As Jacksonville heads into its annual budget negotiations, tensions are escalating between Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration and the City Council’s Special Committee on Duval DOGE—a task force charged with rooting out inefficiencies and redirecting unspent city funds.

Both sides claim to be champions of fiscal responsibility, but their public messaging increasingly talks past each other. Meanwhile, the stakes continue to rise. The city’s general fund has grown by more than $330 million since 2022, and looming capital costs—including a replacement for the Prime Osborn Convention Center and the city jail—could push Jacksonville into deep fiscal waters. Without a more cooperative approach, political friction at the top may leave taxpayers paying the price.

$17 Million Uncovered, But No Unity

Led by Councilman Ron Salem, the Duval DOGE committee recently identified a significant finding: $17.25 million in unspent funds tied to 36 completed capital projects. In total, the committee is reviewing over $100 million in idle or stagnant funds from more than 170 projects—some untouched for years.

“This is a clear example of what happens when we take a closer look at how our tax dollars are being managed,” Salem said. “We’re not looking to whack departments—we’re looking for surgical savings.”

But instead of acknowledging the committee’s findings as a win for good governance, Mayor Deegan’s response was dismissive. Referring to the group’s work with a sarcastic “welcome to the party,” her office claimed these savings were already being addressed through her administration’s Lean 904 program, launched in June 2024. The mayor’s spokesman went further, deriding Councilman Terrance Freeman’s proposal to involve Governor DeSantis’s state DOGE task force as redundant, saying Freeman “missed the memo” and that the move would be a “waste of taxpayer resources.”

A Mayor Straying from Her Political Roots

Although Mayor Deegan ran as a Democratic reformer, her approach to downtown development has aligned her more closely with developers than with watchdogs or traditional Democratic constituencies. Much of her political capital has gone toward promoting public-private partnerships underwritten by taxpayer-funded incentives from the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA). These deals, while framed as economic wins, are projected to contribute to annual budget deficits of $50 million to $100 million well beyond her term in office.

One of the most significant examples is the proposed University of Florida graduate campus. The city is donating the Prime Osborn Convention Center as the project’s anchor site—an action that will trigger the need for both a new convention center and a new jail, with a combined estimated cost of over $2 billion. Despite the massive price tag, there has been little public discussion or transparency around how the city will pay for these commitments.

While the mayor continues to tout infrastructure investments and downtown revitalization efforts, she rarely credits the Republican-led administrations that initiated many of these projects. Worse still, some land swaps and incentive packages have faced criticism for potential behind-the-scenes developer involvement—raising questions about how negotiations were conducted and who truly benefits.

The Council’s Oversight Role Should Be Respected

Mayor Deegan’s dismissive tone toward the Duval DOGE committee overlooks a basic tenet of city governance: Jacksonville’s 19-member City Council is not a subordinate entity. It is a co-equal branch of government with oversight responsibilities enshrined in the city charter.

When Councilmember Salem and his committee investigate budget inefficiencies, examine unspent funds, or question long-dormant capital projects, they are not being adversarial—they are fulfilling their mandate. Dismissing their oversight as partisan or redundant only undermines the necessary checks and balances that keep government accountable.

And let’s be clear: if multiple investigations arrive at similar findings, that’s not duplication—it’s confirmation.

The Clock Is Ticking on Big Fiscal Choices

With the city’s tax base growth slowing to 6.6%—a return to normal after two years of double-digit expansion—Jacksonville is rapidly approaching a crossroads. The real estate market has cooled, and future revenues are unlikely to keep pace with the city's growing spending obligations.

That’s why it’s time for both the mayor and City Council to stop trading political barbs and start engaging in honest, forward-looking budget planning. If the city is going to pursue multibillion-dollar capital projects, it must first conduct a rigorous examination of its current obligations and long-term liabilities.

That starts with transparency, mutual respect between governing bodies, and a willingness to put politics aside in favor of meaningful financial stewardship.

Otherwise, Jacksonville’s residents won’t just be spectators in a political drama—they’ll be the ones stuck with the bill.