Please Note:

The Saturday, March 6, budget workshop location has been changed. It will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the atrium of City Hall at St. James Building, 117 West Duval Street.

Upcoming Dates

Sat., 3/06/10 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
CPAC District 1 Budget Workshop
City Hall at St. James Place
117 West Duval Street
Ground Floor Atrium

Thurs., 3/25/10 - 6-8 p.m.
CPAC District 5 Budget Workshop
Clanzel T. Brown Community Center
4545 Moncrief Road

Sat., 4/17/10 – 9:30-11:30 a.m.
CPAC District 3 Budget Workshop
Balis Community Center
1513 LaSalle Street

Thurs., 4/29/10 – 6-8 p.m.
CPAC District 6 Budget Workshop
Dinsmore Community Center
7126 Civic Club Drive

Message from the Mayor

Dear Friends:

With an annual budget of more than $1 billion, the City of Jacksonville is tasked with spreading taxpayers’ money over a multitude of mandated expenditures, providing basic city services for our citizens and investing in growing the city’s economy. This awesome responsibility makes the budget process a vital part of city government. However, it is multilayered and can be cumbersome to laymen and legislators alike.

How the city gets and spends its money is the concern of every taxpayer. The better informed the public is about the budget – how it is created and why money is spent in one place and not another – gives taxpayers a greater appreciation for the budgetary process as well as the fine work of its city government.

We have reorganized city government three times during my administration, and in doing so have cut in excess of $40 million in expenditures. And we continue to eliminate unnecessary costs whenever identified. While the rallying cry of “cut spending” may sound good, it’s important to remember that any cuts have consequences. By providing this Web site and subsequent budget workshops for members of our community, it is hoped that the city can garner citizen input to gauge priorities for future spending. At the same time, residents can better see and understand that the manner in which money is allocated determines the sort of city Jacksonville will become.

Jacksonville is our city. We want it to be the best it can be. Through citizen involvement, elected leaders will have a better understanding of how to prioritize spending, provide services and move the city towards a prosperous future.

Thank you for taking the time to explore this Web site and learn about the City of Jacksonville’s budget.

Sincerely,

John Peyton
Mayor