One major problem identified is the handling of capital projects, and the description of the issue implies equal misfeasance by both the legislative and executive branches.<\/p>\n
\u201cDepartments should start the closeout process around three months after the project is completed, assuming all invoices have been received, so that they can be processed and paid,\u201d goes the recommendation.<\/p>\n Indeed, the Council hasn\u2019t been able to tell when a project ends either, since the Mayor\u2019s Office hasn\u2019t been informing them.<\/p>\n Imagine if you and your spouse had this attitude about capital projects at home. Is the new deck done? IDK, who can say?<\/p>\n So yeah, the Mayor\u2019s Office should be disclosing this information.<\/p>\n But the burning question is why the City Council hasn\u2019t been keeping track of the completion of capital projects on a real-time basis. Isn\u2019t that what the Finance Committee should be doing?<\/p>\n Another burning question is what exactly goes into deciding whether capital projects are needed, given that the Finance Committee is about to head into a month of budget deliberations in August, DOGE recommends that \u201cdue diligence is performed for any new or replacement of existing libraries, community centers, and senior centers proposed in future CIPs to ensure that the demand\/use lines up with community needs and current habits (e.g., shift to more online services at libraries may mean less using physical spaces).\u201d<\/p>\n The Council also envisions itself taking a larger role in police and fire budgeting as \u201cemployees begin participating in the Florida Retirement System (FRS).\u201d<\/p>\n They believe \u201covertime will need to be controlled since it is pensionable and adequate staffing levels will be needed to lower the cost of overtime,\u201d though right now \u201cthe cost of overtime is cheaper or at least a similar cost to adding additional full-time staff.\u201d<\/p>\n They also envision themselves taking a more active role in the pension program for first responders, which is currently run by an independent Board.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Jacksonville Retirement System and the Police and Fire Pension Fund do work together and leverage significant portions of their investments to reduce money manager fees. It was discussed that further research would be performed to determine how City Council could influence the investment policy to encourage this process.\u201d<\/p>\n With this process wrapped up, it raises questions about branding.<\/p>\n This has little to do with Elon Musk\u2019s<\/strong> DOGE or that of Gov. Ron DeSantis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n It nibbles around the edges, bringing up best practices \u2014 many of which Salem could have insisted upon while he was Council President a couple of years back.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the test of its enduring value will be how many of the Committee\u2019s recommendations are implemented under Council Presidents Kevin Carrico<\/strong> and Nick Howland.<\/strong><\/p>\n Land\u2019s sakes<\/b><\/p>\n The University of Florida<\/b><\/a> has secured about 20 acres of land in downtown Jacksonville, along with some $50 million in funding needed to build a new campus.<\/p>\n The Jacksonville City Council<\/b><\/a> has approved a transfer of the land to the university in the LaVilla area in the western part of the inner city. Council members also agreed to provide the funding needed to support construction of the new campus, which will serve as the Florida Semiconductor Institute<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe City Council\u2019s vote today is a testament to a shared vision for the future for both UF and for Jacksonville,\u201d said Mori Hosseini<\/b>, Chair of the UF Board of Trustees. \u201cThis investment will create a world-class campus that serves Jacksonville\u2019s workforce, fuels innovation and expands opportunity for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n UF officials say they\u2019ll move forward with closing on the property within weeks. The $50 million approved by the City Council on Tuesday increases the city\u2019s total investment to about $100 million. With private contributions and state funding, the total cash total for the UF Jacksonville campus now amounts to $300 million.<\/p>\n City Council President Randy White<\/b> said he considers the city\u2019s financial contribution to the UF campus to be an asset.<\/p>\n \u201cThe council recognizes the importance of UF Jacksonville to the city\u2019s future. This is an investment of tax dollars that will pay dividends for decades,\u201d White said.<\/p>\n The political class in Jacksonville has been supportive of the UF campus relocating downtown. Mayor Donna Deegan<\/b> has taken the lead on the project begun under Lenny Curry <\/b>and was pleased with the Council\u2019s action on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cJacksonville is committed to being at the forefront of talent development,\u201d Deegan said. \u201cAs our economy grows and embraces new technology, the need for a skilled workforce is more important than ever. Our partnership with UF sends a clear signal that Jacksonville is at the forefront of innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n Good bill<\/b><\/p>\n Gov. Ron DeSantis<\/b> has approved a measure designed to better provide mental health treatment to detainees in Florida jails and prisons.<\/p>\n The Legislature approved the \u201cTristin Murphy Act<\/b><\/a>\u201d after emotional testimony during the committee process, and even on the floor of the House<\/b><\/a> and Senate. The measure is named after Tristin Murphy<\/b>, who committed suicide in a Florida prison in 2021.