Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown met with members of the Duval Delegation Tuesday to “get on the same page,” and that includes no new taxes or fees.
“Don’t bring me anything that will cause taxes to go up or fees to go up,” Brown told the group.
Brown said he ran for mayor on that platform and presented a City budget with no taxes or fee increases.
He said he didn’t want to see any from the legislative session, nor did he want to see any unfunded mandates.
The legislative session begins in January.
Brown also asked the Legislature’s assistance in reorganizing City government, particularly that he not be lobbied to keep employees who might be cut in that process.
If the employees are good, he said, “you hire them to the private sector.”
Brown discussed parts of his reorganization plan, including some in the budget he presented to City Council.
One was a “closing fund” to seal deals with companies that want to move to Jacksonville. A fund would provide incentives immediately rather than having to wait for City approvals.
“Time is money for them,” Brown said.
A $2 million “economic development” line item was struck from his budget by the Council Finance Committee on the final day of budget hearings last week, but will be a part of his reorganization plan.
Brown also pushed for nine advisory councils in areas such as the port, quality of life and military affairs.
All nine were eliminated early in the budget review process and will be a part of the reorganization plan.
Brown said such a plan would be rolled out quickly after Council approves a balanced budget before the fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
“We’re going to make the tough decisions in this City,” he said. “You’ve got to do it.”
Brown also discussed a desire to improve education and create economic growth, with which many of the delegation members agreed.
State Sen. John Thrasher said the group as a whole planned to meet with the Duval County School Board by the end of the month to talk about education, much like the delegation did last year.
“We want to make sure we have that dialogue always open so we know if there’s something we can do in the process that makes it easier,” said State Rep. Lake Ray.
Thrasher said the meeting with Brown was beneficial to determine “where the mayor is coming from” on items of importance such as job creation.
“I think we’re on the same page,” said Thrasher.
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