Mayor Floats Property Tax Increase

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The mayor is faced with a huge budget deficit, and may be looking to property owners for help.

Tuesday, Mayor John Peyton had a private meeting with civic and business leader, discussing with them the city's challenging financial outlook.

People who attended the private meeting told First Coast News that Peyton said two fire stations, ten community centers and all public service grant programs could be cut.

Peyton was not made available to reporters on Wednesday to talk about his plans to possibly hike the millage rate for the first time in 17 years.

Police union president Nelson Cuba was one of the 80 people who attended the meeting.

Cuba says the mayor talked about a $60 million shortfall and floated the idea of raising the millage rate -- property taxes -- by 14% to help fill in the gap.

An increase of 1.2 mills would increase the property tax bill on a $200,000 home by about $240 a year.

Council President Richard Clark says the climate right now would make increasing taxes very tough.

"We are going to need to see what we can and cannot live with," said Clark, moments after being sworn in as the new council president.

Clark says he plans to hold budget forums this summer to learn from taxpayers what course of action they want City Hall to take. Those public forums have not yet been scheduled.

Peyton has scheduled a news conference for Thursday morning to outline what he calls "continued community investment."

The news conference will be held at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts at 10 a.m. Thursday.

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