JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Ahead of Jacksonville’s city council’s vote on a nearly $2 billion budget, Jacksonville community leaders gathered Sunday to ensure residents were prepared and understood the process.
The council’s finance committee has spent months reviewing Mayor Donna Deegan’s budget proposal, making various cuts, edits and additions since its initial presentation more than two months ago.
“We are educating the public and preparing them to speak at the city council budget meeting on September 23rd,” said Rosemary McCoy of the Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighters, one of several community groups leading the preparation efforts at Avondale United Methodist Church.
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Local attorney Leslie Scott Jean-Bart emphasized the importance of public participation in the budget process.
“The budget is for us,” she said. “It’s for the people and it’s from our tax dollars that we help generate. We elect these individuals to act in our best interest, so it is our obligation as citizens to hold them accountable.”
During the two-hour informational session, community members received detailed explanations of the budget process and instructions for public participation.
“The purpose is to make sure that those who want to speak at the budget hearing coming up on Tuesday have the information that they need to talk about the issues and to express how they feel within the time limits,” Jean-Bart said.
Tuesday’s budget meeting begins at 3 p.m. Attendees are urged to arrive early, as the meeting is expected to draw a large crowd, complete speaker cards to participate in public comment and be prepared to respect time limits.
City Council must pass the budget before the end of September. The proposed millage rate reduction is also on the agenda.