A.G. Gancarski
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan sounded optimistic as she unveiled the third budget of her first term — the first $2 billion budget in city history, but with no reserve spending.
“Our new day is dawning. Our time is now. And time is something we can’t get back,” the Democratic chief executive told City Council members Monday.
This year’s spending represents an increase from 2024’s proposed budget of roughly $1.9 billion, which was the biggest in the still-growing Northeast Florida city’s history at the time, with what Deegan said was $687 million in Capital Improvement Plan spending.
Deegan seeks to “close the list to new debt-funded projects for the next few years” and with future projects, pay-as-you-go will be the way forward.
Despite the size of the budget, the Mayor said it wasn’t an expansion of government.
“We are one of the fastest growing cities in America each year. So we are cutting the red tape to serve our people better and faster. Bottom line: While the city is growing, your government is not,” Deegan said.
“We’re no longer budgeting for programs just because ‘that’s how we’ve always done it.’ This budget prioritizes projects and programs that offer the best return on investment for our citizens.”
Among the goodies in the proposal were items unlikely to be opposed by anyone, including a shaded structure for the downtown Veterans’ Memorial Wall. Additionally, $100,000 for Fintech incubator Jax Hub and a $1 million workforce center for the Urban League are in play, along with $12 million for affordable housing and homelessness, which Deegan described as partially fueled by a “partnership with developers who understand the urgency.”
More than $100 million in parks spending is also contemplated, including $87.5 million for riverfront parks. Additionally, more than $20 million would be spent on the Community Benefits Agreement that was part of the Jaguars’ stadium deal, with $14 million of that evenly allocated in the 14 Council districts.
But public safety, as is traditional, is the big spend, with nearly a billion dollars allocated, including more than $100 million in salary and pension boosts.
The Sheriff’s Office is set to get everything it asks for, with $638 million in proposed money this year. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department would get $387 million if the budget is approved as written.
