JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council is voting Tuesday on an emergency plan that would let the Jacksonville Transportation Authority tap up to $30 million in unspent gas-tax funds to help pay down transportation debt.
Council President Nick Howland introduced the bill as a one-cycle emergency, fast-tracking the process to get financial relief to JTA. The measure needs a two-thirds vote to pass.
A committee approved releasing the funds a week before.
JTA’s $39 million budget shortfall
The vote comes as JTA works to climb out of a deepening financial crisis. Agency leaders recently revealed a $39 million budget shortfall, pointing to a combination of underestimated sales tax revenue and higher-than-expected costs — including expenses tied to the NAVI autonomous shuttle program, the Skyway, and Connexion service.
JTA has already laid off nearly 200 workers. Officials said those cuts are expected to save about $21.9 million.
RELATED | City council approves $30M gas tax to rescue JTA from financial crisis
What the gas-tax bill does
If approved, the emergency measure would:
Update the allowed uses of the five-cent local option gas tax
Allow JTA to use up to $30 million of its unspent local gas-tax allocations
Direct funds toward retiring outstanding JTA debt tied to transportation capital projects
Require JTA to restore those funds no later than Sept. 30, 2037
Council members call for answers
The vote is happening alongside a separate investigation. City Council’s Financial Audit and Oversight Committee is looking into how JTA ended up in this financial position and what safeguards should be put in place going forward.
Council member Ron Salem said questions remain about why the revenue shortfall wasn’t reported sooner.
“The other part, and I think we’re all concerned, is the sharp reduction in revenue — when it was recognized, why it wasn’t brought forward,” Salem said. “Which in my mind is gonna require people to come forward, or us to request people to come forward and let us ask them questions.”
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