The Jacksonville City Council on May 19 earmarked $132 million for the 30-mile Emerald Trail network in a bill that would increase Duval County’s local option gasoline tax.
The Council’s 13-6 vote moves the legislation from the Committee of the Whole, setting up a final vote at a special meeting May 26 on Mayor Lenny Curry’s proposal to increase Duval County’s gas tax from 6 cents to 12 cents per gallon to pay for nearly $1 billion in infrastructure projects.
Council member Matt Carlucci, who proposed the amendment to fund the Emerald Trail, said the $132 million would be enough to complete the park project that would connect neighborhoods throughout the county to the urban core.
City and Downtown Investment Authority officials can spend $32.9 million to buy three parking garages owned and operated by Metropolitan Parking Solutions should the 4th Judicial Circuit Court find the company in default of its 2004 city contract.
The Jacksonville City Council approved Ordinance 2021-0179 on April 27 to authorize short-term or fixed-rate debt funding and to allow the DIA to exercise its contract option to buy the MPS parking garages at the Duval County Courthouse and VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
The vote was 18-0.
The 17-year-old redevelopment agreement has cost the city millions.
When the garages were built, the city agreed to make the payments in the form of development loans to cover MPS operating losses and to ensure a 6.75% annual return on the company’s $3 million required investment.
$930 million Jacksonville gas-tax plan set for May city council vote jacksonville.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jacksonville.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
02:17 PM EST Share The 6-cent increase at the pump would fund nearly $1 billion in city and JTA infrastructure projects, including $372 million for the Downtown Skyway.
Mayor Lenny Curry filed legislation with City Council to partner with the Jacksonville Transportation Authority to extend and double Duval County’s local option gas tax to pay for nearly $1 billion in infrastructure projects.
During a Council workshop April 21, President Tommy Hazouri said he and the Curry administration will file a bill concurrently that would use money freed by added gas tax revenue to spend about $100 million over two years to remove aging septic tanks and connect underserved neighborhoods to city sewers.