Jacksonville Finance Committee Meeting - July 21, 2026
Jacksonville Finance Committee Meeting - July 21, 2026
The Jacksonville Finance Committee met on July 21, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM in the Council Chamber. Chair Will Lahnen presided, with members Chris Miller, Terrence Freeman, Mike Gay, Rahman Johnson, and Randy White present (Rory Diamond excused). Council President Nick Howland attended. The committee heard a roll-back rate resolution preview, debated a homelessness commission liaison bill, approved 13 amended items, withdrew one, and read nine second-read bills. Chair Lahnen also outlined budget priorities.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comment cards were submitted.
Discussion Items
- Roll-Back Rate Resolution (2026-0500): Council Auditor Phillip Peterson explained the resolution would set the maximum millage rate for the upcoming budget. He noted reserves are at historic highs (mid-20% of expenditures, well above the 17% GFOA recommendation) and recommended against padding the rate—a departure from past practice. The resolution will be voted on as an in-and-out emergency at the July 28 Council meeting.
- Submerged Land Lease (Paul Harden): Harden briefed the committee on an emergency bill to amend a submerged land lease near the stadium for the first football game. No city cost was identified.
- Homelessness Initiatives Commission Liaison (2026-0489): Council Member Peluso, as HIC liaison, moved to amend Chapter 86 to codify a mayor’s liaison to the commission. Debate centered on whether legislation was needed (vs. administrative appointment), equity with other boards, and slow fund disbursement. Council Members Freeman, Miller, Gay, and White opposed; Lahnen and Johnson supported. The bill failed 2-4 after passing Rules and Neighborhoods committees.
- Budget Preview (Chair Lahnen): Lahnen shared principles for the FY26-27 budget review: keep non-public safety spending flat, avoid new program starts, use contingent approvals for nonprofit funds pending the November property tax referendum, and aim for a 7-0 committee vote. He noted a 1% overall spending increase, 74 new first responders, and 6 non-public safety job eliminations.
Key Outcomes
- 2026-0445 (SPAR Cleanup Corps): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $200,000 from Council District 7 CBA contingency to Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council for personnel, increasing total contract to $496,181 and extending term to 9/30/29.
- 2026-0448 & 2026-0449 (SHIP LHAP Amendments): Both amended and approved 6-0. Increases per-unit award caps: for 2021-2024 plan, ownership from $160k to $250k, rental rehab/new construction from $100k to $250k; for 2024-2027 plan, rental development from $1M to $2M.
- 2026-0453 (Fund Balance Appropriation): Withdrawn 6-0 at administration’s request; separate legislation will address negative fund balances.
- 2026-0489 (HIC Liaison): Failed 2-4 (Lahnen, Johnson aye; Miller, Freeman, Gay, White nay; Diamond excused).
- 2026-0490 (HOME Grant): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $3,625,976.76 for low-income housing activities.
- 2026-0491 (CDBG Grant): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $8,167,263.28 for community development programs.
- 2026-0493 (Deerwood Rotary Park & Fort Family Park): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $1,358,150 ($950k CBA + $408k naming rights) for playground and park improvements.
- 2026-0494 (Foreclosure Registry Funds): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $1,338,737.21 for foreclosure intervention, blight removal, and related programs.
- 2026-0495 (Timuquan Trail - Segment C): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $1,700,000 federal grant (no city match) for trail construction, extends agreement to 6/30/27.
- 2026-0496 (Parks Invasive Species Removal): Approved 6-0. Appropriates $72,300 ($36,150 FDEP grant + $36,150 city match).
- 2026-0497 (HOPWA Grant): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $3,269,046.69 for housing assistance to low-income persons with HIV/AIDS.
- 2026-0498 (SHIP Grant): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $7,737,038.90 for affordable housing programs.
- 2026-0499 (Emergency Solutions Grant): Amended and approved 6-0. Appropriates $610,307.44 for homelessness services, with a direct contract to Changing Homelessness, Inc.
- Second Reading Bills (Items 23-31): 2026-0535 through 2026-0552 were read and referred to the full Council; public hearings set for July 28, 2026. These include infrastructure projects, art show funding, FOP Foundation audit forgiveness, CIP corrections, tax collector postage, downtown development (119 Beaver St), Sulzbacher shelter expansion, Zawyer Sports Foundation grant, and Jacksonville Riverfront Alliance funding.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the first finance committee of this council year, Tuesday, July 21st. We'll go ahead and start off with introductions, starting with Miss Norris. Brittany Norris for the administration. Colleen Hamsey, Council Research. Mary Stefopoulos, Office of General Counsel. Heather Reber, Council Auditor's Office. Philip Peterson, Council Auditor. For the first time, Rochman Johnson, District 14. And I feel like I'm at the big kids' table. Thank you. Good afternoon, Chris Miller at large group five. Will Lane and District Three. Terrence Freeman at large group one. Hi Gay District Two and for the first time. Randy White, District 12. Nick Howland at large group three, just visiting. All right, good afternoon, everyone. Excited about this year. We actually, other than myself, I think I'm the only one here today that was on finance last year, but uh pretty excited about the team we have here. We have two former council presidents, a lot of experience down here as well. Excited, I think uh this may be the first time in council history. You have a council president and a finance chair who have a uh uh uh quite a bit of experience in the corporate finance. Uh so two MBAs, what could go wrong? Um so excited about that as well. And so uh just really excited for this year. Uh, I'm sure it'll be a challenging year. Each year we always hear, oh, this is gonna be the hardest uh budget ever. That's how it usually works. The next year's budget should always be your hardest budget and making sure we're making a smart decision. So with that, I'll turn it over to our council president. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I couldn't agree more. What a um terrific and experienced group of uh council people on this committee, and I'm excited to see what you'll do this week. Uh rather, sorry, this year, um particularly in August as we go through the budget. Um to your point about two MBAs, that's probably the biggest fear of Philip and Heather because they're thinking, oh boy, they're gonna think they know what they're talking about and ask the stupidest questions, right? Um, but who knows? Um I'm just really pleased uh with this committee, and uh, I think you guys will do a fantastic job. We all know kind of the challenges that we face with the November property tax relief referendum. Um we know what it could lead to, um, and we know that we probably have to think about how to respond now to prepare in the eventuality that that referendum does pass. Um, because it won't affect this council year, but it will affect the next council year, probably to the tune of about 200 million dollars um and uh the year after that another hundred million dollars. So that's the kind of thing that when we know that's coming, um, the responsible thing to do is to start preparing now. And I know that everyone on this committee shares those thoughts. Um with that, um over to you, Mr. Chair. It's gonna be a great year. Thank you, Council President. For every good MBA out there, we need at least three or four good CPAs to help uh clean up the the aftermath of decisions we may make. So look forward to working even closer with our audit staff this year.
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