Jacksonville residents are watching city leaders grapple with financial oversight at two major agencies while also preparing to decide on three statewide constitutional amendments that could affect taxes and emergency funding.
According to Action News Jax, City Councilman Rory Diamond said the outgoing Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) CEO Nat Ford must answer questions about a $40 million budget shortfall before leaving town. Ford’s official last day is Wednesday, and Diamond warned that a subpoena could be used if Ford does not appear voluntarily before the council’s financial oversight review board. Diamond criticized Ford’s handling of the NAVI system, asking, “How could you keep going with the NAVI system if you knew that you were seriously and already in debt just with normal operations?” The council learned that board members were largely left in the dark about financial projections for years.
In a separate meeting, the Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA) board rejected a compensation proposal from CEO Cheron Corbett Waller. Action News Jax reported that Waller suggested a 12 percent cut from developer fees for the CEO, which would have amounted to $240,000 on a $2 million fee. Waller, whose base salary is $300,000, said the money would not come from federal funds and compared her compensation to other public‑housing officials who can earn up to $600,000. Board members questioned the proposal, and the draft was voted down on Monday.
Voters in Duval County will also decide on three constitutional amendments in this year’s midterm election, Action News Jax noted. Amendment 1 would raise the homestead exemption to $250,000, effectively cutting non‑school property taxes, and would increase the state emergency savings fund cap from 10 percent to 25 percent of general revenue, requiring an additional $750 million each year until the new cap is reached. Amendment 2 would eliminate property taxes on certain farming and agritourism equipment, a change projected to reduce local government revenue by about $31 million annually. Amendment 3 proposes the homestead exemption increase. All three measures need at least 60 percent voter support to pass.
Early voting begins Tuesday in Duval County, and the JTA CEO’s final day is Wednesday. The JHA board’s decision is final, and the constitutional amendments will be on the ballot in the November midterm election, giving Jacksonville voters a direct role in shaping transportation, housing leadership, and state fiscal policy.
Sources: actionnewsjax.com, actionnewsjax.com, actionnewsjax.com
