As Jacksonville grapples with the prospect of a property tax rate reduction, the city’s first responders, represented by their unions, are locking horns with city officials over the potential implications for public safety. The Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters Local 122 and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5-30, which together represent a force of nearly 4,300, have publicly opposed a proposed 1/8 millage rate reduction. In a statement obtained by News4Jax, the unions conveyed concerns this move could negatively impact the city’s ability to sustain public safety efforts and foster retention of their personnel.
The police and fire unions’ fight is not without context. They emphasize a history of financial challenges, including stagnant wages and diminished pensions, all in the service of balancing past city budgets. According to a Jacksonville Today report, union leaders Kelly Dobson and Randy Reeves warned that such reductions will “severely damage the ability of our city to pay for needed public safety issues in years ahead.” Their advocacy comes at a crucial juncture as the city’s Finance Committee has voted to also cut close to $27 million from other components of the budget, including social initiatives.
Council Vice President Nick Howland, however, stands firmly on the other side of this debate, arguing in favor of taxpayer relief. He told Jacksonville Today, “if you don’t think every dollar matters, then you’re out of touch with families that know every dollar matters.” Howland believes that public safety wouldn’t suffer from the millage cut, asserting that the city’s nonprofit expenditure could be addressed before any impact on essential services would be considered…