City Council Finance Committee finds unused $12 million in city accounts

[Tacachale]

So while the city can't mow its own grass or fix its own potholes, it turns out they've misplaced $12 million in taxpayer dollars that's still sitting in city counts.

City Council group finds $12M in unused taxpayer dollars

By Catherine Varnum

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Millions of taxpayer dollars were found in city accounts.
The City Council group reviewing all of the capital improvement projects in the city found $12 million taxpayer dollars sitting unused.
"We've been told there isn't any money to do road projects with. Now here's $12 million," said councilwoman Lori Boyer.

She has spent months poring through city accounting reports. Each time, she said more taxpayer money starts popping up.
"It seems like there should be an easy way to get answers," said Boyer.

...

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/city-council-group-finds-12m-unused-taxpayer-dolla/njxdZ/#sthash.rFoWeU4s.dpuf

[jaxjaguar]

That should be plenty to do a study of which pot holes to fix. 

[Captain Zissou]

Thank The Lord for Lori Boyer. As for the rest of them, how can we trust anything they say in regards to finances, budgets, funding, etc.. when they lose millions of dollars? Can we please just drop half the existing council members and pay their salaries to Boyer?

[brainstormer]

Can we please fund the Laura Street Trio development? There would still be money left over to fix potholes.

[iMarvin]

How much do the developers of the Trio want again?

[tufsu1]

^ potholes aren't the problem....the issue will be City Council members that will want to spend some money on projects in their district.

That said, Steve Atkins spoke at a downtown forum tonight...he said his group and the City are close on making the numbers work so the development can move forward.

[Noone]

At the 1/27/15 noticed meeting with Lori Boyer and Don Redman on the CIP the Laura St. Trio was mentioned and there is $1,050,000 in that CIP account that can go to that project. Welcome any correction to that.

Old Buildings, New Buildings We don't care.
We are the DIA
And you will do what we say.

[coredumped]

How about a refund for the taxpayers? It's our money after all.

[downtownbrown]

In related news, the City Council finally passed the ordinance last night to fix the hole in South Liberty Street.  While it won't be fixed prior to the third anniversary of the hole creation, at least the repair is funded. 

[edjax]

How about a refund for the taxpayers? It's our money after all.

Would you like  your refund in quarters or nickels?

[urbanlibertarian]

In related news, the City Council finally passed the ordinance last night to fix the hole in South Liberty Street.  While it won't be fixed prior to the third anniversary of the hole creation, at least the repair is funded. 

Does this mean the party is canceled?  Damn.

[downtownbrown]

^ well, it means it won't be as much fun.  I think the threat of the party put us over the top.

[JaxUnicorn]

Now the question is this....what are they going to do with the funds?  And how are they going to prevent this from happening in the future?  A shame our taxpayer dollars are not handled better.

[KenFSU]

Another $13 million has been found, bringing the total to $25 million.

[fieldafm]

Now the question is this....what are they going to do with the funds? 

So the impetus to this was that over the summer it was discovered that there were several projects in the 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan found to be either underfunded, overfunded or never funded (and work actually started-with no real money in the spendable account to actually spend).. or funds that were transferred from one project to another without any clear understanding as to why. Coupled with a budget submitted by the Mayor's office which drastically increased COJ borrowing to fund CIP projects, City Council basically put a stop to all projects within the Capital Improvement Plan which hadn't already started construction. Then Lori Boyer and John Crescimbini did this thing called 'doing their job' and convened to untangle the murkey rat's nest that was COJ's budget.

Thereoritically, once all of these accounts have been completely reconciled... then City Council will have an accurate understanding of what monies are available, what monies aren't available and then fund capital improvement projects that are considered priorities and shelve others deemed not priorities.

Thank goodness for Boyer and Crescimbini!