Duval County constitutional offices and the courts, including the judiciary, clerk’s office, public defender and state attorney, were on the agenda Thursday for the third session of the City Council Finance Committee’s analysis of the proposed 2017-18 general fund budget.
All of the proposed budgets passed smoothly through the process toward the full council, with only one surprise.
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan proposed increasing his office’s budget by up to $60,000 so the city could pay the $2.50 per e-check service charge currently paid by customers.
Part of the tax collector’s menu of online payment options, Corrigan said 15,000 e-checks will be processed this year, with an anticipated growth of about 3,000 more next year.
When a customer pays online with a bank account, it costs them less than paying the 2.5 percent credit card service charge if it’s a large amount, such as the annual property tax bill.
Corrigan said having the online payment option means fewer people have to go to the main office or a branch office to pay a tax bill, and that reduces the demand on staff and facilities, which can result in a net savings.
Council member Danny Becton said he mails five checks each year to the tax collector for his family’s vehicle registrations and ad valorem taxes – and mailing each check with a 49 cent stamp means he saves $2.01 on each payment compared to paying the e-check service fee.
But, he added, that means that someone in the office has to open the envelope, process the check and deposit it.
“As Jacksonville grows, we’ll have to hire more employees – or have fewer people come to our offices,” Corrigan said.
“If it keeps people from coming into branches, it could mean savings. We could put it in there and see what happens,” said Council Auditor Kyle Billy.
The committee approved the additional appropriation, along with the tax collector’s proposed $17.4 million budget for the year beginning Oct. 1.
The Supervisor of Elections’ proposed $5.9 million budget was approved.
Included in the 2.1 percent overall increase over 2016-17 is an 8.9 percent increase in salary cost, based on anticipated pay increases caused by collective bargaining agreements that will go into effect Oct. 1, as well as a $150,290 increase in part-time salaries.
The Clerk of Courts operating budget was approved at $5.07 million, a 32.1 percent increase over the current year.
The council auditor’s report shows an increase of about $202,000 for internal service charges, including $117,000 for the courthouse building cost allocation, about $45,000 for computer system maintenance and $38,000 for legal costs.
The clerk’s budget also shows a capital outlay of $508,000 for 2017-18 to purchase a new tax deed system and install security cameras, microphones and speakers at the public service counters.
The Public Defender’s Office budget was approved at $2.16 million. That’s up 14.2 percent over the current year because the mortgage payment on the Jake Godbold Building is up $209,000 next year and the IT and security costs are up by about $34,000.
The budget for the State Attorney’s Office is $1.7 million, a 1 percent increase over the current year.
The budget for the circuit and county courts comprises the court general fund ($3.8 million, down 6 percent), the court cost courthouse trust ($3.3 million, down 2.7 percent), teen court ($413,000, up 6.1 percent) and the court cost $65 fee ($1.08 million, down 27.9 percent).
A $65 fee is authorized by state statute to be collected when a defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere or is found guilty of a felony, misdemeanor, delinquent act or criminal traffic offense. The revenue is used to fund legal aid, the law library, juvenile drug court and judicial support.
Fourth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Mark Mahon said the court’s charge for services will be down about $72,000 next year. That’s based on fewer arrests and criminal cases and more cases being diverted into alternative programs, which Mahon described as “the state looking at solutions other than sending people to prison.”
He said that could lead to fewer judges assigned to the criminal and felony court divisions.
“We would love to work ourselves out of a job in the criminal division,” Mahon said.
The Finance Committee’s budget hearings resume at 9 a.m. today and also are scheduled Wednesday through Friday next week in the Council Chamber at City Hall.
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