Jacksonville council adopts 2025–26 budget after hours of debate over 'Diamond' policy amendment

The Jacksonville City Council adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget early Wednesday after a marathon meeting punctuated by repeated roll calls and heated debate over a floor amendment introduced by Councilman Diamond.

The council approved the main budget ordinance (file number 2025-0504) by voice and recorded ballot after the substitute as amended carried 15 in favor, 2 opposed and 2 abstentions. The two abstentions were recorded as members with conflicts earlier identified by the Office of General Counsel (OGC).

The central controversy of the night was the so-called Diamond amendment, a floor amendment that would have inserted three policy restrictions into the budget related to diversity-equity-inclusion (DEI) practices, abortion and immigration. Councilman Diamond repeatedly defended the amendment, saying he “support[ed] all of them all day long,” and pushed to have it included in the substitute budget. Opponents said the amendment was improper policy language for an appropriations bill and that it risked derailing adoption of the budget.

OGC advised the council…