, three years before she was found guilty of 18 fraud-related charges.

Gainesville City Commissioners have talked about taking her name down since May, but it still remains on the multi-million dollar building’s sign with no answer as to whether it’s staying up or not.

Former commissioner Tony Domenech says city leaders should have come to a decision well before this point in the case.

"What I’m surprised about is there’s no sense of urgency to deal with these issues. After the sentencing, at a city commission meeting, they basically said to leave her name there,” Domenench said. "I mean, my gosh, what sort of a message does that send?"

But others say the sign needs to be left alone and shouldn’t be up for discussion at all.

"So many people respect what she has done as a member of congress, and because of the positive things she’s done over the years, her name should not be removed,” said African American Studies Doctor Sharon Austin.

Browns’s sentencing was pushed back to December 4, just a few weeks after the original date.

City leaders say they’ll discuss whether or not to keep her name on the RTS Building when she has been sentenced.