Recently, Councilwoman Denise Lee opined that “she would rather see the city use more reserves if it could keep people from losing work during this recession”. Our question to Councilwoman Lee is since when did the Jacksonville city government become a jobs program? The last time that we checked, city government was supposed to provide essential services to Jacksonville taxpayers, not create jobs for city government employees. Considering the pension costs associated with these employees, maybe a few layoffs could save us a lot of money now and in the future.

If you do not agree, consider the Florida Times Union story on the Equal Business Opportunity office. Apparently, productivity for this office was measured in number of websites viewed per hour by its employees rather than in anything useful to the taxpayers who are footing its bill. Not surprisingly, a sharp reduction in staff who seemed to not having anything better to do with their time was recommended by the Inspector General’s office. We couldn’t agree more.

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2010 will be a tough year for Jacksonville city government.  With revenues down, hard choices will need to be made on the spending priorities of city government.  Of course, it would be easier for the politicians to avoid these tough decisions by raising your taxes.  If you do not want to pay more taxes, here is your opportunity to let them know that they will be held accountable if they avoid the difficult decisions that they were elected to make.   Don’t let them take the easy way out by raising your taxes.  For more information about the upcoming  budget workshops, see the city budget website.

Upcoming Budget Workshops

Thurs., 2/11/10 – 6-8 p.m.
CPAC District 2 Budget Workshop
Blue Cypress Community Center
4012 University Blvd. N.

Sat., 2/27/10 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
CPAC District 4 Budget Workshop
Cecil Community Center
13531 Lake Newman Drive

Sat., 3/06/10 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
CPAC District 1 Budget Workshop
Jacksonville Children’s Commission
1095 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.

Thurs., 3/25/10 – 6-8 p.m.
CPAC District 5 Budget Workshop
Clanzel T. Brown Community Center
4545 Moncrief Road

Sat., 4/17/10 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
CPAC District 3 Budget Workshop
Balis Community Center
1513 LaSalle Street

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It is 2009 and it is time for all of us to make our resolutions for the new year (which hopefully we will keep!). Here are a few suggested new year resolutions for the city of Jacksonville.

1. Prioritize city spending.  The city does not have to be everything to everyone.  It needs to identify those services that are vital to our city, meet the needs of the vast majority of its taxpayers rather than only a few and cannot be provided by the free enterprise system.
2. Ask taxpayers for permission before raising taxes.
3. Use toll roads and better traffic light synchronization to help relieve traffic congestion rather than light rail.
4. Find a solution to the unfunded city pension liabilities of over $700 million according to the latest figures.
5. Build a cheaper courthouse.

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I made a discovery when perusing City Council bills recently. Ordinance 2008-1059 appropriates $184,754 for various water related environmental studies to UNF. The studies are not being competitively bidded because there is an exception in the ordinance code (126.107(f)) that exempts government entities like UNF from competitive bidding.

Section 126.107(f) of the Ordinance Code is as follows:

Unless ordered by the Mayor or Council or otherwise required by the Jacksonville Ordinance Code, the following supplies, contractual services, professional design services, professional services, capital improvements and/or sales transactions are exempt from competitive solicitation:
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(f) Supplies or services or commodities provided by governmental entity or agencies.

So even if a private organization is able to do the study at a cheaper price, it will not be allowed to compete with UNF. One would have to ask is why are government entities like UNF so afraid of competing with private companies in the awarding of city government contracts?

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My first observation was that Councilman Clay Yarborough had done his homework. He appropriately  scrutinized all the bills. He questioned the legislation as if he was spending his own money.  He expected government spending to be appropriate use of taxpayer money.

I was disappointed in City Council members Michael Corrigan and Daniel Davis for their cavalier attitude towards a Tangible Property Inventory audit that implied much lack of accountability in the Peyton administration especially in the Planning Department.

Corrigan and Davis said that they were not concerned about missing property (computers) because it was 8 years old.  One item was identified as 22 years old and another was identified as a missing outboard motor. No one asked what the values of these items were when they were found missing.   It was like “okay, stuff happens”.

I heard little about making sure that taxpayers assets were better protected in the future. Councilman Stephen Joost did make a mild attempt at questioning the inventory process.

Another problem is that the City Council is giving away millions of taxpayer dollars in interest free loans for housing and rehabilitation of existing housing. The testimony indicated we have already spent rehabilitation money on 3000 houses and have a little over 2000 on the waiting list.

The multi-year/multi-million dollar Trail Ridge Landfill no bid contract (2008-538) was deferred in both the Rules and Finance committees on November 17th.

Tony Bates, President
Concerned Taxpayers Duval County

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