JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve Amendment 3, a proposal that would expand property tax exemptions for homesteaded properties and reduce the amount of money local governments collect.
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If approved, the amendment could reduce Jacksonville’s annual revenue by about $300 million by fiscal year 2029, according to estimates cited by city auditors.
The Jacksonville TRUE Commission — Taxation, Revenue and Utilization of Expenditures — is examining the city’s finances and considering strategies to balance the budget if the amendment passes.
The independent advisory board is not recommending across-the-board cuts. Instead, TRUE Commission Chairman Ramon Day said the board is recommending that the city protect core public safety services, including police and fire, while considering reductions in other areas.
“One recommendation would be a 3% limit on salary increases for all city employees not subject to a collective bargaining agreement,” Day said.
Other strategies under consideration include:
A 2% automatic spending cut across nonpublic safety departments
Zero-based budgeting, which would require departments to justify every dollar they spend
Monthly budget constraints requiring departments to project spending every 30 days
Targeted cuts to nonpublic safety departments selected by the City Council
Day said departments such as Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Planning and Development, and various neighborhood departments could be subject to potential reductions.
“Such as Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Planning and Development, the various neighborhoods departments,” Day said. “You just go through the listing of city departments and they would be subject to those cuts.”
The TRUE Commission has focused on possible reductions in public spending. The recommendations do not address potential increases in revenue.
The proposals are recommendations and possible strategies, not cuts that have been approved. If Amendment 3 passes, the recommendations would be sent to the Jacksonville City Council for review.
The TRUE Commission has one more meeting scheduled before the Nov. 3 election.
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