To many political observers; however, it was obvious rather quickly that Clark's political skills were less than first-rate.  Proposals to cut the Veteran's Day parade and the annual Memorial Wall installation ceremony were met with outrage in a town that sees itself as a military community.  Further proposals to slash library hours in low-income neighborhoods and eliminate programs for senior citizens brought another wave of criticism.  In the end, Clark apparently felt he had no choice other than to fold like a Dollar General tent.

What was interesting throughout the process; however, were the proposals that were never seriously considered.  There was no serious discussion over scaling down some of the Assistant Manager Improvement Officer (AMIO) positions that have ballooned in the last four years from $7.5 million to $11.2 million.  The Council certainly didn't dwell too long on the possibility of trimming their staff and there was also no earnest debate on any real trimming of their own salaries and benefits.  There was no time spent highlighting things the city could do differently, such as reforming the procurement process and seeking to achieve savings by capitalizing on the possibilities of the buying powers of the city and its independent agencies.  And, while it's impossible to know for certain at this stage, it's unlikely any significant concessions will come out of the negotiations with the city's three main unions.

So, after all of the heated rhetoric, voters are left wondering what, if anything, has really changed.  One thing is certain---the Council does need to be involved in the budget process earlier than they have been in the past.  Council Vice President Jack Webb has said he is looking for ways to improve the process next year, particularly in light of the fact that next year's budget process is predicted to be just as--it not more--painful than this years.  Here's hoping we've learned at least that lesson.

One of my expressed goals at JaxPoliticsOnline.com during the two months when the Jacksonville City Council hammers out the city's budget was to break down some of the numbers for the average citizen to review.  While the Mayor's Proposed Budget is widely available, it is merely an overview.  To get a true picture of where taxpayer dollars are going, it's really necessary to review the line item budgets for each department.

For the first department that I reviewed, I chose the Public Works Department.  Their expenditures include the following:

Total Department Expenditures: $80,639,322

Regular Salaries & Wages:  $17,869,583

Overtime:  $397,468

Part-time Salaries:  $77,176

Special Pay:  $335,557

Total Special Pay Category:  $510,156 (Includes Leave Rollback, Supervisory Differential, etc)

Total Authorized Positions:  469

Total Salaries & Wages:  $17,869,583 (Average of $40,201 per authorized position)

Total Salaries & Benefits:  $25,899,918 (32% of total department expenditures)

Professional Services:  $348,483

Contractual Services:  $14,954,643

Travel & Per Diem:  $18,001

Other Uses: Supervisor Allocated: $378,072

Misc. Services & Charges: $2,044.085

Other Operating Supplies:  $1,123,213

Repair & Maintenance Supplies:  $1,643,153

The City of Jacksonville, although they were a founding member, does not currently belong to the Florida Benchmarking Consortium, something that makes it difficult to understand where Jacksonville ranks in certain benchmarks as compared to its peers. For example, Salaries & Benefits comprise 32% of the total department expenditures for the Public Works Department.  Without anything to compare it to, it's hard for the average citizen to know if that is typical of similar departments around the state.

The Finance Committee's job (and the TRUE Commission's job) is to dig deeper into these numbers to determine what comprises them.  For example, there are 469 authorized positions within the Department.  Are all of those positions filled or simply authorized?  Additionally, the Council's job is to ask the tough questions of certain expenses, such as the nearly $400,000 budgeted for Overtime Expense.  Many private companies have worked to eliminate overtime over the past decade.  Perhaps there is a need for it within this Department, but it certainly wouldn't hurt the Council to dig a little deeper.

Because there is no analysis of what this Department already has in Inventory included in the line-item budget, it is difficult to determine their need for the Other Operating Supplies and Repair & Maintenance Supplies that is budgeted.

It's also difficult to tell whether or not the expenses noted for each additional GL are necessary without a breakdown of what is in them and that was not included in the copy of the budget provided to me.  If such a breakdown does not exist, then certainly in these tough budget times City Council should be asking for one so they can make an informed decision as to the necessity of the expenses.  If a breakdown does exist and the City did not provide it to me with my request for a copy of the budget, then shame on them.

