Jax Councilwoman’s family biz to pay back city over busted eco dev deal
Jax Councilwoman Katrina Brown

Katrina Brown

The city of Jacksonville may get back some of the money a City Councilwoman’s family business owes it after all.

The city agreed last week to a deal with KJB Specialties, the family business of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Katrina Brown, to pay back $1,000 a month for 84 straight months.

Earlier this year, the city won a default judgement against KJB Specialties, amounting to $222,000 against two businesses owned by the Councilwoman’s family (with the Councilwoman as title manager)’

The city received $210,000 in grant money related to a failed BBQ sauce plant; the Browns failed to create any of the 56 jobs required, via a 2011 economic development agreement. This led to a city lawsuit against the Brown family companies earlier this year.

The Browns’ companies scored $640,000 from the city of Jacksonville in grants and loans altogether, in addition to an SBA loan of $2,652,600.

KJB filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March.

Councilwoman Brown has been a member of the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee for the majority of the time she has been in office.

Brown, who also made news recently for accusing Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office members of racial profiling, has never been under serious consideration for even a censure — a measure of the esteem with which her colleagues regard her.

 

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


2 comments

  • seber newsome III

    November 20, 2017 at 8:58 am

    Can I get a deal like that? You get 3.2 million dollars and only have to pay back $84,000. What happened to the rest of the millions? Some politicians are so crooked.

  • Harold Ponsell

    November 20, 2017 at 10:34 am

    Setting a precedence for others to use when they don’t want to pay back what they owe the city.

    HOW MANY WHO ARE NOT POLITICIANS WOULD GET THIS DEAL?

Comments are closed.


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