Budget conference: House moves closer to Senate on Jax Sheriff vehicle ask

Image via T.K. Waters.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters is moving closer to getting at least partial funding for a Mobile Investigative Command Vehicle, as budget discussions continue between the House and Senate.

The latest bump offer shows less than a $200,000 difference between them. The House is willing to spend $577,514, while the Senate is holding to the $750,000 number it has for days. The House position is up from $200,000 earlier in negotiations, however.

Both the House and the Senate are far short of the original ask of more than $1.1 million from Sen. Clay Yarborough and Rep. Jessica Baker. But even a worst-case scenario inside the current range would have the state paying more than half of the cost for this vehicle.

That would be a salutary boost for a law enforcement agency that spends nearly $600 million a year in Jacksonville taxpayer money, justified by the claim that the vehicle may be deployed to other counties during mutual aid scenarios.

The budget request said the vehicle “will allow for a more complete and rapid response to major emergencies and investigations throughout the city.”

“By serving as an on-scene command post, detectives will have access to additional resources and communications equipment allowing them to be more efficient and effective in the field,” the justification continued.