Weeks after City Council President Richard Clark expressed his commitment to identifying nearly $50 million in savings, he unveiled a step in his plan to achieve those savings---eliminating many of the city's volunteer boards and commissions.  While it is unclear how eliminating volunteer boards will help eliminate a $50 million deficit, Clark's proposal is wide-reaching and could have drastic implications for the future of Jacksonville.  Among the boards and commissions Clark would like to see chopped are:

• TRUE Commission
• Environmental Advisory Board
• Historic Preservation Committee
• Human Rights Commission
• Council on Elderly Affairs
• Cultural Services Grant Committee
• Cultural Council
• Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC)

While I have advocated on more than one occasion that the city take a look at the volume of Commissions and Boards it has to determine if all are still necessary, I do find it rather shocking that a Council President would propose the nearly complete elimination of any method of volunteer public involvement.

Pardon me, but it's not adding up.

To the Finance Committee's credit, Clark's proposal was tabled and will be considered at the August 27 meeting.  Reaction around the city seems to indicate confusion as to how the elimination of volunteer boards and commissions will help the city achieve any significant costs savings.

One of the speaker's at today's Finance Committee meeting was less than laudatory.  Sheriff John Rutherford accused the Council, in effect, of choosing political gain by raiding the city's pension reserve funds during the good years and choosing to blame the City's Police and Fireman for a financial situation for which they are not responsible.  The Sheriff has made it clear that he will not support pay cuts for city employees, particularly for the Sheriff Department where Duval lags behind the rest of the state in pay for officers, despite the fact that we lead the state in murders.

Despite all of the talk of paycuts, the Committee made no moves to cut their own salaries, nor did Richard Clark offer to cut the additional $15,000 a year he makes as Council President.  The Committee also failed to take any action to reduce the budget of the City Council by eliminating benefits and reducing the number of aides.

So far, these solutions aren't cutting it.  Let's talk when we hear some serious proposals.

The Jacksonville City Council's Finance Committee moved to close the city's $50 million deficit on Thursday by proposing a 3% across the board cut for every city department.  This cut, according to The Times-Union, would come on top of the 5% cut already ordered by Mayor John Peyton.  Of course, with the general fund accounts for most departments having already been drained over the past few years, this means that there will likely be few places for the cuts to come from.  The most likely source?  City employee salaries.

The salaries of city employees are a rather tricky matter.  While the Council may have ordered 3% cuts (which, when combined with the Mayor's proposed cuts will equal 8%), they have no authority to force salary cuts for union employees.  For any cuts in the salaries of city union employees, the Council---like the Mayor---is completely dependent on future negotiations with the unions.  Because union employees comprise a significant portion of city employees, it is entirely likely that the brunt of department cuts will be born by rather small percentage of individuals.

Sheriff John Rutherford isn't buying the Council's "solution."  A long-time employee of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Rutherford is understandably sympathetic towards city employees.  “[T]hey want to take it out of the employees’ pockets,” he said. “It is wrong.”

Non-union civil service employees should not be unfairly punished for the city's financial problems.  They didn't create them and they should not be forced to bear the brunt of any attempts to right them.

As Jacksonville's budget debate has heated up over the past few weeks, city spending on arts and culture has, predictably, come under heavy criticism.  Taxpayer funding of the Cultural Council---the non-profit organization that oversees the city's grant program---has long been a target of those who believe that support of arts and culture is not an essential role of government.  Critics point to long-struggling organizations like the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and question the wisdom of local government continuing to pick up the slack.  The school of thought seems to support the mantra that if non-profit organizations are unable to survive in the free market, they should cease to exist.

