We have another “emergency” bill probably coming up for a vote at the Jacksonville City Council meeting this Tuesday. The bill is 2009-467 and its purpose is to appropriate $168,078 for the installation of a new batting cage and picnic pavilion at Wingate Park in Jacksonville Beach.  Apparently, the “emergency” is that the contractor specified in the bill (Jaguar Builders of Jax, Inc.) is working at a location close to the park.  On account of this lucky break, the contractor avoids the competitive bidding process and the usual construction bond requirement. It would be very unfortunate that after the City Council made the right decision by rejecting the no bid Trail Ridge contract that they would so quickly abandon the competitive bidding process on such flimsy grounds. The bill is sponsored by the incoming City Council President Richard Clark. Hopefully, this is not a sign of the City Council’s future under his leadership.

As usual, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC) is prostating itself in front of another business that is moving jobs to Jacksonville.  Whertec Inc. is planning a move to the Westside of Jacksonville and the JEDC already has its checkbook open to the tune of $48,600 (yes, we taxpayers fund the bank account on which the checks are written!). Is it just me or does it seem like every business decision these days starts with “What kind of government grant can we get to finance our business expansion?”

Two years ago, the Peyton administration and Jacksonville City Council decided that we Duval County taxpayers did not deserve the property tax relief promised to us by the Florida Legislature and imposed three new taxes on us. Now, the stormwater and garbage tax bill has hit us for the second time. This bill is twice as large as the last one.

Please join us in our effort to repeal these new taxes before it is too late.

On June 9th at 4 PM, let’s gather outside of City Hall prior to the City Council meeting and call for the repeal of these taxes!

Once the City Council meeting starts, you can tell City Council that the fees need to go during the public comment portion of the meeting. We need as many people to show up as possible. If we do not stop this tax now, it will become more difficult to remove in the future and will become a burden for generations to come in Jacksonville!

We seek nothing less than the immediate and permanent repeal of the ordinances authorizing the new fees:

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The newly redesigned website for Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County has a web based content management system, a blog, online payment for membership fees, and links to their social network pages as well as the ability for readers to share content from the web site via their own social networks.

It is the mission of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County, Inc., to prevent, identify, and publicize all forms of fiscal waste, extravagance, and imprudence within and by the government which impacts residents of Duval County, Florida.

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