A.G. Gancarski
The Florida Times-Union reports that there may be renewed trouble on the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund front, in the form of a new legal challenge from the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County.
The group has asked for an injunction against the pension deal that cleared the Rules Committee on Monday and the Finance Committee on Tuesday. One major sticking point: the proposed seven-year term. Another major sticking point: the negotiators themselves.
The Finance Committee discussion was truncated because Councilwoman Kim Daniels called the question before it could really get going. However, the Rules Committee discussion was not, revealing fissures among the council members in attendance.
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.
One of Boyer’s concerns was about consequences should the contribution be insufficient. Another concern: the shortfall created if new police officers are hired by Mayor-elect Lenny Curry, as he promised repeatedly on the campaign trail.
More salient to the current question, she and Matt Schellenberg both pointed out that state law requires collective bargaining on pension reform, and that this bill could occasion a legal challenge.
Ultimately, the measure cleared committee, because of Chairman Bill Gulliford strenuously advocated that something needs to be done now. He asserted that making no decision is the “worst position we can be in.”
While that may be the case, Concerned Taxpayers don’t believe that the decision is council’s to make. As John Winkler told WJCT, “What we have here is the city council, which is not the appropriate party for the city, sitting down and talking to John Keane, who’s the executive director of the Police and Fire Pension Fund Board, and he is not the certified bargaining agent for either of those unions.”
The open question is what happens to this bill Tuesday, when it will be the main event at the Jacksonville City Council meeting unless a court order precludes it.
What is clear, however, is that the hopes of getting a viable framework laid down before Lenny Curry takes control of city hall appear a bit dimmer than they did in that optimistic haze of the early-week committee meetings.
