Jacksonville Sheriff hails new law giving him more budget independence.

Image via T.K. Waters.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters benefited from Gov. Ron DeSantis’ endorsement that cleared the GOP field for him in 2022’s Special Election to fill the unexpired term of a resigned predecessor.

Two years later, the Republican lawman is benefiting from freshly signed legislation giving him more leeway in moving money around his department’s nearly $600 million budget, a measure that gives him the same rights as sheriffs of non-consolidated governments throughout the state.

SB 1704, from GOP Sen. Clay Yarborough and GOP Rep. Wyman Duggan, would allow a Sheriff, including one of a consolidated city/county government, to move funds “between categories and code levels” without legislative approval after their budget is approved by the legislative body. This independence extends to procurement and personnel issues.

As was made clear in the Senate when the bill was passed, the bill is effectively a carve-out for Jacksonville’s T.K. Waters, affirming the intention of previous legislation giving Sheriffs inside consolidated governments the same authority as others. The measure affirms Waters’ authority to move funds without the approval of the City Council after his budget (which is nearly $600 million this year) is approved by the legislative body.

“SB 1704 will significantly enhance our agency’s ability to adapt to the ever-evolving public safety needs of Jacksonville. Thank you to Rep. Duggan, Sen. Yarborough, and Governor Desantis for their support of this important legislation,” Waters said Saturday to Florida Politics.

The legislation is backed by the Florida Sheriffs Association.

Both the House and Senate sponsors represent Jacksonville, which has a Democratic Mayor and a Republican Sheriff who don’t always align.

In the consolidated government, the Sheriff’s budget has a particular provenance and has been a flashpoint in the past.

Locals will remember a move from 2020 by former City Councilman Garrett Dennis, now a senior staffer for Mayor Donna Deegan, to hold half of the Sheriff’s budget in abeyance “below the line.”