Council moves Mayor’s new health initiatives below the line for later review

Jacksonville City Council’s finance committee on Aug. 8 voted to move roughly $1.2 million in proposed mayoral health grants and contributions to the “below the line” category for further review and a scheduled return to committee.

Councilmember Antonio Arias moved to place $1,205,535 in the mayor’s proposed grants, aid and contributions for health‑related initiatives "below the line," meaning the programs remain in the proposed budget but will not be funded in the primary package until the committee reviews duplication and coordination with existing public health providers. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Committee members and health officials said the decision was driven by concerns about overlapping services. During the hearing representatives from the Duval County Health Department told the committee they already operate many of the programs the mayor’s office proposed to fund, including infectious disease, maternal and infant health and telehealth initiatives. Kizzy Jones, assistant director at the Florida Department of Health in Duval County, told the committee her agency already provides certain sexually transmitted infection services and other programs to the community.

Councilmembers said they wanted the mayor’s team and the county health department to explain program differences and possible duplication before the committee committed city general fund dollars. Councilmember Arias said the committee will revisit the items at the final wrap‑up hearing on Aug. 22 and asked the health department and mayoral staff to prepare documentation showing which programs are duplicate, and where investments in the mayor’s proposals are unique and necessary.

The grants moved below the line include mayoral transition task force recommendations that would have funded a capital stack for affordable housing and a package of health programs administered by outside providers. The committee’s motion covered the specific "grants, aids and contributions" line items of about $1.205 million and left other non‑health items in the mayor’s proposed budget intact.

Kim Taylor, the council auditor, said moving the grants “below the line” preserves the committee’s ability to consider the items after receiving the requested clarifications. Arias and other council members said they were not rejecting health investment generally, only asking for a clearer accounting of who does what and how city dollars would leverage state, federal and nonprofit resources.

Decision: Motion to move mayoral health grants and contributions totaling $1,205,535 to below‑the‑line review passed by voice vote. The committee scheduled the items for return on the Aug. 22 wrap‑up date to review comparative program information and coordination plans from administration and the Duval County Health Department.