At the first meeting of its new year, Jacksonville City Council ensured for the first time in several years we could face a property tax increase.
The amount of an increase, which could be as much as 15 percent, will not be determined for a couple of months when Council finally puts the 2013-14 City budget to bed in late September.
More than likely it will fall somewhere just above the 10 percent range.
In the past, Jacksonville has been notorious for not raising the property tax rate and for many years it was able to maintain services.
More recently, it has had to make the choice to cut services and programs instead of increasing revenue.
Mayor Alvin Brown has remained adamant he does not support a tax hike, but this Council's debate on where to set the tentative millage rate did not focus on standing still or falling back.
Instead, the question discussed was how much more tax revenue do we need to fill a $65 million budget shortfall and at least maintain the current level of City services.
It's obvious by the debate and the 15-3 vote that Council members think Jacksonville residents are tired of closed libraries, poorly maintained parks, boarded-up fire stations and unfilled potholes.
If you're one of those who is opposed to any kind of tax increase and you're counting on Brown to veto whatever Council passes, don't hold your breath.
The mayor is prohibited by law from vetoing a millage increase or a budget that includes one. He can, however, line-item veto the budget, something Brown is not likely to do.
As Council president, Bill Gulliford can sign the millage legislation passed by the Council into law and the mayor is then required to deliver it to the property appraiser.
So, here is my question to you: Would you prefer a modest property tax increase or a decrease in City services?
I'd really like to know what you think.
Newspapers facing challenges
Obviously, I'm a fan of newspapers and a huge fan of major metropolitan dailies like The Florida Times-Union.
The value of a daily newspaper to the community is enormous.
Often, a good daily can make the difference between government malfunction and government transparency and accountability.
But, daily newspapers are a big target for criticism.
It seems almost habitual.
You attend a meeting and someone there is complaining. You have lunch and somebody in the restaurant is talking about something they don't like about the newspaper.
Many people now prefer to read their news online and some rely entirely on social media for news, which can be very unreliable, even dangerous.
It still requires dedicated, hardworking journalists to deliver fair, reliable and accurate news, both online and in print.
Consider the millions of characters required to assemble the words to be edited, confirmed, proofed and printed. Then each day you start again. There is no season, no halftime or timeout.
There is the ongoing deadline for delivering the news to the readers as quickly as possible.
As a news junkie, I'm also a fan of many blogs and social media sites. Not as a poster or participant, but I want to see opinions from others or how an action is interpreted.
As concerns in Jacksonville arise over perceived misappropriation of taxpayers' dollars, the questions continue to grow.
People are asking, "Why isn't the media doing more?"
There's no doubt there was a time in the past when the local media was more aggressive in its coverage of government actions and political behavior.
There once existed a strong competitive spirit between The Florida Times-Union and the local TV stations.
Now, we are "news partners." and that partnership is good for readers.
At the Daily Record, we partner with WJXT TV-4.
There was even competition between the Times-Union and its sister newspaper, the now-defunct Jacksonville Journal, which was published in the afternoon.
However, the economic storm of the past several years and the Internet advances of the past two decades have damaged the media, especially metropolitan daily newspapers. The challenges have been enormous.
Several newspapers have completely closed.
There are 600 fewer daily newspapers in the U.S. today than in 1990. The Jacksonville Journal ceased publication in 1987.
The New Orleans Times-Picayune reduced its coverage to publishing a newspaper Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. It produces a tabloid Monday, Tuesday and Thursday that is only sold on newsstands at retail locations.
There was a period of time when we wondered if Jacksonville would lose its own daily, back when Times-Union owner, Morris Communications, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2010.
Morris had cut salaries and eliminated employees across all of its media holdings before using bankruptcy to reduce its $415 million debt.
After emerging from bankruptcy, the company, including its largest asset, the Times-Union, struggled during the recession and laid off and furloughed employees.
There were reports the Times-Union reduced its payroll by almost 10 percent in September 2011.
Declining revenue in the large daily newspaper business has been a reality, whether you live in New York City, New Orleans or Jacksonville.
The survivors have adapted, often by refining their focus.
All of this has diminished the number of reporters out there who keep an eye on issues for the rest of us. It has also affected the depth and quality of the coverage.
It reminds me of when digital cameras were introduced.
Film was a substantial component of the manufacturer's income. The companies had a choice: adapt or be left behind.
Newspapers will continue to deliver the news, in print or digitally, and it will still have the same level of responsible, accurate journalism.
Even Rupert Murdoch and Warren Buffett have been purchasing publications, citing an opportunity for community newspapers to provide much-needed information and transparency for your country, state and community.
The Times-Union has been fighting through it. In fact, it continues to battle costs at the same time the newspaper hints it is beefing up its reporting.
If the quality and professionalism of its management is any indication, you can count on our major metropolitan newspaper to continue to overcome the challenges.
I, for one, don't ever want to know what our community would be like without it.
That's why it's a little bittersweet for me that the Daily Record and the Times-Union announced last week that Times-Union Managing Editor Marilyn Young is becoming editor of the Daily Record.
Marilyn is a news veteran who has been a leader in the Times-Union newsroom. She will be missed there.
Marilyn will add to the culture of professionalism as well as provide support and leadership to our newsroom.
I particularly look forward to seeing Marilyn reunited with our Managing Editor Karen Brune Mathis. Our entire staff and especially our readers will benefit from the environment this team will provide.
We're proud of our reporting each day.
It has been our commitment to provide our readers with fair, timely and accurate information about what's happening in our city. Our goal is to enhance our coverage of economic development, city and legal issues.
As editor, Marilyn will help us increase the depth of the Daily Record's service to the community.
Keep reading.
Pension task force should support Denton lawsuit
Speaking of the Times-Union, Editor Frank Denton's lawsuit to force a public renegotiation of Mayor Alvin Brown's pension plan is the absolute right step for a metropolitan daily newspaper.
Denton filed his suit in June because Brown's plan was negotiated in secret and outside of Jacksonville by Brown's administration.
For Denton, the issue goes beyond whether the pension plan is financially sound and good for taxpayers, something the City Council already has rejected.
If the Bill Scheu-led pension reform task force decides to continue its mission, it should join Denton and the Times-Union by urging that any new pension deal be reached under public scrutiny.
The pension problem is not going away. Why sweep it under the rug for a later day?
Scheu's group can continue its work and possibly deliver a concept that will be palatable for all.
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