Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan will face a battle for re-election next year, but she’s got what she calls a “world-class city budget” to get passed before that, one backdropped by a constitutional amendment that could put serious constraints on Duval County’s property tax collections of nearly $1.3 billion starting in 2027.
Deegan’s fourth budget comes in at just over $2 billion, a 1.1% raise from the current fiscal year driven by pay raises for first responders. All told, more than $1.07 billion will be spent on police and fire.
The Mayor spoke Monday to affordability issues affecting citizens and said the same “must be true for city government.”
“Taxpayers do not owe government the benefit of the doubt. We owe taxpayers proof. Proof that we know the money is not ours, proof that we will not spend it simply because it’s available, proof that each dollar invested delivers a positive return for our citizens. In our analysis of the economic value generated by city services, each tax dollar provides nearly $3 in return,” Deegan said.
“With that in mind, every spending decision is geared to make Jacksonville more affordable.”
Deegan noted strong credit ratings from Fitch, S&P Global and KBRA, showing the city is “financially strong and getting stronger,” and said the ratings were “savings for taxpayers” that reassure investors, businesses, and families.
The budget includes $36 million in road resurfacing proposed for the next fiscal year, $12 million into new and repaired sidewalks, and $25 million for septic tank phaseout and stormwater projects.
“These are not luxuries,” she said. “These are the bones of our city.”
Deegan also promised to continue “rightsizing” the capital improvement plan, which is more than $586 million in the new budget.
“We will resist the temptation to pretend every good idea can be funded immediately,” she said.
Deegan proposes $27 million of new spending for the Museum of Science and History, along with $25 million for Riverfront Park.
Deegan also touted funding for other priorities, including Journey Forward, “juvenile justice diversion efforts that deliver a tenfold return in economic value”; Healthlink Jax, which is the city’s tele-health program that she argues gets nearly a 5x return on investment; and affordable housing spending, via $6.3 million for the Emergency Rental and Eviction Protection program and “an Affordable Housing Trust Fund that will now have more than $5.5 million in it to build more housing that’s affordable for lower income levels and to assist first-time home buyers.”
Deegan said the spending bolsters the city at large by supporting citizens in crisis.
“Not every investment is personally used by every resident. But every responsible investment should return value to the whole city. And in this budget, they do.”
To that end, Public Service Grants and the Cultural Council are proposed to keep funding roughly flat year over year. One might expect these to be potential flashpoints with some conservatives on Council during the budget deliberations.
Deegan said she hoped “to challenge the way we talk about core government” and expand the definition beyond public safety and trash collection. She argues that “many programs that have been called discretionary are actually upstream core investments.”
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Construction time again
Michael Kirwan has secured more union backing in his bid for the Democratic nomination in CD 4.
The Building and Construction Trades Council is on board, believing that the lawyer who once chaired the Jacksonville Ethics Commission has what it takes to upset Republican U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean.
“Michael Kirwan is the right candidate for this moment,” said Alan Jones of IBEW Local Union 177.
“The Building and Construction Trades Council believes he is the strongest candidate to defeat Aaron Bean and deliver real representation for working families in Florida’s Fourth Congressional District. From sheet metal workers and ironworkers to electricians and other skilled trades, our members want a Representative who understands organized labor, respects our work, and will fight in Congress for good-paying jobs.”
Michael Kirwan’s campaign notched another union endorsement.
Kirwan said he is “honored to have the support of the Building and Construction Trades Council and the hardworking union members they represent.”
“Organized labor has always been at the center of the fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, strong benefits, and dignity on the job. In Congress, I will be a partner to working people and will fight to strengthen unions, expand apprenticeship opportunities, protect workers’ rights, and make sure Northeast Florida families are not left behind,” he vowed.
The endorsement is the latest from organized labor. Sheet metal workers in SMART Local 435 are on board, along with the Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters.
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Debate dither
Alex Vindman says he hasn’t decided whether he’ll debate Angie Nixon, his opponent in the Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate.
“I think we’ll make a decision that’s going to be in the best interest of delivering a Democratic win for the state of Florida,” Vindman said when asked whether he would debate Nixon ahead of the Aug. 18 Primary.
Vindman spoke with journalists Saturday during a gaggle at the Florida Democratic Party’s Leadership Blue conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, where he said he is weighing how best to build momentum heading into the General Election.
It’s up in the air whether the Primary rivals will hold a debate.
Nixon has challenged Vindman to a one-on-one debate, previously calling it a “job interview with the voters.”
Vindman declined to attack Nixon, a Jacksonville state Representative who has made headlines for her protests against Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Angie has been a terrific fighter in the state house. There’s no question,” Vindman said. But he said his case to Democratic voters is that “I’ve got a track record as a public servant” and a history of overcoming “serious challenges.”
Spicy Curry
Former Jacksonville Mayors historically don’t harshly critique their successors, but the fraught dynamic between Lenny Curry and Deegan is offering an exception.
Ahead of a news conference with CFO Blaise Ingoglia, Curry, a former Republican Party of Florida Chair like Ingoglia, ripped into the current Democratic administration, potentially previewing attacks that Republicans will use during budget season this Fall and campaign season next year.
