A.G. Gancarski
The big news out of the first Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee meeting of June is that 2015-304, an iteration of the Police and Fire Pension Deal (one which is in many respects similar to the deal that was spiked by the full council 9-9 in March) passed 5 to 2, and will hit the Finance Committee on Tuesday morning.
There are caveats, of course. Two members, Robin Lumb and Don Redman, voted for it to pass through committee but wouldn’t commit to supporting the bill before the full council. Councilwoman Lori Boyer opposed the bill for a variety of reasons, an opposition that won’t likely dissipate anytime soon.
One of Boyer’s concerns was consequences should the contribution be insufficient. The budget stabilization account was intended as a backstop, and she questioned what would happen if all the money is taken out of the account,
Boyer also asked about the shortfall created if new police officers are hired by Mayor-elect Lenny Curry, as he promised repeatedly on the campaign trail. She pointed out, as did Matt Schellenberg, that state law requires collective bargaining on pension reform, and that there’s no guarantee the current legislation will prevent another lawsuit rooted in the contentious pension issue that has spanned two mayoral administrations and looks likely to encroach upon a third.
Stephen Joost, meanwhile, advanced the idea of using bonds to finance the city’s side of the pension obligation, arguing such a move would take advantage of historically low interest rates, and that a reliable financing mechanism would help make the deal acceptable to the Police and Fire Pension Fund. That was a nonstarter, and Council Auditor Kirk Sherman said historically there have been problems with pension obligation bonds.
Ultimately, the measure cleared committee, because in no small part to Chairman Bill Gulliford strenuously advocating that something needs to be done now. He deemed it “naive” to leave it to a new council to sort out, and that making no decision is the “worst position we can be in.”
Boyer, meanwhile, contended that committing to a “flawed course” of action is “morally wrong.”
Boyer and Gulliford look poised to reiterate many of the same arguments Tuesday morning.
In related pension news, 2015-258, introduced by Boyer as a “new hire benefit package” measure, got through committee with a caveat: It’s a backup to 2015-304, which could only be enacted if Gulliford’s bill ultimately fails. It passed 6-0, because Schellenberg was excused early before 258 was considered.
Pension was not all that the Rules Committee considered during the four-hour meeting. The group also turned its attention to seismic testing.
During campaign season, the Alvin Brown administration pushed for a resolution opposing seismic air gun testing in the Atlantic Ocean, a measure similar to that in the local beach communities. John Crescimbeni’s measure that got through Rules was a similar measure, minus the original’s request to support a federal moratorium on such testing.
The seismic testing discussion had a few quotable moments.
Councilman Lumb asked, “Why are we opposing seismic testing?”
Councilman Redman, meanwhile, lamented that council has “only heard one side of the story.”
Crescimbeni, in the face of such opposition, pointed out that even Gov. Rick Scott said that we “need more data” on this before going forward.
That wasn’t enough to secure Lumb’s support, who said he didn’t know enough about it. The bill looked poised to stall out with a 3-3 vote, then a bit of drama was interjected as Joost returned to council chambers to vote for the resolution.
Beyond the seismic testing and pension measures, there was a reprise of last Tuesday’s discussion of closing the river access point at Little Van Wert in Avondale. Paul Harden and John and Kristen Surface rehashed their now-familiar arguments about how the river access point is a launching pad for crime, including but not limited to fishermen drinking beer while casting their lines into the water.
Meanwhile, other residents made their cases that the river access point has been part of the neighborhood for more than a century, that it’s a cornerstone of the nationally recognized historic district and should stay as is.
Jim Love, the area’s representative who was remarkably subdued on Tuesday, said pointblank, “I don’t want this closed.” Other residents questioned the interest of Richard Clark, who represents a district near the Beaches, in what clearly to them is a neighborhood concern.
Closing the access point has at least some support. Councilman Redman thinks it should be closed. However, time is running out on the measure. It appearsit will be stalled in Rules until July, when Redman will be off council. As well as Clark.
