Jacksonville Mayor Unveils Budget Workshops to Engage Taxpayers

Strategic Insights -

Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton aims to inform taxpayers about the city's nearly $1 billion budget by launching a new Web site, www.myjaxbudget.com, and a series of budget workshops. This initiative comes after Peyton's previous attempts to raise property taxes for the first time since 1992, which were met with resistance from the City Council. The budget workshops will provide citizens with in-depth information on various city departments, allowing them to assign priority levels to different services. This process will inform the budget decision-making process.

Key Takeaways:

  • The city's nearly $1 billion budget will be the focus of the budget workshops, which aim to educate taxpayers and gather informed feedback.
  • The workshops will provide department-level information on where tax dollars go, and attendees will be asked to assign priority levels to various city services.
  • The results of the workshops will be compiled and used when Peyton and his staff sit down to choose what gets funded.
  • The city has launched a Web site, www.myjaxbudget.com, where residents can access department-level information and sign up for budget workshops.
  • The budget deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year is expected to be in the "tens of millions" due to uncertainty in property values and union negotiations.
  • Council President Richard Clark will hold traditional town hall-style meetings to meet with constituents and balance the work from the mayor's office.

Statistics:

  • The city's budget is nearly $1 billion.
  • The budget deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year is expected to be in the "tens of millions".
  • 9% property tax increase was approved last year, the first in 17 years.
  • 3% pay cuts and a less lucrative pension for new employees are proposed in union negotiations.
  • The number of budget workshops is 6.
  • The number of community center locations for the budget workshops is 6.

Sources:

  • The Florida Times-Union
  • Jacksonville Children's Commission
  • Jacksonville Community Council
  • The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services