The proposed Downtown Investment Authority cleared its final committee hurdle Tuesday following unanimous approval by the City Council Finance Committee.
The legislation to create the authority, which will handle only Downtown economic investment and development, is part of Mayor Alvin Brown’s three-part economic development reform. It passed 7-0 after close to 30 minutes of committee discussion.
The first part of reform, the City’s Office of Economic Development that deals with non-Downtown development, has already been approved by the full Council. The two new entities replace the duties of the former Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.
The final part dealing with the speeding up of incentives deals through Council has not been discussed.
Legislation creating the Downtown portion of reform passed the Rules Committee and Recreation and Community Development Committee last week; legislation passed the Council’s Land Use and Zoning Committee last month.
A lack of a fourth vote by the Finance Committee during the Aug. 5 joint committee triggered an automatic deferral until Tuesday, when it made some slight changes.
Language regarding the oversight of Tax Increment Financing funds was clarified Tuesday so that use is not subject to Council approval and instead will be analyzed in the authority’s semiannual report. It will instead be managed by the authority’s nine-member board.
Five members of the board will be mayoral appointed, with the other four being appointed by the Council. All appointments will be Council confirmed.
Language within the bill regarding clarification between the redevelopment special revenue fund and community redevelopment area funds was also approved. The special revenue funds come from the City’s general fund, while Downtown’s CRA funds can only be used in their respective areas on the Northbank and Southbank.
Finance Chairman John Crescimbeni also said he wanted to see specific goals and objectives, such as a finite amount of retail or business, of the authority when it creates its master plan after the board is formed.
“Anything less than specific goals or targets is just too broad, too vague,” he said.
Council President Bill Bishop attended the meeting, which served as the last point for the legislation before the full Council meeting, to thank members of the committee for their efforts over the months.
David DeCamp, Brown’s communication director, said the administration also is appreciative of the work on the legislation that will “help make Downtown a better place to work, visit and invest.”
Brown’s five authority board appointments and his choice for Office of Economic Development executive director have not been made, but are being worked on, DeCamp said.
The next Finance Committee meeting is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, when budget hearings begin.
The day will include a budget presentation by the administration, process overview and Council reviews, and reviews of the City’s Intergovernmental Services areas of information technology, administrative services and procurement, the copy center and fleet management.
Council Auditor Kirk Sherman will also present an overview of the budget.
Other action from Tuesday’s Council committees:
• A day after the Rules and Public Health and Safety committees narrowly passed a bill to add language banning discrimination against sexual orientation, the Recreation and Community Development Committee went the other direction. By a 1-4 vote, the measure failed, with Council members Doyle Carter, Bill Gulliford, Don Redman and Stephen Joost in opposition. Council member Johnny Gaffney was the lone supporter and Council members Denise Lee and Reggie Brown were absent.
• Monday’s Rules Committee voted 3-3 on an emergency ordinance to provide the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with $10.5 million it has saved in the current fiscal year to roll over into next year. It didn’t even reach that point in the Finance Committee, where it was simply sent to second reading.
• The Finance Committee passed an ordinance authorizing the annual letter of agreement among the City, Shands Jacksonville and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration for payment of the City’s indigent care contribution for $23,775,594. The funds are used to leverage federal Medicaid dollars to increase the amount of funding available for indigent care purposes, according to the bill’s summary.
• The committee also passed an ordinance amendment requiring a Council resolution of support to be submitted with Florida Inland Navigation District grant applications. Such grants are available to assist counties to fund projects that enhance access to waterways and are generally 50-50 match arrangements, according to the bill’s summary. The ordinance amendment would allow the Council to examine and consider proposed projects before applying for grants.
• The committee also held a public hearing for the reauthorization of the Downtown business improvement district special assessment to fund a work program proposed by Downtown Vision Inc. The program will enhance public services Downtown and serves as a new seven-year contract for DVI through 2019. Their current five-year contract expires Sept 30.
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