by David Chapman
Staff Writer
The release of Jacksonville Community Council Inc.’s annual study tends to draw a crowd, but it was close to standing room only for its latest chapter regarding City finances Wednesday at the Main Library.
Titled “Our Money, Our City: Financing Jacksonville’s Future,” the eight-month study was the third such City financial study done in JCCI’s history (the other two came in 1979 and 1992) and identified the causes of the City’s “financial crisis” and laid out recommendations on how to correct them in the long term.
“It’s been a crisis with roots going way back,” said J.F. Bryan IV, who chaired the study and will lead the two-year effort of outreach to the community and leaders on its findings to provoke change.
The audience was filled with elected leaders, JCCI participants, community members and more, many of whom had an opinion on the study’s findings and recommendations for increased public trust and an increase in revenue items with a decrease in expenditures on several levels.
“I’m pleased with JCCI’s efforts,” said City Council member Michael Corrigan, who also chairs the Finance Committee. “A lot of the findings are accurate, but some items do need to be discussed further ... I do agree we have a revenue problem.”
Study management team member Jean Pyle attended the event and though she was involved with the study, she believes the public will be surprised with its findings.
“I think it is really timely,” said Pyle. “I think the results and suggestions are hard hitting and really put a lot of things in perspective.”
Unable to attend, Mayor John Peyton sent Bryan a letter instead, with portions read to the audience by current JCCI Board of Directors President Quinton White.
“In reading this report, one can clearly surmise that Jacksonville has an investment challenge,” the letter read, which debated the merits and balance of tight budgets and the potential of under-investment. “It is my hope and expectation that this report will stimulate a community conversation on this important subject, and I look forward to JCCI’s engagement in that regard.”
That community conversation begins immediately by Bryan and other community leaders on the upcoming implementation task force that will seek community involvement and discussion on the study, which will run over the course of two years.
“We want to get started as quickly as we can,” said Steve Rankin, JCCI program director of implementations and special projects. “We don’t have any time to waste.”
To read the complete “Our Money, Our City” report, go to www.jcci.org.
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