In truth, Jacksonville's arts and culture scene, while surprisingly vibrant, is not heavily funded by local government.  Jacksonville actually allocates roughly $3 million of taxpayer dollars---less than 1/2 of 1% of the city's budget---to fund arts & culture programs in the city.  According to the Cultural Council, that $3 million equates to the city investing $3.50 per person in arts funding---less than the price of a Starbucks Latte.  That minimal expenditure of taxpayer dollars is used to leverage matching funds from private organizations, a tactic that is essential to obtaining those private dollars.  (Private charitable trusts and companies are unlikely to demonstrate a willingness to invest in arts & culture in a city that has no interest in investing any of its own taxpayer dollars.)

The Cultural Council uses that $3 million dollars in cultural services grants to support 26 organizations, including the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, the Florida Theatre, the Museum of Science and History and the Beaches Fine Art Series.  Lest anyone assume the aforementioned organizations are merely high-priced venues for Jacksonville's elite, the reality is that the Cummer served 2,400 Jacksonville kids with disabilities at Very Special Arts Day, the Florida Theatre subsidized the fees of more than 25 nonprofit events, MOSH has taken the lead in developing educational awareness of water resources and the Beaches Fine Art Series presented eight free concerts to more than 10,000 people last year. Those are just a sampling of the organizations that benefit from Jacksonville's public service grants.  In all, the organizations funded through the Cultural Service Grant program served 339,826 Duval County students last year.

Before Jacksonville considers slashing funding of arts and culture, we need to pause to consider where downtown would be without the arts.  Despite decades of failed development attempts, the one thing that has continued to thrive in downtown Jacksonville is arts and culture.  Whether it's a Jacksonville Symphony Concert, a new exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art or an event at the storied Florida Theatre, the organizations that serve Jacksonville's arts community have proven to be the lifeblood of downtown.

In all, the organizations that receive funding through the Cultural Services grants program, provided an economic impact of $69 million last year.  Not all of the impact; however, can be measured in terms of dollars.  Imagine a Fortune 500 company that would consider relocating to a city without a symphony?  Or, a thriving ballet program?  Or, a historical society?  The business of the arts is truly the business of economic development.  A flourishing arts community symbolizes a city committed to greatness.

A tough economic environment is no excuse to deliver a sucker punch to Jacksonville's arts and culture community.  Their funding should remain intact.  They are a critical component of the Jacksonville I want to live in, the Jacksonville that will continue to attract economic investment and the Jacksonville I hope my child settles in someday.

I wanted to share briefly some of the things that I intend to cover on JaxPoliticsOnline.com over the next seven weeks.  As most residents of Jacksonville are aware, the City is entering what will likely be one of the most contentious budget battles in recent memory.  With the Council's rejection of the Mayor's proposed 12% increase in the city's millage rate, lawmakers are now faced with the incredibly daunting task of slicing up to $50 million out of the city's budget.  And, as many are likely to find rather quickly, it's much easier to campaign against a tax increase than to identify significant items in the budget that can be cut without negatively impacting some segment of the population.

Over the next several weeks I hope to share some of the ideas that I have on areas where the City could realize savings.  At the same time, I intend to highlight some of the areas where taxpayer dollars are the crucial component in delivering services that many of our residents desperately need.  I also intend to discuss areas where taxpayer dollars are the key link in securing other private, state and federal dollars to ensure Jacksonville is a community that we can all be proud of.

As the City Council begins to enter this intense budget-setting period, it's my hope that they will pause to carefully consider the long-term ramifications of each decision they make.  At the end of the day, they will have to answer to the voting public as to whether or not their tenure has made Jacksonville a better place to live.

Jacksonville City Council President Richard Clark has created a new "budget suggestion" e-mail address to allow citizens to have input during the 2-month budget-setting process.

“As Jacksonville faces its most difficult budget in many years, it just seems to make sense to seek out as many good ideas as possible to help sharpen our focus and find every possible cost savings that may be available” said Clark.  “The general public and the business community have been tightening their belts and squeezing down expenses for more than a year now, and perhaps they can help us with ideas and strategies that have worked for them that might be applied to the City budget as well.  I look forward to seeing the public’s creative ideas.”

