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Jacksonville, Florida

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Budget Y
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Meetings Y
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Elected Officials Y
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Administrative Officials Y
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Permits, zoning Y
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Audits Y
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Contracts P
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Lobbying P
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Public records Y
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Local taxes Y
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School district websites
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Transparency grading process

Contents

Jacksonville is a city in Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County. With a 2010 population of 821,784, Jacksonville has more residents within its city limits than any other city in Florida and is the twelfth most populous city in the United States.

In 1968, the county government of Duval County and the city government of Jacksonville consolidated so that the the Mayor of Jacksonville and the City Council of the City of Jacksonville govern throughout the county. This means that voters who live outside the Jacksonville city limits vote in elections for these positions -- and can even run for office.[1]

[edit] Website Transparency

Last rated on Jan. 23, 2012

[edit] The good

  • Council members are listed with contact information.[2]
  • Meeting schedule, videos[3], agendas, and minutes are available.[4]
  • Current and past budgets are published. Budget development process information is also available.[5]
  • Administrative officials are listed with contact information in a searchable directory.[6]
  • Building permit information/forms provided[7], as well as zoning information.[8]
  • Annual financial audits are published.[9]
  • Tax rates and a tax estimator are provided.[10]
  • Provides information on how to make public record requests.[11]
  • The Tax Collector's webpage includes information regarding property taxes, local business taxes, and miscellaneous licenses, taxes and fees. Tax bills can also be viewed and printed and important tax dates are listed. Tax collector data files are available for download, including a Local Business Tax Receipt Master File. Annual Tax Reports from 2007 and 2009 are also posted.[12]
  • The website includes a Sunshine Compliance list, documenting required public disclosure issues and items.[13]
  • The Grants Management Office lists grant opportunities for the City of Jacksonville, events and deadlines, and state, federal and private granting organizations.[14]
  • The city's Public Service Grant Program opportunities and contracts are posted.[15]
  • Public notices for contractual/supplies bids are posted[16]

[edit] The bad

  • Awarded bids and projects are listed but actual contracts are not online.[17]
  • Information regarding city spending, such as grants awarded from the city’s Cultural Service Grant Program and a proposed study on minority and women-owned businesses, is not disclosed on the city website.[18][19]
  • Includes some information on lobbying[20], but nothing on taxpayer-funded lobbying

[edit] Elected Officials

Jacksonville uses the Mayor-Council form of city government, also called the Strong Mayor form, in which a mayor serves as the city's Chief Executive and Administrative officer. The current mayor is Alvin Brown, the city's first African-American mayor who defeated establishment Republican Michael Hogan in a May 2011 political upset. At issue for voters were the 23 percent African-American male graduation rate and the high number of minority incarcerations for minor offenses. Mayor-Elect Brown succeeds current Mayor John Peyton on July 1.[21] [22]

The City Council is Jacksonville's legislative body. It is comprised of 19 Council Members elected to four-year terms and serve part-time as legislators. The city is divided into 14 single-member districts of nearly equal population. The remaining five Council Members are elected to represent At-Large. Council Members can serve no more than two consecutive terms. The Council appoints a president and vice-president every May to serve one-year terms beginning July 1. The current Council President is Stephen C. Joost.[23] [24]

Current City Council Members, as of July 1, 2011:[25]

Member Representation District
Clay Yarborough District 1 District
William Bishop District 2 District
Richard Clark District 3 District
Don Redman District 4 District
Lory N. Boyer District 5 District
Matt Schellenberg District 6 District
Dr. John Gaffney District 7 District
E. Denise Lee District 8 District
Warren A. Jones District 9 District
Reginald L. Brown District 10 District
Ray Holt District 11 District
Doyle Carter District 12 District
Bill Gulliford District 13 District
Jim Love District 14 District
Kimberly Daniels Group 1 At-Large
John R. Crescimbeni Group 3 At-Large
Stephen C. Joost Group 3 At-Large
Greg Anderson Group 4 At-Large
Robin Lumb Group 5 At-Large

According to the budget proposal for fiscal year 2010-11, Council members earn $46,575 annually; the mayor earns the top salary: $180,028.89.[26]

[edit] City Spending

Greater Jacksonville's Cultural Council recently distributed $2.6 million in annual grants from the city’s Cultural Service Grant Program to 24 local cultural organizations. The organizations had to apply for the funds and undergo a review process to receive the grants.[19]

Jacksonville City is undertaking a study on whether minority- and women-owned businesses are receiving fair consideration for government contracts. Councilwoman E. Denise Lee's actions at a recent meeting evaluating applicants for the study indicate her preference for D. Wilson Consulting Group, which has bid at almost $1 million more than the lowest-cost proposal.[18]

Mayor-elect Alvin Brown has made it clear that budget cuts will be included in the budget he presents to City Council on July 14, 2011. Previous 3 percent cuts over the past few years have allegedly compromised departments' ability to function, and Chief Finance Officer Mickey Miller is considering whether to eliminate some departments entirely. Current projects foresee a $66 million deficit for fiscal year 2012.[27]

Outgoing Mayor John Peyton has announced deals between the mayor's office and police and fire employees. The deals were part of a two-year effort to reform Jacksonville's long-term spending practices. Supporters of the two pension reform bills that will now come before the Council in late June claim that $1 billion will be saved over the next thirty-five years. However, the Council auditor's office reports that the administration has not provided them with the information necessary to confirm the estimated savings.[28]

[edit] Employee Salaries

In early 2012, Jacksonville's The Florida Times-Union requested public salary data from more than 90 North Florida government agencies for 2010-11.[29] Below are Jacksonville city employees who made more than $150,000 in 2010:[30]

Name Year Employer Base Pay Total Pay
Rao, Valerie 2010 Jacksonville, City of $190,172.64 $190,172.64
Giles, Jesse 2010 Jacksonville, City of $179,556.39 $179,556.39
Rohan, Steven 2010 Jacksonville, City of $177,429.00 $177,429.00
Sherman, Kirk 2010 Jacksonville, City of $176,400.00 $176,400.00
Chastain, Karen 2010 Jacksonville, City of $165,237.76 $165,237.76
Maltz, Howard 2010 Jacksonville, City of $160,837.64 $160,837.64
Belton, Clarence 2010 Jacksonville, City of $156,999.96 $156,999.96
Miller, George 2010 Jacksonville, City of $156,710.28 $156,710.28
Barton, Ronald 2010 Jacksonville, City of $152,070.32 $152,070.32
Nicolaescu, Aurelian 2010 Jacksonville, City of $151,533.91 $151,533.91

[edit] Lobbying

Main articles: Florida taxpayer-funded lobbying and Florida League of Cities.

Jacksonville has reported $2,550,000 spent on lobbying since 2000 (see table).

Reported lobbying expenditures, 2000-2010 [31]
Year Amount spent on lobbying
2010 $210,000
2009 $400,000
2008 $360,000
2007 $360,000
2006 $200,000
2005 $260,000
2004 $400,000
2003 $280,000
2002 $260,000
2001 $120,000
2000 $120,000

Jacksonville pays membership dues[32] to the Florida League of Cities, a taxpayer-funded lobbying association.

[edit] Public employee salaries

Main article: Jacksonville employee salaries


[edit] External links

[edit] References

http://sunshinestandard.org
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