Curry is cutting a thin slice of pie for the voters
Mayor Lenny Curry will present his proposed budget for the coming year Thursday and has promised a tax cut. Sort of. The city’s general fund largely is funded by property taxes. Because of a healthy increase in property values – about $10 billion worth – the city is rolling in dough. If the tax rate […]
Still missing: Useful financial info about how your money is used
April Fools’ Day was the deadline for the city’s annual audit, and it was a no-show again. In what is getting to be a recurring event the city’s audit – formerly known as the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report but now renamed the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report to be politically correct – did not meet the […]
Local reporters can’t read or don’t care what local government costs the taxpayers
Jacksonville’s city government has a new budget for the fiscal year beginning Friday that calls for spending nearly $3.5 billion just on the core government functions. Once again, the local media are misleading their viewers and readers by telling them the budget for next year is only $1.5 billion. If the reporters would simply look […]
Mayor’s proposed budget contains the usual blarney
People are catching on. In comments posted below a local media story online about the new city budget, someone said: “The mayor singled out the long-overdue septic tank project, saying it was a promise made to local neighborhoods decades ago. Now, he said, thanks to the “Jobs For Jax” program funded by the city’s gas […]
Need a good laugh? City Haul is now “Woke” – no joke!
While making a routine check in the central government complex formerly known as Cohen Brothers, Eye on Jacksonville learned the politicians have a new rebranding effort under way. The city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report is getting a new label. The reason is hilarious. We sought the report to get some up to date financial numbers. […]
The Skyway, a hand-me-down from the days of double-knit suits
Mass transit fans may have been dismayed when funding for the Skyway was diverted to a new fad, but they shouldn’t fear – bad projects almost never die. The Skyway dates to 1972, when mass transit enthusiasts discovered the federal government was throwing away money on the latest and greatest thing – essentially a newer […]
Publishing financial info in a timely manner seems to be a problem for City Haul
Once again, the annual audit of the city’s finances is late being published. This is in violation of the city’s charter. It may not be a big deal but it raises questions. Mayor Lenny Curry is an accountant. He certainly wouldn’t be expected to be lax about completing his own work. Why does he allow […]
Fernandina Beach: Bad budget practices cause money to pile up and politicians scurry to spend it
For years, city officials in Fernandina Beach have allowed reserves in the building department to build dramatically. Rather than refunding the money or lowering the fees charged to builders and developers, they have gone on a spending spree to get rid of the excess. In this year’s presentation on the building department budget, City Commissioners […]
Time once again for local politicians to spend some of the money you will earn next year
City Council will be voting Tuesday night on how to spend nearly $6 billion of your money. That’s the total amount of the city budget for 2020-21. (Not $1.3 billion, as local media reported.) The good news is the property tax rate will not increase. It will take about half, $2.9 billion, to run the […]
City needs roads? Not exactly a new problem
One hot topic in City Haul currently is spending on public infrastructure improvements. This is not anything new. In December 1882 – the same year pitchman P.T. Barnum bought his famous elephant Jumbo – the editor of the Daily Times in Jacksonville wrote: “Outside of our hotels there is nothing in Jacksonville exceedingly attractive. We […]