E-mail your suggestions to BudgetSuggestions@coj.net.

The Mayor is continuing his daily chats on Jacksonville.com in regards to his current budget proposal.  You can view the video here:

Broadcasting Live with Ustream.TV

The live chat can be followed here:

Transparency, and our local government's level of commitment to it, has been a key topic of conversation throughout Jacksonville over the last several months.  The oft-cited JCCI study on city finances that concluded with a formal presentation in June repeatedly called on city government to become more transparent, and to their credit, the Administration has undertaken a number of steps to engage both the public and media---"old" and "new"---in the process.  However, there is always room for improvement and one idea occurred to me today after reviewing an approval by City Council President Richard Clark to waive the Legislative Budget Fact Sheet on the budget-related bills being submitted by the Mayor to the Council.  While in this specific case, this waiver is not necesarily troubling (the bills should be rather detailed, as opposed to the standard legislation received by council), it did cause me to stop and re-think the Legislative Budget Fact Sheet.  While it is required on all legislation submitted to Council, I have noticed in the past that it is not always posted on the Council's website along with the legislation that it should accompany.  Some may ask why this is significant?

The Legislative Budget Fact Sheet, an example of which can be seen below, details the effect legislation will have on the budget.  More specifically, it specifies where funds are coming from and where they are moving to.  It also discusses whether any federal or state funding is involved, whether any mandates exist and whether or not there was any waiver of code among other things. All legislation/budget issues must be reviewed and approved by the Mayor's Budget Review Committee ---a reminder that drove me back to review the notes from that (now infamous) JCCI study that I participated in.  Specifically, the meeting where former long-time Council Auditor Bob Johnson explained the function of the Mayor's Budget Review Committee (MRBC).  

The MRBC is a standing executive committee comprised of five voting members---the Chief Administrative Officer (Alan Mosley), the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (Kerri Stewart), the Chief Financial Officer and the Policy Chiefs of the Mayor.  Because of its function, this committee is considered one of the most powerful in the city.  And, interestingly enough, there's not much information available about it online.  Alan Mosley is mentioned as the Chair in his short bio and the Committee's meeting dates are posted, but other than that, information appears to be rather scarce.

The MRBC has come under fire in the past, most notably in 2005 when news emerged that it had authorized the transfer of $6 million from the courthouse fund to the Better Jacksonville contingency fund.  That transfer was made before legislation had been passed authorizing the transfer---something that is required on all transfer amounts in excess of $500,000.  That authority---to transfer amounts up to $500,000 without Council approval---places a great deal of responsibility on the MRBC to ensure that their actions are open and transparent to the public.

In the interest of embracing a transparent budget process, the city should move to provide greater sunshine around the MRBC.  The meeting dates currently posted online could also include an agenda that lists the items to be considered.  The public would also benefit from online access to the minutes of those meetings, complete with the reviews that were done for each piece of legislation. In effect, this would heighten public awareness of the financial impact of proposed legislation  (not limited to the budget process) before it reached the Council.  

The Mayor and his Administration have continually expressed their desire to open up city processes to the public in an effort to build trust.  This would be a positive step along that path.

2009-451 Legislative Fact Sheet

Below is the budget address the Mayor delivered to the City Council yesterday morning.  We will delve into it in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned.

Mayor John Peyton

FY 2009/2010 Budget Address

Jacksonville City Council Chambers

Monday, July 13, 2009

Mr. President, members of the City Council, honored guests, fellow employees and Citizens of Jacksonville:

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with you as I hand off the 2009-2010 budget.

I want to start first by thanking former Council President Ronnie Fussell for his strong leadership this past year. While I’ve known Ronnie for years, our working relationship was forged during Tropical Storm Fay. We spent hours together in the Emergency Operations Center and with EOC personnel surveying damage throughout our city. It has been smooth sailing ever since. And serving with you has been a pleasure.

