The final vote may bring a different outcome.
Though it’s likely a temporary reprieve[1], Jacksonville’s[2] Democratic Mayor is thanking City Council members for not voting to lower the millage rate[3].
“I’m grateful to the Council members who voted with courage to maintain our existing property tax rate, already the lowest of any major city in Florida,” Mayor Donna Deegan said.
“They joined our police and fire unions, community and business leaders, and thousands of citizens who have spoken out in support of Jacksonville having the resources for essential services and the investments we proposed to help working families struggling for housing, health, and food.”
Some legislators wanted to reduce the millage levy for the City of Jacksonville from 11.3619 mills to 11.1919 mills. But with one member (Chris Miller) absent, the Council was deadlocked on the matter with a 9-9 vote.
Although members ultimately voted 10-8 to maintain the current rate, it was merely procedural. Many expect that fiscal hawks will have enough votes to reduce the rate in two weeks.
Deegan also addressed a procedural vote[4] that, at least for the moment, put on the back burner some “divisive culture war amendments that don’t belong in our city laws, much less in a budget bill.”
The amendments, proposed by Republican Rory Diamond, include stopping public money from going to undocumented immigrants, to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and abortion and abortion-related services.
Per Jacksonville Today[5], Diamond intends to reintroduce those provisions during the final budget vote Sept. 23.
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References
- ^ temporary reprieve (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Jacksonville’s (jacksonville.gov)
- ^ not voting to lower the millage rate (x.com)
- ^ procedural vote (jaxtoday.org)
- ^ Jacksonville Today (jaxtoday.org)