JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 The spotlight is on Jacksonville City Council Tuesday night as members attempt to pass the city\u2019s $2 billion budget. Two big <\/b>sticking points remain: <\/b>The proposed $13 million property tax cut and controversial spending restrictions on DEI, abortion and immigrants without legal status. <\/p>\n
The meeting, which began at 3 pm, is expected to go on for hours as members are set to sift through 20 budget amendments.<\/p>\n
WATCH THE MEETING LIVE <\/b>HERE<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n The vast majority of those amendments aim to restore funding to city programs that saw their funding slashed in earlier budget meetings, like Telehealth and medical clinics that serve the uninsured. There are also some that aim to give public safety some reassurances should the property tax cut make it into the final package.<\/p>\n Action News Jax spoke with several people who packed into the council chambers ahead of the budget vote.<\/p>\n Some members of the public <\/b>are there in support of <\/b>tax relief.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m tired of being taxed with money going to things that do not support my values,\u201d said Jerry Watts. <\/p>\n Others expressed concerns about how the proposed $13 million cut could impact city services.<\/p>\n \u201cOur children are with more than pocket change,\u201d said Katie Hathaway.<\/p>\n Two proposals also on the table aim to give some reassurances to police and fire unions, which have both <\/b>questioned how the property tax cut could impact their budgets in future years.<\/p>\n One amendment would take the $13 million that would be lost as a result of the cut and instead put it into a contingency fund for public safety.<\/p>\n The second would pull $13 million out of reserves for the same purpose, should the tax cut pass.<\/p>\n