Jacksonville council narrowly adopts tentative budget, keeps millage rates after marathon debate

The Jacksonville City Council adopted a tentative fiscal 2025–26 budget and kept the mayor’s proposed millage rates on Sept. 9 after an extended meeting that included public hearings, repeated procedural votes and a late-night hand vote.

Council approved the mayor’s proposed tentative millage for the general-services district — 11.3169 mills — after repeated votes and a brief reconsideration (final recorded vote on the millage proposition: 10 yeas, 8 nays). Council also approved the separate tentative millage levies for urban-service districts: 8.0262 mills (vote recorded 12 yays, 5 nays) and 9.526 mills (vote recorded 13 yays, 5 nays). After floor amendments and a finance substitute, council approved the finance substitute for the budget and motioned to recommend approval of the tentative budget (final recorded vote on the budget substitute: 14 ayes, 2 nays, 2 abstentions).

Why it matters: The council’s actions set the tentative revenue and spending plan that will be refined before final adoption. The tentative millage rate determines how much property tax revenue the city will budget for the coming year; even a small rollback would have reduced revenue by millions and required offsetting cuts or use of reserves. Council members and hundreds of residents who spoke at public hearings framed the debate as a choice between modest tax relief for homeowners and preserving funding for services such as affordable housing, Meals on Wheels, homeless services and public safety.

Most important votes and actions - Ordinance 2025-0501 (tentative millage, general services district, 11.3169 mills): approved (vote recorded 10 yeas, 8 nays). The council secretary read the statutorily-required millage statement (Florida Statute §200.065) prior to the hearing. The vote followed extended public comment and a motion to reconsider earlier action on the matter. - Ordinance 2025-0502 (tentative millage, urban service districts 2–4, 8.0262 mills): approved (vote recorded 12 yays, 5 nays). - Ordinance 2025-0503 (tentative millage, urban service district 5, 9.526 mills): approved (vote recorded 13 yays, 5 nays). - Ordinance 2025-0504 (tentative consolidated budget substitute from Finance Committee, as amended): council approved the Finance substitute and related technical amendments; later the council voted to recommend approval of the tentative budget as substituted and twice amended (final recorded vote:…