There aren’t many questions heading into tonight’s budget finale.
City Council isn’t wrestling with any major decisions on how to fill gaps. Or what else to fund.
No, compared to the past several years, it’s been a relatively smooth process to reach the conclusion of the tweaking of the city’s spending plan.
Finance Chair Bill Gulliford attributes that to several reasons.
The numbers, to start. Revenue increases on both the property tax and sales tax side meant Mayor Lenny Curry and council didn’t have to make substantial cuts.
Gulliford also attributes the smoothness to an attentive and informative Curry administration that promptly answered questions instead of needing time to research.
But what really helped the council review?
“It started off being balanced,” he said.
Council President Greg Anderson called the product being voted on tonight “a very good budget,” one that invests for the first time in years.
Like adding 40 police officers and community service officers, along with their needed equipment. Or adding $1 million to the library system, a move that means the four regional branches and several other sites will be re-opened Mondays — and others re-opened Saturdays, too.
“I think it’s a great statement that shows Jacksonville believes literacy and the library are important,” Anderson said.
And there’s still almost $3 million more earmarked to boost the Jacksonville Journey anti-crime initiative — about double what it currently is — although most of it hasn’t been programmed, yet.
This year was a first for Anna Lopez Brosche, the finance committee vice chair and council member in her first term. She’s watched the past several budget hearings, which started in financial holes millions of dollars deep. From there, she saw cut after cut as the committee had to climb its way to balance.
“I am sure that process was tremendously stressful,” she said.
This year, she said, has gone as well as she could have imagined.
Stress on members this year might be more so on what they couldn’t fund even more.
The committee added close to $740,000 toward pay increases for those who took 2 percent cuts back in 2010. That’s on top of $2.3 million Curry has set aside for collective bargaining. But, Brosche said she’ll continue to push for more in future years.
Anderson mentioned UF Health as a “big concern,” one that needs financial stability. The city again this year will contribute about $26 million, with Curry vowing to find a long-term solution after a community conversation.
And Gulliford points to the city’s lagging infrastructure. Included in this budget is a $37 million, two-year fix for Liberty Street, about $10 million for road resurfacing and other projects. Gulliford said it’s still not enough.
“I don’t think we’ve even come close,” he said.
Despite heading into the anticipated final budget meeting with a balanced plan and no major questions, there still can be changes.
Anderson has asked that amendments be filed by noon to allow other members and the public to review. But, members can, as they often have in the past, pitch amendments on the floor.
Gulliford said he’s heard rumors of one that might seek to restore more than $300,000 toward Jacksonville Fire and Rescue promotions.
“That’s one that would generate a lot of discussion, I’m sure,” he said.
Any that are introduced and seek to change line items will need a funding source.
“At this point, it’s anybody’s guess,” Anderson said.
Tonight’s council meeting starts at 5 p.m.
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