The Jacksonville Transportation Authority now faces a State attorney general subpoena, adding to the public scrutiny as the transit agency tries to plug a $39 million budget hole by laying off dozens of workers and cutting back services. <\/p>\n
JTA officials confirmed Tuesday they had received the subpoena from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier\u2019s Office of Statewide Prosecution.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Jacksonville Transportation Authority has received a subpoena from the State Attorney General\u2019s Office and is prepared to fully cooperate.\u201d JTA spokesperson Lynn Opperman said in a statement. \u201cThe JTA remains committed to transparency and accountability and will provide information as requested throughout this process.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The subpoena, obtained by Jacksonville Today through a public records request, demands documents like contracts with vendors, including one related to wellness and massage services, and communications involving JTA\u2019s former CEO, Nathaniel Ford and his wife.<\/p>\n
It also requests ridership numbers that JTA reported to the American Public Transport Association for its Downtown autonomous vehicle shuttle service, NAVI.<\/p>\n
The state investigation comes after a tumultuous month for the authority, which announced a mass layoff of up to 194 employees<\/a>, reduced bus route schedules and halted NAVI and Skyway service.<\/p>\n JTA is also attempting renegotiate an interlocal agreement to allow the agency to use $30 million of local option gas tax revenue to ease its budget shortfall.\u00a0<\/p>\n And the City Council is expected to announce its own audit and oversight probe into JTA this week.<\/p>\n JTA subpoena\u00a0<\/p>\n Interim CEO Cleveland Ferguson informed JTA\u2019s board of directors Monday in a memo that he had received the subpoena from the state attorney general\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the communication, first reported by The Florida Times-Union and later obtained by Jacksonville Today, Ferguson says state investigators are looking for documents primarily from Oct. 1, 2023, through Oct. 21, 2025. Ferguson told the board the subpoena also requests:<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026the Authority\u2019s tuition reimbursement policy; certain contracts, through 2026, with one of our organizational development firms; and specified communications involving the former CEO, his spouse, and the owner of that firm, as well as communications between me and my executive assistant relating to scholarships and tuition,\u201d the memo states.<\/p>\n Fiscal problems at JTA began to surface after former CEO Nat Ford Sr. was selected to lead the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system<\/a> this summer. Ford had announced earlier this year that he planned to retire from JTA in January after 13 years with the agency.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are preserving all potentially responsive records. Please direct any questions about the subpoena, its scope, or the response process to Richard accordingly,\u201d the memo states, presumably referring to JTA\u2019s outside general counsel, Richard Milian of the Nelson Mullins law firm.<\/a><\/p>\n In addition, state investigators are requesting text messages and email communications between Kenston Griffin, founder and CEO of consulting firm Dream Builders Communications Inc., Nat Ford and Janet Walker-Ford, as well as emails referencing contracts with Mason Nye Murals, which were previously examined by the city\u2019s Inspector General<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Jacksonville city leaders react<\/p>\n Florida laws<\/a> gives oversight of JTA to both the state elected officials and the city of Jacksonville.\u00a0<\/p>\n Of the board\u2019s seven members, four are appointed by the Florida governor and confirmed by the state Senate. The other three members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by council.\u00a0City lawmakers approve JTA\u2019s annual operating budget.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important to remember that JTA is a state agency. Its staff is made up of state employees, the majority of its board is appointed by the governor, and its budget is reviewed and approved by the Jacksonville City Council,\u201d Mayor Donna Deegan\u2019s office said in a statement Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve always stood for transparency and appreciate JTA\u2019s cooperation with any effort to get to the facts. The administration looks forward to working with JTA leadership to minimize the disruption of services as much as possible,\u201d the statement says.<\/p>\n Since announcing the cuts, city leaders have praised Ferguson and his executive team for their handling of the budget crisis.<\/p>\n Jacksonville City Council President Nick Howland says the state\u2019s investigation will not change a city-led investigation into JTA\u2019s budget shortfall.\u00a0<\/p>\n Howland tells Jacksonville Today that on Wednesday he\u2019ll announce a select committee investigation into the transportation authority.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRight now, it looks like we have two investigations going on. One looking for misconduct and the other looking to do a forensic financial audit,\u201d Howland says. \u201cSo what the financial audit and oversight select committee will be charged with tomorrow will be to understand how we got to where we are. But also to figure out how we fit it moving forward.\u201d <\/p>\n The council president says he\u2019s not spoken to the Uthmeier\u2019s office about the subpoena nor has he heard any concern from the state that a local investigation would compromise the state\u2019s probe.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Howland says he has talked to the city\u2019s Office of General Counsel and Mayor Deegan\u2019s office.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d be remiss if we did not start looking at how to stabilize JTA\u2019s financial situation and optimize transportation for Jacksonville residents,\u201d Howland said. \u201cYou know, attorney general investigations could go on for months, and people need to get to work now.\u201d<\/p>\n Council committees will also begin to debate Ordinance 2026-0780<\/a>, which would allow JTA access to the gas tax dollars.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2021, city lawmakers approved an increase and extension of the gas tax that would, in part, provide $247 million to Phase II of JTA\u2019s autonomous vehicle program, which was meant to be a replacement for the Skyway. Ridership during the NAVI\u2019s Phase I has struggled to meet initial projections<\/a>.<\/p>\n The gas tax was also set to provide $132 million for JTA to build out the Emerald Trail, a 32-mile multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path planned and designed by Groundwork Jacksonville.<\/p>\n