Jacksonville City Council committee discusses ways to spend $10 million in extra

[thelakelander]

By Christopher Hong

More than $10 million could bolster this year's bare bones spending to maintain bridges, roads and sidewalks with money the Jacksonville City Council recently learned it could use on road projects.

After months of examining accounts that pay for city improvement projects, a special council committee discovered in January there was nearly $10.7 million in state transportation funding the city never spent.

Councilwoman Lori Boyer, who chairs the committee, said the money has accumulated for years and city officials never told the Public Works Department — nor City Council members — there was additional money to spend. Boyer said that money could have helped the city do more projects and decrease the amount it had to borrow.

"Why would someone suggest we borrow new money rather than use that money?" Boyer said.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-02-11/story/jacksonville-city-council-committee-discusess-ways-spend-10-million-extra-road

[spuwho]

Put it towards the pension or fix Liberty Street.

[mbwright]

How is it they manage to keep finding money?

[edjax]

Put it towards the pension or fix Liberty Street.

I would assume basing on the fund it is coming from would prohibit it being used for the pension fund.  Not to mention it would be a waste to use it there as just a drop in that bucket and can be used to actually help in the area it was intended for in my opinion.

[downtownbrown]

how do they talk about spending found money when a downtown street just collapsed resulting in the indefinite closure of two roads and a huge parking lot?

[tufsu1]

^ note it says spend money to maintain roads, bridges, etc.  You know, like fixing Liberty Street!

Plus, as discussed numerous times, there is an argument that the bridge is not the City's responsibility.

[downtownbrown]

^ Liberty and Coastal may not be, but the parking lot sure is.

[thelakelander]

The parking lot didn't collapse and is a separate structure. Why spend $10 million on a parking lot to a closed courthouse when there are more important things also lacking funding all across the city?

[downtownbrown]

^ I assume two things: 1.) the parking lot will also be deemed to be dangerous and the city won't accept the liability of keeping it open, and 2) the entire structure will need to be demolished. 

Call me a dreamer...

[Marle Brando]

^this. Fingers x'd.