“In my opinion, this is the most pay-to-play corrupt administration we’ve seen in modern Jacksonville history. Mayor Donna Deegan’s donor list, compare it with the procurement list. You’ll find what my friend Matt Carlucci has been talking about for quite some time,” Curry said, eliding Matt Carlucci’s support for the current administration as he extended the allegations of transactional corruption.
Lenny Curry isn’t shying away from criticizing his successor in City Hall.
“The people who helped get this Mayor’s administration elected appear to be doing very well under it. Decades ago, Jacksonville’s leaders promised to run the rascals out of town, through consolidation and reform. Looking at what’s happening today, it feels like the rascals are back in town. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Carlucci offered a clarification of his own views after this piece was published. He said the phrase was actually “Run the Rascals Out of City Hall,” and said Deegan, “has been one of the most honest and transparent Mayors Jacksonville has had in many years” and is neither “pay-to-play” nor “corrupt.”
Ingoglia previously claimed that the most recent $2.06 billion city budget included $275 million in waste, and contrasted the fiscal prudence of the previous administration with the current Mayor’s Office, whose budget “exploded past inflation and population” and expanded unduly. He said there was a “night and day” difference between how Curry and Deegan managed municipal budgeting.
Deegan and Curry have butted heads since the administration parted ways with Ballard Partners, the lobbying firm that employs Curry and his former Chief of Staff, Jordan Elsbury. Local utility JEA’s decision not to renew its contract with Ballard intensified the conflict.
When Curry was asked directly about his interest in running for his old job, he said to expect someone new to present themselves to voters and predicted that the candidate would have the resources to run.
“There are a number of people that don’t want to face the reality that there’s going to be a competitive election in ’27. I expect that we are going to have a well-funded candidate that’s got a great résumé, that’s got a background in leadership, and I expect that person’s going to be a new face, and I’m going to be all in with them when the time is right,” Curry said.
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Factory satisfactory
Manufacturers report that they’re expanding along the First Coast.
The University of North Florida Jacksonville Economic Monitoring Survey (JEMS) for June showed that most manufacturing leaders reported a good month. Key elements such as output, new orders, prices and backlogs of work are on the upswing.
“Jacksonville’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) registered 54.2 in June, indicating that the region’s manufacturing sector continued to expand,” said Albert Loh, who oversees the JEMS report and is the Associate Dean of the UNF Coggin College of Business.
“A PMI above 50 signals that business conditions are improving, and June’s reading suggests that local manufacturers remained on a positive growth path despite an increasingly uncertain business environment.”
Manufacturing output measured at 60, indicating expansion. It was one of the strongest factors among the 12 elements measured for the report. Loh said that’s a robust indicator for Northeast Florida factories.
The First Coast manufacturing industry is faring well.
“This points to healthy operating conditions, with many manufacturers responding to steady demand by increasing production levels,” Loh said, adding that the Jacksonville area is in line with national output.
“Manufacturing output continued to increase across the country for the eighth consecutive month. Growth was reported in several major industries, including computer and electronic products, machinery, transportation equipment and chemical products.”
UNF researchers from the JEMS project reach out to First Coast manufacturers each month to see where they stand on production and several other factors. Only three of the dozen elements in the survey showed contraction, including employment, business activity outlook over the next year, and finished goods inventory.
The employment element is a sticking point, Loh said.
“Local manufacturers appeared cautious about adding workers despite continued expansion in production and new orders. In Jacksonville, where production, new orders, and order backlogs all remained in expansion territory during June, the employment reading suggests that firms may have been relying on existing workers, overtime, or efficiency gains rather than expanding their workforce,” Loh said.
Toting the line
A $2.2 billion contract is heading to one of Jacksonville’s leading maritime companies.
The U.S. Navy has agreed to the contract with Tote Services LLC of Jacksonville. The deal provides funding to Tote, which will be responsible for constructing Medium Landing Ships (LSMs) for the Navy.
The LSM program includes a multi-ship effort across several shipyards, involving suppliers, designers, manufacturers and other stakeholders. Tote will provide an overarching management structure that coordinates government standards, shipyard construction and the delivery of the vessels.
The U.S. Navy awarded Tote Services in Jacksonville a $2.2 billion contract. Image via Tote Services.
“This is a tremendous responsibility and a defining moment for American shipbuilding,” said Jeff Dixon, President of Tote Services. Tote was awarded the contract through the Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE) Maritime, the administrative office that oversees the work.
“We look forward to collaborating with and supporting PAE Maritime as we work together on LSM. The U.S. is counting on this program to succeed, and our job is clear: steward the work responsibly, cultivate the best talent and expertise, move with urgency, and deliver for the American people.”
Tote’s role will be the Vessel Construction Manager on the project. The contract calls for new construction of eight LMS. The vessels will support a larger 35-ship fleet for the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.
Small biz boom
Three Florida cities are ranked in the Top 10 across America for their ability to develop and foster a healthy small-business environment.
