A.G. Gancarski
After fireworks erupted Friday morning when spirited discussions took place over the capital improvement budgets for the Jacksonville Electric Authority and Jacksonville Transportation Authority, city council members expected the afternoon session would go more smoothly, if only by default.
Councilwoman Lori Boyer mentioned that the JTA local option gas tax discussion was especially contentious. Meanwhile, reports from the morning session are that JEA CEO Paul McElroy got, in the words of the Times-Union’s Nate Monroe, “the full Crescimbeni.”
That’s rarely good for the recipient.
The joke Councilman Bill Gulliford made, relative to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority budget: “Do you think we can get through this in 48 seconds?”
Spoiler alert: No.
The JAA net income for the 2015-16 fiscal year exceeds $22 million, and $15 million of that will go to operating capital outlay. The big ticket projects include $2.5 million for the main parking plaza at the Jacksonville International Airport and $2.8 million for the Space Florida Hangar at Cecil Field Airport.
The JAA advertising budget was discussed. About $380,000 will be spent on advertising new services and parking. John Crescimbeni asked whether a local agency would be used. Nope, from Birmingham, Ala. He then asked if the advertising was necessary to get locals to use the airport; the reply was that it was important to the carriers promoting nonstop service.
“I always question whether this is a good use of revenue,” Crescimbeni said, before mentioning that the airport’s new commercials aren’t particularly strong.
The JAA budget was approved without incident,
The Jacksonville Port Authority budget, meanwhile, was down year over year, in large part because of a plunge in capital outlay from $172 million to $94 million.
Revenue is up, because of an increase in Volkswagen import business. The business also drives $16 million of FDOT capital grants in the next five years to support this uptick.
Salaries and benefits, meanwhile, are up incrementally. The biggest percentage jumps in expenditure are related to security and dredging, respectively, north of 8 percent in both categories.
Capital outlay, meanwhile, sees a $30 million investment in wharf rehab at Blount Island, $25.7 million for crane purchases, and $11 million for harbor deepening, as part of a $94.6 million CIP budget, $51.588 million of which comes from the state.
JaxPort seeks to create a “culture of growth.”
Crescimbeni asked about the $6.1 million pay-go budget, 1.5 million of which goes to Talleyrand tenant improvements, and wondered how “forward thinking” the budget was in that regard.
The response mentioned that money is allocated to prepare for Crowley’s needs in 2017, which will include gate structure improvements and fortifying the land to support the weight of their containers.
Crescimbeni then asked about Mayport Ferry security services, adding that the transfer may not happen until March.
Anna Brosche then asked about “debt affordability analysis,” and if their process is consistent with that of the city.
There was no easy answer to that question.
Bill Gulliford, meanwhile, suggested a more refined look at the profitability of each sector of the operation, to “put the emphasis on things that are more profitable.”
