JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville City Council voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve Mayor Donna Deegan’s $1.9 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
City Councilmembers voted 16-1 to approve the budget, which will be the highest in city history.
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Part of that money is coming from city reserves, although much of that spending was cut out before Tuesday’s vote.
Deegan released the following statement about the passage of the budget:
“With the passage of this budget, we continue to take Jacksonville from potential to progress, with transformational investments that deliver the best returns for our citizens. We have secured historic pay raises and returned pension options for public safety employees, and begun the important work of getting the homeless population off our streets and on the path to a viable future. I also want to thank the City Council for their commitment to revisit funding to address the affordable housing crisis.
“In just the last 90 days we successfully negotiated to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville for the next 30 years and get our City-owned stadium rebuilt into a world-class venue; we secured transformative funding for the historically underserved Eastside community; we committed to preparing our workforce for the future; we passed legislation to support a catalytic downtown neighborhood development project; and we fully funded a visionary plan for riverfront parks. And we did all of this without raising property taxes.
“I’m gratified that a member of my staff, Dr. Parvez Ahmed, will work to make Jacksonville competitive with its peer cities and provide data-driven insights about the city’s internal disparities. In his new position as Chief of Analytics and Special Advisor, Dr. Ahmed will continue to ensure all residents of Jacksonville are seen and heard by their city government.
“I want to thank Council President White and the entire City Council for partnering with my administration on this important work. Let’s continue moving our city forward.”
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Jacksonville City Council Member Rahman Johnson released the following statement on the passage of the budget:
“While we have achieved a balanced budget this year, we missed the opportunity to move our city forward with workforce housing. However, we kept property taxes flat and still managed to make critical investments in public safety. Our work ensures that Jacksonville will be well-prepared for the future.
“We approved historic pay raises for our police officers, firefighters, and corrections officers working closely with their unions. With these new contracts, Jacksonville is better positioned to recruit and retain the talent necessary to keep our city safe.
“I am proud of the work that my colleagues and I have done to support this city.
“Congratulations to Mayor Deegan for the tireless work that she and her team have done to run this city effectively and efficiently.
“I remain dedicated to advocating for affordable housing and support for the unhoused. As Jacksonville continues to grow, we must ensure that our city’s most vulnerable residents are not left behind. I look forward to working with my colleagues to revisit these essential programs in the months ahead.”
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