OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL

 

CHERYL L. BROWN                                                                                                                    117 WEST DUVAL STREET, SUITE 425

            DIRECTOR                                                                                                                                                                                                 4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL

   OFFICE (904) 630-1452                                                                                                                                                                                  JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA  32202

     FAX (904) 630-2906                                                                                                                                                                                                                

  E-MAIL: CLBROWN@coj.net

 

 

SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES -

MAYOR’S ANNUAL BUDGET PRESENTATION

July 14, 2010

10:00 a.m.

 

Location:  City Council Chamber, City Hall – St. James Building; 117 West Duval Street,

    

In attendance:  Council President Webb, Vice President Joost, Council Members Yarborough, Crescimbeni, Clark, Holt, Shad, Redman, Bishop, Gaffney, Fussell, Lee, Corrigan, Brown, Davis and Graham

 

Excused: Council Members Jones, Hyde and Johnson

 

Meeting Convened:  10:05 a.m.

 

Council President Webb called the meeting to order and introduced the Reverend Michael Moore, Rector of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, to give the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  The President then introduced Mayor John Peyton to give his annual budget address.

 

Mayor Peyton thanked the current and former Council Presidents and Council Members for their public service and made introductory remarks about important events and activities that have taken place in the City during his tenure as mayor.  He cited in particular the redevelopment of Cecil Commerce Center, Jaxport expansion, growing international business investment in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Jaguars, cleanup of the St. Johns River, the beginnings of downtown revitalization, and the success of the Jacksonville Journey as tangible signs of progress and building momentum in the economy and civic pride of the city.

 

The mayor stated that the $995 million General Fund budget he is presenting is unique in the City’s history since consolidation in that every departmental budget, including the public safety departments, is being reduced from last year’s approved budget.  He stated that pension reform is the key to budgetary cost containment, as a large percentage of the City budget is devoted to personnel costs and 72% of the City’s workforce is unionized.  Everyone must share the burden of cost containment as current expense growth trends are unsustainable.  The city government needs to find savings of $1 billion over the next 35 years, both in immediate pay cuts and long-term pay and pension reforms.

 

The mayor stated that his administration is continuing to work toward cost savings wherever possible, including privatization of some government functions (park facility operations, park and right-of-way mowing, information technology services) and has cut the City workforce by 700 positions over the past several years.  The Sheriff has cut $10 million from his operations from the current to the proposed budget, part of $22 million in total General Fund cuts from the current year budget.  Over the last 5 years the City has made a 10% total reduction in non-public safety budgets.

 

Next year the City faces a $45 million reduction in its property tax revenues because of a 7% reduction in the value of the taxable property due to the continuing recession.  The mayor is proposing a revenue-neutral millage rate of 10.12 to generate the same revenue as last year’s millage rate.  He noted that Jacksonville saw millage reductions for 13 consecutive years and the proposed 10.12 mill rate will still be lower than when he took office in 2003.

 

The mayor thanked his family, staff and the citizens of Jacksonville.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:50 a.m.

 

 

 

Jeff Clements, Council Research Division

7.14.10

Posted: 5:00 p.m.