by David Chapman
Staff Writer
When it comes to core government services, what constituents are willing to pay for, what they receive and how the community voices its concerns and priorities are all intertwined — often with much debate and public scrutiny.
As part of the Jacksonville Community Council Inc.’s “Our Money, Our City: Financing Jacksonville’s Future” study, members heard from two figures familiar with the inner workings of City Hall and those core services provided.
Chief Deputy General Counsel Cindy Laquidara and Audrey Moran, chief of staff to former Mayor John Delaney and current president and CEO of the Sulzbacher Center, spoke recently to a citizens panel of more than 30 and gave insight on the process and how citizens can make a difference.
“What do we (the City) have to provide?” asked Laquidara, while discussing the City’s charter. “You can really argue them all.”
Laquidara explained that Jacksonville’s charter and charter laws were written to allow flexibility in what and how services should be provided to the different urban areas. Services that were written in, such as airports and police protection, have been privatized or taken over by their respective municipalities.
Overlap between privatized and City provided services can also be cost prohibitive, as well as an abundance of instituted commissions that overlap each other, which is why it’s important for the public to know the roles and services each commission provides.
“If people don’t know what they’re doing, it’s easy for them to say ‘we can cut that’,” she said.
While the City is allowed to “almost have unlimited discretion” about what services to fund and provide, it’s that same unlimited discretion, according to Moran, that means the community has to help decide what services are needed.
Moran discussed her role in the mayor’s office under two mayors — Ed Austin and Delaney — and the differences in how public services are decided.
Austin created “Insight Jacksonville” during his term, a program Moran said “got the community talking as a community about what they wanted as services” and offered the administration guidance.
Delaney, on the other hand, used fiscal restraint and rebuilding during his first term while establishing priorities and used the saved money to launch the Better Jacksonville Plan during his second term.
More people tend to get involved in a down economy and election cycles, she added, as the potential for change is a silver lining.
“Something in the budget once untouchable might become touchable (in a poor economy),” said Moran.
And while the community does have a voice in creating policies and priorities, timing is everything.
“When the big book (budget) gets printed, it’s a little late,” said Moran. “You have to get input sooner rather than later.”
On offering changes, Laquidara recommended interested parties tackle specifics — not generics — when it comes to the budget items and to contact individual departments and educate themselves to make potential changes.
“Talk to the big guy (department head) and explain, start a conversation,” said Laquidara. “It shows you’re trying to help instead of lobbing a grenade.”
Inside JCCI’s latest study
The latest and ongoing Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. study, “Our Money, Our City: Financing Jacksonville’s Future” will examine multiple City aspects and includes: the examining of currently City government revenues and exploring alternative revenue streams; identifying core services and responsibilities of the City; a review of authorities and business activities; and recommendations on local government improvement, among others.
The study began in October 2008 and is nearing its conclusion, with final recommendations by group members taking place April 28 and a public release to be announced.
The last two discussions will take place:
• Today, with speaker Brian Martin of Fishkind & Associates with discussion “Choices: Revenue Alternatives and Options.” Impact fees will also be discussed.
• March 10, with speaker John Becker of Florida Benchmark Consortium discussing “Transparency and Accessibility.”
For more information on the study and JCCI, go to www.jcci.org.
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