OFFICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CHERYL L. BROWN 117
WEST DUVAL STREET,
DIRECTOR 4TH FLOOR, CITY
HALL
OFFICE (904) 630-1452
FAX (904) 630-2906
E-MAIL: CLBROWN@coj.net
JOINT RULES/FINANCE/TEU COMMITTEE MEETING
MINUTES
Ordinance 2013-820
May 14, 2014
1:00 p.m.
City Council Conference Room A
Suite 425, City Hall
117 West Duval Street
Attendance: Council Members Bill Gulliford (President), Greg
Anderson (F/TEU, arr. 1:58), Lori Boyer (R), Reginald Brown (TEU/F, arr. 2:07),
Doyle Carter (R), Richard Clark (R/F), John Crescimbeni (TEU/F), Kimberly
Daniels (TEU, arr. 1:33), Warren Jones (R), Denise Lee (R, arr. 1:37), Jim Love
(TEU), Robin Lumb (F), Matt Schellenberg (TEU/F, arr. 1:57)
Also: Peggy
Sidman and Paige Johnston, Office of General Counsel; Theresa Eichner and Margo
Klosterman – Mayor’s Office; Jeff Clements – City Council Research; Janice
Billy and Kyle Billy – Council Auditor’s Office; John Pappas – Public Works
Department; Nathaniel Ford, Brad Thoburn and Henry Li – JTA; Marilyn Allen –
Legislative Services Division; Stan Johnson and Kevin Kuzel – ECAs; Steve
Patterson – Florida Times-Union; Alan
Moseley – Jax Chamber of Commerce
The Chairman called the
meeting to order at 1:15 p.m. and all council members introduced themselves for
the record.
John Pappas, Deputy Director
of the Department of Public Works, presented information on a handout showing
BJP roadway projects currently under construction or begun but not completed.
He indicated that the department cannot yet provide accurate information on the
distribution of project costs among the phases of multi-phase projects. Henry
Li, the Chief Financial Officer of the
JTA explained the state’s estimation method for gas tax revenue into the
future; based on many factors the revenue is projected to be flat or slightly
increasing, not decreasing as some have suggested. Brad Thoburn of the JTA
discussed how the priority of listed BJB projects could be changed, which
varies between City projects (changes approved by City Council) and JTA
projects (changes approved by the JTA board) and some of which require a super-majority
vote of the City Council.
Nathaniel Ford, CEO of the
JTA, responded to questions from Council Member Lee about how the JTA responds
to inquiries from the general public about the JTA’s position on the extension
of the gas tax and proposed uses of the revenues. Mr. Ford rebutted statements
made to the City Council at the previous night’s council meeting about the
potential impacts of not extending the gas tax, stating that the JTA’s fare
revenue only covers 20% of operations, that the entire 6 cents of the current
gas tax is used to subsidize transit operations, and that the loss of that
revenue would inevitably have an effect on transit operations.
Council Member Boyer
suggested that the use of fair share and mobility fee revenues could be used to
add at least one or two projects to the proposed list. Council Member Lumb
suggested that a series of town hall meetings should be scheduled around the
city over the next several weeks at which the Mayor and council members can
debate the pros and cons of the extension and the uses of the funding and can
answer questions from the general public. In response to a question from
Council Member Clark, Alan Mosley of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce said
that the gas tax will eventually be replaced with some other form of
transportation tax based on miles traveled or other factor, but for the
foreseeable future the gas tax is the best option and the extension is needed
to continue underpinning the transportation resources needed to support the
local economy.
Mr. Li responded to several
questions from Council Member Anderson about what it would take for the JTA to
become the bonding agency for bonding the gas tax funding stream. Mr. Ford said
that the JTA has directed the authority’s staff not to lobby for or against the
gas tax extension and has appointed board member Ed Burr as the primary
spokesman for the JTA on the subject of the gas tax. Council Member Lee opposed
the suggestion for a series of town hall meetings, stating that the public has
already had a number of opportunities to comment at a variety of City Council
and council committee meetings and will have additional opportunities in the
future at the continued public hearing at the next council meeting. Council
Member Brown asked what other alternatives exist for funding mass transit in
the future and questioned why the City would be expending its local option
revenue on state roads when the local road needs are so great.
Rules Motion
: amend to attach the project list dated 5/14/14 to the bill as the prioritized
project list, without the two Notes at the bottom of the page – approved 5-0.
Peggy Sidman stated that the
JTA stated that the list dated 5/14/14 is identical to the 4/8/14 list except
for a change in the description of Project #6L (University Blvd. – St.
Augustine Rd. to Ft. Caroline Rd.; Merrill Rd. – Arlington Expressway to
Townsend Rd.) and the addition of a Project #6M (Mandarin Rd. & Plummer
Cove Rd.), both within the $15 million allocated to Project #6. The 5/14/14
list contains $141 million in projects; the 4/8/14 list contained more projects
that exceeded the projected revenue.
Rules Motion:
recommend approval as amended – approved
5-0.
Finance Motion:
amend to attach the project list dated 5/14/14 to the bill as the prioritized
project list – approved 5-1 (Brown
opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt the Council Auditor’s amendment #1 re: technical amendments
prompted by bond counsel’s suggestions – approved
5-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #2 re: authority to increase or
decrease project scopes by 20% or less without Council approval – approved 5-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #3 re: fixed prioritization of
project list– approved 5-1 (Brown
opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #4 re: clarification of distribution
of half-cent sales tax for transportation and local option gas tax with JTA – approved 5-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #5 re: JTA’s authority to use the
funds for any legal purpose, including Council Member Boyer’s suggestion
regarding giving priority to debt service – approved 5-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #6 re: changes in the BJP unfunded
projects list – approved 5-1 (Brown
opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #7 re: the future role of the St.
Johns River Ferry Commission – deferred
Finance Motion:
amend to adopt Council Auditor’s amendment #8 re: making technical corrections
regarding tax name and purpose – approved
5-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion:
amend to provide that any future change to the 80/20 split of the local option
gas tax between the JTA and the City would require a 2/3 vote of City Council –
approved 4-1 (Brown opposed)
Finance Motion: the annual project progress report from JTA to the City shall be
submitted by June 1 each year in conjunction with the authority’s budget
submission – approved 4-0
Finance Motion: approve the revised project list of 5/14/14 and amendments #1-10
(excluding #7) – approved 4-0
The Finance Committee
deferred final action on the bill as amended until the regular committee
meeting next week.
TEU Motion: amend
to adopt the revised project list of 5/14/14 and amendments #1-10 (excluding
#7) – approved 5-0.
TEU Motion:
recommend approval of the bill as amended – approved 5-0.
There being no further
business, the agenda meeting was adjourned at 3:41 p.m.
Jeff Clements, Council Research
Division (904) 630-1404
Posted
5.15.14 9:00 a.m.