<\/p>\n The legislation calls for the state to establish probation conditions for defendants with mental illness, sets requirements for work assignments for those detainees and expands training options under the criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse grant programs.<\/p>\n Sen. Jennifer Bradley<\/strong>, a Fleming Island Republican, crafted the measure (SB 168<\/strong><\/a>). The bill gained momentum after Senate President Ben Albritton<\/b>, a Wauchula Republican, added his support.<\/p>\n Bradley said she\u2019s relieved the measure is now law and praised Murphy\u2019s parents.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir tragedy has inspired so many to take action to help people struggling with mental illness get the help they need. If someone commits a serious, violent crime, they need to be incarcerated for public safety. This bill provides a different path for less serious crimes where the defendant, their family, and the community would be better served by allowing the defendant to receive the necessary mental health treatment,\u201d Bradley said.<\/p>\n Two-front war<\/strong><\/p>\n House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison<\/strong> has drawn a second Primary challenge, which is unusual for someone poised to lead a legislative chamber in 2027.<\/p>\n This time around, it\u2019s Cory Allan Jett<\/strong> of Middleburg, who joins Antonette Harmon<\/strong> in the race.<\/p>\n The two political newcomers have a challenging task ahead of them.<\/p>\n Garrison\u2019s associated political committee, Honest Leadership<\/strong><\/a>, has roughly $1.5 million banked at last count.<\/p>\n He also has more than $21,000 in his campaign account.<\/p>\n Garrison has never been primaried and has never received less than 67% of the vote in a General Election.<\/p>\n Fire funds<\/strong><\/p>\n While it\u2019s still not clear what exactly caused the fire that engulfed dozens of vehicles and heavily damaged a parking garage at Jacksonville International Airport (JIA<\/strong><\/a>) in May, it\u2019s obvious now that it\u2019s going to cost tens of millions of dollars to repair the damage.<\/p>\n This month, Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA<\/strong><\/a>) Board members reviewed the situation at the hourly parking garage to the east, at the entrance to JIA concourses. They concluded that it would take approximately $38 million to repair the structure.<\/p>\n The blaze engulfed much of the multistory parking structure on May 16 and torched about 50 vehicles before Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department personnel could bring the intense blaze under control. The fire was so powerful that there was damage to the concrete structure on several floors.<\/p>\n JAA officials confirm most of the vehicles have been removed from the garage site. They believe the fire started in one vehicle, a BMW, but it\u2019s still not clear what sparked the inferno.<\/p>\n That parking garage was designated for hourly parking, and officials said the airport lost substantial revenue while the facility has been closed for the past month. That lost revenue amounts to more than $3.5 million.<\/p>\n Park life<\/strong><\/p>\n Incoming Jacksonville City Council President Kevin Carrico<\/strong> says bringing activity to the city\u2019s parks, via a Special Committee on Park Programming, is going to be one of his priorities when he takes the gavel next month.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we don\u2019t have the programming and the people in those parks \u2026 then we just have world-class parks with no momentum,\u201d the Southside Republican said on \u201cThis Week in Jacksonville<\/strong><\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether Jacksonville\u2019s parks are \u201cworld-class\u201d or not is a matter of subjective interpretation. Still, Carrico is by no means the first City Council President to take on the challenge of making them better.<\/p>\n During the same interview, the incoming President also expressed optimism about working with Mayor Donna Deegan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, we disagree sometimes on policy issues. I\u2019m a Republican. She\u2019s a Democrat. We don\u2019t always agree \u2026 but I think both of us love this city,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to do anything that\u2019s going to harm the ability to move Jacksonville forward to a world-class city.\u201d<\/p>\n Second time around<\/strong><\/p>\n A Westside Democrat is making it official and running for a second term on the Jacksonville City Council.<\/p>\n This month, Rahman Johnson<\/strong> opened a campaign account for his re-election bid in District 14.<\/p>\n He\u2019s currently alone in the race, with a No Party candidate already withdrawn.<\/p>\n Johnson defeated Republican John Draper<\/strong> in May 2023, getting nearly 53% of the vote against the political veteran.<\/p>\n Unmoved unemployment<\/strong><\/p>\n The unemployment rate in Florida came in at 3.7% for May, unchanged from the April<\/strong><\/a> figure.<\/p>\n FloridaCommerce<\/strong><\/a> released the new jobless figure<\/strong><\/a>. While the rate held steady month to month, that rate is still higher than any number seen in 2024.<\/p>\n Last year closed with a 3.4% unemployment rate. The rate has steadily increased from there, with no declines so far this year.<\/p>\n In the year-over-year comparison, the latest unemployment rate for the Sunshine State is up a notable 0.4 percentage points from May 2024\u2019s figure of 3.3%.