Jacksonville, FL — It's been a long road, but the Jacksonville City Council has unanimously voted to pass Mayor Lenny Curry's pension reform plan.
The bills include using a half-cent sales tax approved by voters back in the 2016 election to help pay down the $2.8 billion dollar pension debt.
But just moments after the plan was passed, some on the council were already talking about tweaks.
Councilman Danny Becton announced he's working on a bill that would make extra payments toward paying down the debt, comparing it to a 30-year mortgage.
"After a number of years, as your income grows, maybe you've gotten some promotions, that mortgage you took out many years ago, isn't as bad as it seemed that first day. Your like, 'Oh, I can pay more', and your accountant tells you that you can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by putting a little bit more and making this a 15-year mortgage," explains Becton.
Mayor Curry is set to sign the pension reform bills Tuesday, April 25, outside City Hall.
He'll be joined by members of City Council, Sheriff Williams, union leaders, and business representatives.