Jacksonville City Council modifies gas tax hike, sets stage for full council vote
Jacksonville council member vote to include Emerald Trail in $1 billion infrastructure program
Lexi Suda, Producer
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Councilwoman Randy DeFoor speaks at special City Council meeting discussing proposed gas tax increse to pay for infrastruction projects. (COJ.net)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Council, meeting Wednesday as a committee-of-the-whole on the proposed $1 billion gas tax increase, approved amendments to include $132 million for the Emerald Trail and to set aside $250 million in gas tax spending for direct contracting to local small, emerging or disadvantaged businesses.
Council on Wednesday did vote down an amendment that would have put the 6-cent hike in the gas tax to a voter referendum. Members then voted 13-6 to advance the bill to a full vote at a special council meeting set for next Wednesday morning, according to reporting from the Florida Times-Union�
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The Jacksonville Transportation Authority s request to use $379 million from a proposed gas tax increase for the Skyway took a $132 million hit when City Council members voted Wednesday to reduce it by that amount.
JTA did not fight the amendment by City Council member Ron Salem and council passed it on a 16-2 vote.
Salem s amendment did not specify moving the $132 million to any other projects, but City Council member Matt Carlucci has another amendment that would shift that amount of money into construction of the Emerald Trail of multi-use paths for walking and bicycling.
Council did not get to Carlucci s amendment during the Wednesday meeting and will take it up next week.
09:15 PM EST Share The Northeast Florida business group says Jacksonville City Council should pass the bill but reduce money for JTA’s Skyway upgrades to $190 million.
Plans to increase the Duval County gas tax to pay for nearly $1 billion in transportation projects gained the endorsement of the Jacksonville Civic Council on May 10, but millions in the plan to modernize the Downtown Skyway could instead go toward the creation of the Emerald Trail network of parks.
The Civic Council urged city lawmakers to pass a proposed increase and extension to Duval County’s local option gas tax to pay for nearly $1 billion in transportation projects, but reduce the amount planned to modernize the Skyway.