A.G. Gancarski
An interesting power struggle on Jacksonville’s City Council right now revolves around the question of whether or not the Finance Committee has too much power over the budget process.
On one side, freshman councilwoman Katrina Brown; on the other, statute and accepted tradition.
To that end, Brown has scheduled public notice meetings to gin up support; Wednesday’s was with former mayor and current rookie councilman Tommy Hazouri, along with Council VP (and Finance Committee veteran) Lori Boyer, and Councilmen Reggie Brown and Scott Wilson.
In a conversation with Brown before the meeting, she indicated that the entire Council deserved a shot at deciding budgetary priorities, and noted that the composition of the Finance Committee in recent years has not necessarily reflected the composition of the Council, with John Crescimbeni on Finance the last four years.
Describing the budget process as an “illusion,” in the sense that not all 19 members have an equal say in the budget, Councilwoman Brown noted her attendance at the budget hearings in August, as allowed.
“I decided to do some research,” with an eye toward “including all 19 members.”
Noting that most legislation goes through two committees, Councilwoman Brown observed that budget and appointments are not included in that count.
Councilwoman Brown noted that she had gotten constituent questions, including whether she thought all 19 council members needed to be involved (to which she answered yes).
Brown also stated that the process, even with the entire Council, would not be longer than it is currently.
“By taking up amendments in the Finance Committee,” Councilwoman Brown said, “that puts me in a bad position.”
Brown noted that, throughout the budget process, “we save money” through cuts; Boyer had a wry smile as she said this, perhaps remembering the ghosts of budget processes past.
“If you are not on the Finance Committee,” Brown said, “you cannot vote on how the extra money is spent up.”
Thus, projects that may matter to her constituents may not have a shot in the budget process.
“The only thing that I can think of to allow all our colleagues to have a voice at the table, is to have all 19 members at the table,” Brown concluded, adding (as she did in her previous meeting) that the mayor’s office has “as many people as possible involved in the budget process.”
Councilman Reggie Brown, a seven year veteran of Council, noted that if he isn’t in Finance, then he isn’t able to have an active voice in the budget process.
“If you’re not on Finance, you’re not on Rules, you’re not making any serious impact,” Brown said, regarding the taxonomy of committees.
Appropriately, this bill would go to Finance and Rules, and they would be in the unique position of having first say on the bill.
Boyer noted that as she got comfortable on Council, even as a non-Finance member, she got more comfortable advocating her position.
She also advised that a 14 person quorum is a daunting threshold, and that the previous budget processes were much more involved than this year.
Regarding “budget amendments,” Boyer contended that there are always amendments on budget night.
As well, previous budgets were “always in the red, not in the black,” necessitating the need to cut from beginning to end.
Hazouri noted that the budget process, from his legislative days, was a “tough nut to do,” adding that expanding Finance to 9 people might be the move.
“You’re asking a lot to expect 14 of the same people to be there,” he said regarding Councilwoman Brown’s proposal.
Councilwoman Brown then noted that district Council members have different pressures than at-large members, with constituents wanting specific asks fulfilled.
Boyer then noted complexities, such as the Capital Improvement budget, that “may take two days next year” during the budget process.
She did indicate support for having nine people on Finance in future years, as well as an interest in expanding Finance for a limited period to encompass interested council members.
“The purpose of the bill is to have dialogue,” said Councilwoman Brown, “and I am thinking as a citizen too.”
“I want to make sure that people’s voices are heard,” she added.
Meanwhile, Councilman Brown noted that he had served on a nine-member Finance Committee twice, but never on a seven-member variant.
This creates issues, such as advocating for his district’s interest in areas such as Public Works and Code Enforcement.
“When you’re on a committee, you take more of an active role,” the second-term Councilman said.
As well, he added sometime later, he has doubts as to whether city dollars are going in the right direction, on issues like social services and public service grants.
Whether just dialogue emerges from this process, or substantive change, what is clear is that this process will be interesting to watch going forward.
With issues ranging from stormwater problems to years-long waiting list for sidewalk repairs, District Council members obviously need to be seen as delivering for their districts.
Some of “these folks have been without sidewalks since Consolidation,” said Councilman Brown.
Those folks, it goes without saying, are in certain districts, and not in others.
Whether resolution comes by convening the Committee of a Whole to disperse a surplus at the end, as Wilson and Boyer suggested, or by some other mechanism, is an open question.
Resource allocation among the districts clearly seems arbitrary to some, and even determined by who has the most stroke with the Finance Committee.
If this bill is to get real momentum, the critical mass is going to have to come from those willing to hazard upsetting the existing order, even at the risk of potential repercussions down the road.
Hazouri, regarding Brown’s legislation, billed it as “leverage” for process change.
“Whatever way we go,” said Councilwoman Brown, “we’ll feel more confident with the budget process next year.”
