by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
“Hallelujah. Shazam.”
That’s how City Council Finance Committee Chair Stephen Joost wrapped up the proposed fiscal year 2009-10 budget hearings Wednesday morning. He probably spoke for his entire committee, the rest of the City staff involved in the grueling process, the mayor’s office, the media, the department heads and the various interested parties that have attended the many meetings over the past month.
Through the countless hours and lively debate, the Finance Committee was able to trim tens of millions of dollars off Mayor John Peyton’s proposed $993.8 million budget. Shortly after the first session began Aug. 13, City Council President Richard Clark proposed an across-the-board 3 percent cut. With that, the department heads began trimming, much to the dismay of many, if not all.
By lunch Wednesday, Clark said the City was about $70 million better off than when the process started. He said it wasn’t as much as he was looking to cut, but overall Clark can live with it, especially since he has basically mandated the process will begin much sooner on the 2010-11 budget.
“We knew this year would be difficult,” said Clark, as he thanked the Finance Committee members and told them to get back to their jobs and families. “I think we’ve certainly come a long way from where we started.”
Council Auditor Kirk Sherman said between now and next Thursday when the full Council will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. to discuss the budget — that meeting also serves as a public hearing on the budget — he and his staff will analyze the various cuts and exact effect they have on the proposed budget. Sherman said he couldn’t begin to guess where the budget currently stands from a dollars perspective.
Clark said the process of dissecting the 2010-11 budget will begin Oct. 2, not some time in August like years past.
“We need to get a good handle on the process and sit down and seriously vet the budget line-by-line, not in some finite period of 30 to 45 days,” said Clark. “We gave the reporters and everyone else a good time, too.”
Joost agreed.
“It’s important we look at not only this year, but next year,” he said. “We will have a significant hole and we need to work on it now. We will have a significant hole in the $60 million to $70 million range if property taxes fall again and the pension obligation goes up. We have really just began.”
Wednesday, only a handful of City departments went before the Finance Committee. In response to the committee’s directive of a 3 percent cut, Library Director Barbara Gubbin presented a budget that calls for a significant reduction in library hours at five branch libraries and the reclassification — or “right-sizing” as the City calls it — of one library, Bradham-Brooks Northwest, from a regional to community library. The reduction of 130 hours of operation in total will help Gubbin save over $600,000 next year. However, those choices aren’t sitting well with Finance Committee member Johnny Gaffney.
All six libraries are in what Gaffney calls “underserved” areas of town. Two of them that are open six days a week will only be open three or four days if the changes are approved. Also, the hours at the Maxwell and Murray Hill branches will be reduced a total of 60 hours a week. Beyond that, Gaffney seemed most upset at the new proposed hours for the Brentwood and Brown Eastside branches. Today, they are both open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from noon-8 p.m. Tuesdays. The new hours see them closing at 2 or 3 p.m. with Brentwood closed on Fridays.
“The problem in Jacksonville is that we always pick on one side of town,” said Gaffney. “I am just appalled. I am upset. I don’t think it’s fair to target two libraries in an underserved area. At least stagger the hours.”
Gubbin defended the proposed hours of operation. She explained that she and the entire library board looked at the usage and circulation from every library in town, excluding the Main Library. Those figures were used to determine the average number of people who entered every library and checked out materials. The six libraries that may see changes, she said, all had dramatically lower usage and circulation numbers.
That explanation didn’t satisfy Gaffney, who asked why the libraries were going to close at 2 and 3 in the afternoon, right when kids are getting out of school.
“They won’t be open on Saturday when kids are out of school, then they will be open from 10 to 3 when they are in school,” he said. “Where are they going to go, Downtown? Most don’t have transportation. Logistically, you could have done a better job.”
Gubbin said her research indicates those areas of town affected have several after-school programs for students and numbers from the libraries indicate they aren’t used as much as other branches.
Gubbin also plans to trim 21 positions from her budget. However, six of those positions are currently vacant.
The Finance Committee also put $16 million worth of projects planned for the Downtown area “below the line” — meaning representatives from the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission will have to come back before the Finance Committee to get approval for the funding. That $16 million includes $9 million for renovations to Metropolitan Park and another $7 million to finish the Northbank Riverwalk. Both projects drew plenty of scrutiny.
“I don’t think I will support any of this today,” said Finance member John Crescimbeni, who also wants to see a detailed list the JEDC sub-funds and how much money is in each.
Finance member Bill Bishop said he was originally “thrilled” with Peyton’s proposal to renovate Metro Park, however he doesn’t see the need for such a major project right now. He also doesn’t understand why it may cost so much to finish the riverwalk.
“The entire Northbank Riverwalk from the Landing to the Fuller Warren Bridge didn’t cost that much. What could we possibly do in a half-mile that would cost $7 million?” he said.
JEDC Executive Director Ron Barton said the City is still in bankruptcy talks with the current land owner, LandMar. According to Barton, that issue should be resolved in about six months. At that time, the City will become the owners of the property. Once that happens, he said the City can finish what Landmar, which did about $20 million worth of work before suffering financial problems, started.
“This is an opportunity to truly connect our Downtown and an opportunity to capitalize on $20 million rather than just let it sit there,” said Barton.
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