I want to recognize this year’s Council President Richard Clark and Vice-President Jack Webb. We begin our work together this year with a storm of a different nature. I look forward to navigating these uncharted waters with you both in the coming year. Thank you both for your service.

By now, you are aware of Jacksonville’s budget circumstances …. By now, you have heard my three-part plan to solve it …. And by now you’ve heard from constituents who are concerned about either the cost of government or the loss of their quality of life and amenities and services that come with it.

But, before I turn this budget over to Chairman Joost and the Finance Committee, I’d first like to talk about What Kind Of City we want to live in. And, What Kind Of City our citizens should expect.

I want to live in a city that …. believes in job creation and economic development.

We’ve had a number of successes with corporations such as Mitsui, Hanjin, Pilot Pen, Alenia, Rail America and most recently Saft choosing our city over any other location in the world.

When Jacksonville has the opportunity to compete, we usually prevail. And because of it, job growth in our community continues to defy gravity. We have a strong workforce.  A welcoming municipal climate. And a streamlined permitting process. 

We have a growing deepwater port.  We have an expanding aerospace and aviation industry at Cecil Commerce Center. And we are one of the largest intermodal transportation hubs on the East Coast.

We are gaining prominence as a center for the bioscience and healthcare industries with more than 30 medical facilities in our community. This concentration of education, research and treatment has put Jacksonville on the map as a world-class healthcare provider.

None of these developments happened by chance. They resulted from a deliberate strategy and dedicated partnership between the city, including this council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.

In 2005, we began a collaborative community effort called Blueprint for Prosperity. Increasing economic opportunity and raising per capita income is our commitment to the people of Jacksonville. I am proud to say, that as a result of these efforts, we’ve seen great strides in the areas of personal income, high-school graduation rates and net job growth.

I want to live in a city that …. sees and understands the value of keeping the St. Johns River healthy and vibrant for generations to come.

Water quality, conservation and river access will continue to be a major focus of my administration. The health of the St. Johns River contributes directly to our economic viability – especially to the development and revitalization of our downtown.

It is for this reason that I’ve included in this year’s budget funding for the redevelopment of Metropolitan Park and improvements to our North and Southbank Riverwalk. The Riverwalk should be the common thread connecting downtown neighborhoods, sports complexes and park attractions along our river.

We’ve dedicated millions to restoring our river. Our public spaces along it should reflect that same commitment.

As for cleaning up our river, the biggest contributor of pollution is storm water run off. It is also the most expensive to treat. In 2006 we adopted The River Accord. And with council’s support, we formed critical partnerships and dedicated significant resources to begin restoring the health of the Lower St. Johns River Basin.

I want to live in a city that …. comes together to take back our neighborhoods with a comprehensive approach to fighting crime.

Engaging the intellect of our youth is key to our safety. Early learning is the number one predictor for how far a student will go in school … what type of job they’ll get … and whether they commit a crime.

Since I took office, literacy has been one of the major focuses of my administration. Rally Jacksonville has more than 43,000 book club members and will be adding another 10,000 this fall.

We have worked with more than 175 child care centers to transition them from custodial care into learning care. Research tells us we are moving the needle and leading the nation in early childhood development.

The Jacksonville Journey is the first comprehensive, citizen-driven initiative to reduce crime. Combining enforcement, prevention and intervention we are turning the tide on the epidemic of violence in our city.

This year we opened 15 new Team Up locations that serve more than 1,800 children each day. We sent 2,900 more children to summer camp. In October, we reopened the Juvenile Assessment Center. And as a result we’ve assisted over 5,000 youth. Because of the partnerships formed through The Journey, 84 students were awarded scholarships to attend local colleges.

Because of your support, we are engaging at-risk youth in this community at unprecedented levels. The Jacksonville Journey is making a difference.

Violent crime is down 15 percent, since this time last year. And the murder rate is down 22 percent for that same period. These statistics do not yet reflect a trend … but they certainly indicate progress.

