The Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee on Thursday will begin its first of multiple reviews of Mayor Donna Deegan’s $2 billion budget.
Much of the budget, more than $1.07 billion, is spent on police and fire.
The Capital Improvement Plan totals more than $586 million, with increased spending on road resurfacing, sidewalk repair, septic tank removal and more.
The Mayor’s office has also introduced what it calls a first-of-its-kind analysis of a Florida municipal budget. Using economic value metrics that are used by the federal government, national non-profits, and in academia, the city says it’s able to model the budget.
It shows that each tax dollar invested in city services generates $3 in value for Jacksonville residents.
Deegan pushed back on criticism of the model during her monthly appearance on Jacksonville’s Morning News today.
“I did not think I was going to have to explain to the treat government like a business crowd why return on investment is important,” Deegan said.
She says it’s a way to show the city’s work so that residents can understand why they’re investing in projects.
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