<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s jobless figure is still lower than the national rate. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL<\/strong><\/a>)<\/a> reports the jobless figure across the country was 4.2% in May, unchanged from April. It\u2019s the 55th straight month that Florida has had a lower rate than the nation.<\/p>\n The FloridaCommerce Bureau of Workforce Statistics and Economic Research reported that there were 414,000 Floridians who were unemployed last month out of a workforce of 11.2 million people.<\/p>\n Jacksonville<\/strong><\/a> is experiencing higher unemployment rates compared to other areas of Florida. The First Coast city reported a 3.6% unemployment rate in May. That\u2019s up slightly from April\u2019s rate of 3.5% and up by 0.4 percentage points from May 2024, when the figure was 3.2%.<\/p>\n Ferry Fix<\/strong><\/p>\n More than a month after being shut down, the St. Johns River Ferry Service<\/strong><\/a> is once again running across waters that extend State Road A1A on the First Coast.<\/p>\n The ferry trips crossing the river in the northern area of Duval County were put on hold after the ferry vessel hit a loading ramp<\/strong><\/a> and damaged the ramp structure on May 4.<\/p>\n The ferry returned to taking vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians across the river this month after completing repairs to the loading area. The fix was completed about two weeks ahead of schedule<\/strong><\/a>, according to the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n While the primary reason for the shutdown was to repair the loading ramp, JTA officials say crews took advantage of the downtime and also completed required maintenance stipulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Since crews utilized that time, they completed those maintenance requirements about a year ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n Art for Art\u2019s sake<\/strong><\/p>\n Jacksonville artists are being honored for their work, which is among the best on the First Coast.<\/p>\n The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville (CCGJ<\/strong><\/a>) announced the top picks for its 48th Annual Arts Awards<\/strong><\/a> presented by AT&T.<\/p>\n Eight people or organizations were selected for \u201ctheir significant contributions to the city\u2019s vibrant arts and culture landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n The honorees include the Blue Jay Listening Room<\/strong><\/a>, Brian Niece<\/strong>, Don Zentz<\/strong>, Milt Russos<\/strong>, John A. Lumpkin II<\/strong>, Kemal Gasper<\/strong>, Leadership Jacksonville<\/strong><\/a> and Diane Brunet-Garc\u00eda<\/strong> will also be honored as the 2025 Catalyst Recognition recipient.<\/p>\n Those named as part of the awards will take part in a ceremony Sept. 5 at the Florida Blue Conference Center. The event is being called \u201cFire & Ice\u201d this year.<\/p>\n \u201cFor nearly five decades, the Arts Awards have recognized creative leaders, cultural catalysts and artistic innovators who are defining Jacksonville\u2019s thriving creative economy,\u201d said Diana Donovan<\/strong>, executive director of the CCGJ. \u201cThis year\u2019s Fire & Ice theme reflects the dynamic forces that fuel both quality of life and economic growth. When fire and ice meet, they make STEAM \u2014 a powerful symbol of how science, technology, engineering, arts and math intersect to drive our city forward.\u201d<\/p>\n To watch the announcement video, please click the image below<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n Ho-hum Jax<\/strong><\/p>\n Jacksonville has beaches, a diverse population, shopping centers, areas with clubs and nightlife, and yet, it\u2019s the most boring city in America, according to at least one analysis.<\/p>\n FinanceBuzz<\/strong><\/a>, an auto insurance advisory company, analyzed data from the 75 largest American cities and found the so-called \u201cBold New City of the South\u201d to be pretty ho-hum. Analysts labeled the First Coast burg \u201cthe most boring city in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n The study<\/strong><\/a> analyzed elements such as population makeup, culinary scenes, outdoor activities, nightlife, celebrations and other things to do to tabulate an \u201cexcitement score.\u201d Using those metrics, Jacksonville appears to be pretty dull.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/AdobeStock_1304801380-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/a>City Council\u2019s DOGE Committee is done, leaving recommendations for better project and budget oversight.<\/p>\n<\/a>The University of Florida secures land and funding for a new campus in downtown Jacksonville.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Jennifer Bradley\u2019s \u2018Tristin Murphy Act,\u2019 named for a suicide victim, creates a mental health diversion model for defendants.<\/p>\n<\/a>Despite two Primary challengers, House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison holds a massive fundraising advantage.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Repairs to the fire-damaged JIA parking garage are estimated to cost around $38 million. Image via JAA.<\/p>\n<\/a>Incoming Council President Kevin Carrico wants to bring more activity to Jacksonville\u2019s \u2018world-class\u2019 parks.<\/p>\n<\/a>Westside Democrat and City Council member Rahman Johnson has officially launched his re-election campaign. Image via Facebook.<\/p>\n<\/a>While Florida\u2019s unemployment rate is unchanged, Jacksonville\u2019s rate saw a slight increase in May.<\/p>\n<\/a>The St. Johns River Ferry has reopened, with ramp repairs completed ahead of schedule. Image via JTA.<\/p>\n