JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Special Committee on Duval DOGE, led by Jacksonville City Council Member Ron Salem, has launched a webpage to enhance transparency and public engagement.
The site provides details on the committee’s objectives, meeting schedules, and related documents.
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“This page has been created to ensure citizens have direct access to their government—allowing them to review, track, and stay informed about the decisions that impact their community on a bi-weekly basis,” Salem said in a news release.
Formed to assess the growth of city departments and programs, the committee says it aims to identify budget savings while ensuring essential services — such as police, fire, and garbage collection — remain unaffected.
Earlier this week, News4JAX reported that during the committee’s first meeting, a $90 million question emerged: how much of that amount could be reallocated?
Councilmembers noted that this sum could come from over 60 Capital Improvement Projects marked as having “no expenditures since October 2023.” These projects include sidewalks, Riverwalk repairs, murals, and road improvements.
“We should get updates on all those 67 projects and know their statuses and whether those dollars can be reallocated,” Salem said. “Is that money still needed? If we could reallocate even 10% of that, that’s nine to 10 million.”
Mayor Deegan addressed questions about potential budget cuts, stating, “I want to make sure we’re being intentional if we’re going to cut the budget. What we don’t want to do is harm services for our citizens.”
Nationally and statewide, DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) has garnered attention through efforts championed by Elon Musk and Gov. Ron DeSantis to eliminate “unnecessary” spending and ensure government efficiency.
The committee is expected to deliver a final report by June 23, 2025.