The financial technology firm Nav recently analyzed to find the cities that most encourage small-business growth in the U.S. Jacksonville, Tampa and Orlando are standout cities, per the report.
Nav analysts developed a scoring system for small-business development using factors such as hiring growth, layoffs and pay growth over two years from November 2023 to October 2025.
Jacksonville came in third among U.S. cities for small-business development, with a score of 79.87. That puts Jacksonville behind only St. Louis, which topped the list with a score of 96.43, and Philadelphia at No. 2, with a score of 84.89.
Jacksonville is a standout city for small-business growth according to NAV.
“When analyzing hiring data between November 2023 and October 2025, we found that Jacksonville saw its greatest increase in small-business hiring in July 2025 with a net hiring percentage of 5.1%,” the Nav analysis concluded.
Tampa ranked sixth with a small-business score of 75.95. That was immediately followed by Orlando at No. 7, with a score of 75.80.
Miami also made the top 25, with a score of 66.48. That put Miami at No. 22. No other Florida city placed in the top 50.
Jacksonville also ranked 13th in the country for business pay growth. Jacksonville posted a 6.81% small-business pay growth over the two-year period, which doubled the national average, according to Nav analysts.
UNF gets grant
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year grant to the University of North Florida (UNF) to enhance research on pediatric rehabilitation and related technologies.
The grant amount is $800,000 and will go to the Proficiency in Research and Innovation Multidisciplinary Education in Pediatrics program. The program is directed toward undergraduate and graduate students from biomedical disciplines or health-related fields.
UNF recently received an $800,000 NIH grant.
Applications for the program are under review. The program will accept 16 students this Fall and 18 students next year. Another 20 students will be added between Fall 2028 and Fall 2030.
“With the combination of coursework, guest speakers, mentored independent projects and hands-on exposure to data science and clinical populations, this team-based, 12-week program will offer biomedical, behavioral and clinical research experiences. Participants will collaboratively design studies, conduct research, interpret and disseminate findings,” a UNF press release said.
Students will utilize UNF’s Laboratory of Applied Biomechanics and Engineering that integrates physical therapy, mechanical and electrical engineering, human movement sciences and pediatric clinical research for interventions and biomedical technologies, UNF officials said.
Jaguars defensive questions
The Jaguars open the 2026 edition of training camp with the first practice next Wednesday. Last week, we covered the five biggest questions on offense heading into camp. This week, let’s tackle the defense.
— How much of an impact will Travis Hunter have at cornerback? The rookie showed flashes last season before an injury ended his campaign. His elite speed and ball skills should allow him to become a starter, even the number one option at corner this season for the Jaguars. Some of his impact will depend on how much Hunter is used on offense, but if he stays healthy, the Jaguars will expect him to be a game-changer on defense.
Will Travis Hunter bounce back from the season-ending injury that cut his rookie year short? Image via AP.
— Where will the pass rush come from? Last season, Josh Hines-Allen totaled eight sacks, and Arik Armstead recorded 5.5. No other Jaguar had as many as four. That included Travon Walker, who played through an injury most of the season. Walker’s productivity should return — health allowing — but the Jaguars need to impact the passer more. Dennis Gardeck (2.5 sacks) and Danny Striggow (0.5 sacks) might be the best options off the edge. Gardeck had seven sacks for the Cardinals in 2020 and six in 2023, so he is capable given the opportunity. Striggow played 10 games for the Jaguars in his rookie season. One other name to consider is Wesley Williams, a fourth-round pick from Duke, who totaled 11 sacks in his college career, including 7.5 as a junior in 2024.
— Who replaces Devin Lloyd’s production? In his breakout season, Lloyd intercepted five passes, returning one for a 99-yard touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs. He defended seven passes, recovered a fumble, recorded a sack and a half, and six tackles for loss. He was named second-team All-Pro. Then, he signed a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers. The Jaguars don’t have any single player with the skills to replace what Lloyd did last season. Ventrell Miller may be inserted into the lineup as the middle linebacker, allowing Foye Oluokun to play the weakside. Jack Kiser is projected as the strongside linebacker, but the Jaguars will not often be in that formation.
— Can the Jaguars keep up the rush defense? The Jaguars led the league, allowing only 85.6 points per game on the ground. Can they continue to be as stout against the run? They’ll need DaVon Hamilton to have another big year, and Armstead and new addition Ruke Orhorhoro must also be stout in the defensive interior. If Walker remains healthy, he could be a force against the run as well. But the biggest key to limiting the opposition’s running game is to get ahead early.
— Is there a breakout defensive star on the roster? Lloyd enjoyed a career year last season, earning himself a big payday as a free agent. Who else is a candidate to do the same? Miller might fit the mold. He has shown a willingness to fly around on defense and special teams. Also keep an eye out for Caleb Ransaw at safety. While he’s not likely to put up numbers like Lloyd did, he could take a step forward after missing last season due to injury.
In any case, defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile showed that he knows how to prepare his team. If the defense shines in 2026, Campanile is likely to be courted for a head coaching job.