Much of this progress is due to the good work of our Sheriff, our police officers and the priority we at City Hall place on public safety.

I want to live in a city that …. embraces its military community.

In Jacksonville we celebrate the more than 250,000 residents who are active duty, veterans and military retirees, and their families.

These individuals are not only defenders of our freedom … They’re our neighbors. They’re our friends. They’re our Sunday school teachers. And they’re our Little League coaches.

The annual economic impact of these good people, represents close to $12 billion. This is the closest thing we have to a recession-proof business.

We are proud to be home to the U.S. Navy’s Fourth Fleet, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Blount Island Command, 21 Naval ships and 24 aircraft squadrons, the largest training range complex on the East Coast and the future homeport of a nuclear aircraft carrier.

The Defense Department recognizes the value that Jacksonville provides. And we are proud to be the number one requested duty station in the Navy.

I am grateful for the unwavering support of our representatives in Washington: Congressman Ander Crenshaw, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Senator Mel Martinez and Senator Bill Nelson.They have been tremendous partners as we’ve worked to ensure funding for a carrier at Naval Station Mayport.

I want to live in a city that …. values art and culture.

We have a world class symphony and a Cultural Council that provides support for some of our hallmark institutions including the Florida Theater, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

Thanks to many of you, thousands enjoy monthly Downtown Art Walks and Saturdays at the Riverside Arts Market. Since its grand opening in April, the Riverside Arts Market has become a premier family entertainment destination on our beautiful St. Johns River.

Our Special Events team provides year-round, free and low-cost entertainment for our families and visitors alike. These events draw millions of people to our downtown to celebrate our cultural diversity, and provide an annual economic impact of well over $200 million.

I want to live in a city that …. takes care of its own and offers a critical safety net to our most vulnerable population.

Because of the down turn in the economy our social service providers are at crisis level. The profile of those seeking assistance has changed. We are seeing record numbers of families with children seeking support from our food banks, homeless shelters and victims’ assistance programs.

This is no time to cut back on our social safety net. By doing so, we would only realize short-term savings that will result in greater long-term human suffering and crippling, long-term financial costs.

We are compassionate people. And this budget should reflect it.

Granted, we are serving during an extraordinary time. We are facing issues and challenges that are unprecedented. I believe our contribution as public servants will be forever marked by how we manage through these perilous times.

We must not let the current economic environment lead to survivalist thinking or paralysis. It is time to be bold. It is time to be courageous. And it is time to do what is right. This may mean not doing what is politically expedient.

Last month, an important JCCI study said that we are at a point of financial crisis. I agree.

A budget crisis, however, does not mean we are going out of business, defaulting on our bonds or missing payroll. It means simply the math we’ve been using to balance this budget no longer works in today’s environment.

Despite the rejection of Amendment 1 by Jacksonville voters, the work of Tallahassee cost our city more than $100 million.That loss represents roughly 10 percent of our overall budget.

But our challenges go beyond what Tallahassee imposed. Jacksonville is also suffering the effects of the global recession. Property values have declined 6 percent over last year, which represents a loss of $3.5 billion on the tax roll. That reduction equates to about $30 million in lost revenue this year.

And to make matters worse, we have a city employee pension system that is unsustainable.

I am proposing a three-part plan that begins with identifying ways to reduce the cost of government.

My administration has consistently taken steps to eliminate reoccurring expenses. In fact, our overall non-public safety spending is less today than when I first took office. This year, we’ve asked department heads to cut even deeper. We have identified yet another $40 million in cuts.

First, all non-public safety departments will cut a minimum of 5 percent from their budgets. We will eliminate approximately 100 existing positions. This is on top of the nearly 400 positions we’ve eliminated since 2006.

In addition to departmental cuts, I will work to negotiate zero raises across the board and furloughs for all employees not serving in uniformed, public safety roles.

Let me be clear, our city employees are some of the hardest workers I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. They have consistently risen to the occasion when asked to do more with less.

However, we can no longer continue to promise a retirement plan beyond what other Americans expect to receive. Six years ago, the city’s annual pension obligation was $40 million. Next year, it will be about $110 million. Ten years from now, the pension costs are estimated to be about $260 million. That will be a 550 percent increase since I first took office.

It has been suggested that previous administrations failed to make pension payments. That is not accurate. To set the record straight, the city has never missed a pension payment.

The driving force behind increasing pension costs is a growth in benefits, actuarial charts that masked the actual costs of benefits and the market’s failure to meet investment targets in a down economy.

Maintaining the current structure is not an option. However, I can assure you that any reform plan that we negotiate will be fair. It will be competitive. And it will be sustainable.

Furthermore, the plan I will propose will honor our commitment to current employees. At the collective bargaining table, I will propose a plan that takes a new approach, including:

• 8.4 percent guaranteed rate of return for retirees
• Cost of living adjustments
• Retirement based on years of service and minimum age
• Surviving spousal benefits
• Employee contributions and
• Average pay calculations.

While the plan offers no short term relief, it will provide more than $1.3 billion in savings during the next 35 years …. If future mayors and future councils hold the line on new benefits.

But even after making $40 million in cuts and reforming pension, we were still $50 million away from a balanced budget. We had two options: come up with an additional $50 million in cuts …. or seek a modest revenue enhancement.

I can assure you this was not an easy decision and one that I personally struggled with. How could we ask a community – that is already feeling the effects of this economy – to pay more?

Let me share with you my process for making this decision.

As an exercise, I went through what $50 million in additional cuts does to our community. The realities were grim. It did not paint the picture of a city I want to live in. And, it did not paint a picture of a city I believe you want to live in.

While each one of us may have slightly different priorities for what to cut … the Draconian impact to our city is unavoidable.

I believe our citizens deserve better.

And that is why I am proposing a balanced budget that factors in a modest, 1.02 millage rate increase. To put that in perspective, the average homeowner in Duval County has an assessed home value of $145,000. That homeowner would pay an additional $97 next year – that’s about $8 a month.

That modest increase will fund core government functions at current levels, such as road work, recycling, park maintenance, trash pickup, public safety, libraries and community centers.

It is important to note … we are simply restoring the millage rate to what it was before Tallahassee started meddling in local government affairs.

Some will say government should do what families are doing and … “tighten its belt.” Councilmembers, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: That’s not a management plan. That’s a bumper sticker.

As good stewards I know you will scrutinize my three-part plan – and deservedly so. Taxpayers should expect no less. But if you intend to vote “no,” this community deserves to hear your plan for balancing this budget.

Is it your plan to close fire stations?

Is it your plan to cut libraries?

Is it your plan to cut community centers?

Is it your plan to eliminate the Cultural Council and Public Service Grants?

Is it your plan to … shut down assistance to crime victims, the homeless and those who have no where else to turn?

Is it your plan to eliminate programs for children?

Is it your plan to end recycling?

Is it your plan to shut down government?

If your plan involves balancing this budget without a revenue increase, let me assure you, the devastation you start this year will be even worse next year. Even if you’re successful in balancing this budget only with cuts, you will still have a $120 million hole in next year’s budget.

What is your plan for that?

My plan is to Fix It Now! And by working together, I believe we can.

I truly believe that we, as elected officials, serve because we believe in this city’s future – and inevitably we want to be a part of her success. It is my hope that as the elected leaders of this community, we work together to solve the budget challenges of Jacksonville.

Harry Truman said, “In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”

We must ask ourselves, “What kind of city do we want to live in?”

We owe it to the architects of Consolidation. We owe it to ourselves. And we owe it to the children who will inherit this place. With that, Mr. President, I present to you the proposed budget for fiscal year 2009-2010.

This is our best work.

Godspeed. God bless all of you who offer your time and talent for the betterment of our city. And God bless Jacksonville.