QuoteIn a rare case of public skepticism, a task force created by Sheriff Mike Williams argues Mayor Lenny Curry's highly touted pension-sales tax plan is a step in the right direction but would not provide enough money needed to support police or the larger community, according to a draft copy of the group's report.
The task force recommended Curry's plan be paired with increased property taxes, though it does not specify how much the tax rates should go up, and also called for far larger investment in law enforcement than has been discussed by elected officials in City Hall.
"The task force concluded that by almost all measures of resources availability, the canard often proffered by citizens and politicians of both parties that Jacksonville has been a city trying to get by on the cheap for a long time, was mostly true," the report says.
Curry's sales-tax plan "was mostly a step in the right direction, but [the task force] also concluded that more needed to be done especially on the millage issue."
The group also challenged the sweeping assumption that Jacksonville's large pension debt was created by lavish retirement benefits for the rank-and-file, instead asserting that it stems from a failure by the city to invest in its police.
The report paints a grim picture: Jacksonville police, some of the highest educated but lowest paid officers in major Florida cities, face unique challenges maintaining law and order in the largest city by area in the continental United States, where fiscal policy has historically prioritized rolling back the tax burden on residents. Starting salaries are abysmal next to comparable cities across the nation and in the state, and the overall police force is too low, all of which are forces that have led to increased resignations and early retirements, the task force found.
The "men and women of the JSO are caught between the fiscal contradictions of Duval County's consolidated government, while facing increasing crime rates, perpetual high violence, and loss of peer employees to other agencies," the report says. "These contradictions threaten the long-term viability and competitiveness of the agency in terms of recruitment and employee turnover, as well as morale and operational effectiveness."
Other recommendations include hiring about 400 more police, swelling the force to about 2,000; bumping the starting pay to be more competitive; and keeping "all options open" when considering any new retirement plans, including 401(k) plans or merging with the Florida Retirement System.
For nearly a year, the task force studied the resources the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will need in the future. It stems from an initiative by Williams in October to develop proposals the department can use in the areas of better engaging with the community, training officers, spending resources and improving transparency. The reports are being sent to Jacksonville University President Tim Cost, who is chairing the entire initiative. He is in the process of compiling the recommendations and, eventually, presenting them to Williams.
In total, the recommendations from the resources task force would be a heavy political lift, even for Curry, who has made law and order a top priority of his first term but has also repeatedly and categorically ruled out any property tax increases as a way to solve Jacksonville's pension or financial problems. He did so again at town hall meetings this past week.
The task force takes a more optimistic view.
"We believe that when adequately informed of these problems, Jacksonville's citizens will strongly support modest increases in property tax rates necessary to keep Jacksonville safe and competitive," the report says.
Jim Casey, who retired as the special agent in charge of the FBI's Jacksonville Division and is now vice president of asset protection for Stein Mart, chaired the task force.
Casey said the 13-member group included a good cross section of the community including business people and business owners, a pastor and members with law enforcement experience and that they "were all in agreement on the conclusions in our report and that we undertook the assignment very seriously."
As a candidate, Curry promised to hire 147 new police officers. He included money for 40 new officers and 40 community service officers in this year's budget. He has proposed including money for 40 more of each in the 2016-17 budget. Community service officers are civilians empowered to handle minor call-outs such as traffic accidents so cops can handle more serious problems.
Hiring hundreds more to meet the 400 officers recommended by the report would stretch the city's budget without any new revenue.
PENSION PLAN
Curry wants voters to approve a half-cent sales tax Aug. 30 that would not go into effect until a current sales tax that pays for infrastructure expires in 2030, meaning there would be no net change in what residents pay now. By state law, the pension sales tax could only be used to pay down the city's $2.8 billion retirement debt, which includes police and firefighters, general employees and corrections officers.
The law would also require the city to close at least one of its three pension plans to new hires.
The sales tax by itself offers no immediate financial relief in the years before it would begin in 2031.
The city also would essentially defer a big chunk of the city's pension contributions until after the sales tax begins. That would free up $40 million to $68 million per year, though that save-now-pay-later approach would also increase the city's overall cost of reducing the debt by $1.51 billion.
"We believe the modest short term revenues generated by the sales tax offsetting debt payments are still insufficient to meet the city's needs, based on the evidence," the report says.
The report echoes a refrain that has come up in civic discussions for years that Jacksonville is a low-tax city relative to many of its peers. The city's 11.44 millage rate is well below the state-allowed 20 mills.
The combined city-county property tax rates in Miami (14.229 mills), Tampa (13.2447 mills), St. Petersburg (14.6681 mills) and Tallahassee (12.5144 mills) are higher than Jacksonville's 11.44 mills, according to 2014 side-by-side numbers. Only Orlando, at 10.4595 mills, has a lower property-tax rate.
Tallahassee and Orlando also have lower overall property-tax rates than Jacksonville when counting taxes for schools and multi-county agencies like water management districts.
On a larger level, Jacksonville's tax burden — as a percentage of personal income — is below the average of cities with comparable populations and industry mixes, according to an audit of city finances Curry commissioned when he took office last year.
The overriding fiscal policy of Jacksonville elected leaders over the last two decades prioritized reducing the tax rate, though that trend has reversed some in recent years...
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-07-23/story/task-force-mayors-pension-plan-laudable-doesnt-go-far-enough-address
(http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2016-07-23/story/task-force-mayors-pension-plan-laudable-doesnt-go-far-enough-address)
Ouch...the Sheriff calling out the Mayor!
This is the first reasonable criticism, such as it is, of the sales proposal that I've seen, and it's notable in that it effectively comes to the opposite conclusion of the other criticisms. Unlike those criticisms (including from Metro Jacksonville), which argue or imply that the crisis could be solved with less revenue, e.g. a moderate millage increase or the ever popular "doing nothing", this report is saying it will take even more money to get to the level of service the sheriff would like. If this is to be believed, the Mayor's estimate of a 30% property tax increase may even be undershooting it.
It's also the first I've seen to offer real solutions, in this case a millage hike on top of the proposed sales tax. That's not going to be popular, but it's attempting to honestly depict how much a solution will cost. I don't know if I agree with the report, but that part is a refreshing change of pace in the current discourse.
Quote from: stephendare on July 26, 2016, 01:47:21 AM
Quote from: Tacachale on July 26, 2016, 01:38:01 AM
This is the first reasonable criticism, such as it is, of the sales proposal that I've seen, and it's notable in that it effectively comes to the opposite conclusion of the other criticisms. Unlike those criticisms (including from Metro Jacksonville), which argue or imply that the crisis could be solved with less revenue, e.g. a moderate millage increase or the ever popular "doing nothing", this report is saying it will take even more money to get to the level of service the sheriff would like. If this is to be believed, the Mayor's estimate of a 30% property tax increase may even be undershooting it.
It's also the first I've seen to offer real solutions, in this case a millage hike on top of the proposed sales tax. That's not going to be popular, but it's attempting to honestly depict how much a solution will cost. I don't know if I agree with the report, but that part is a refreshing change of pace in the current discourse.
meh. no one has implied less revenue would be a solution. thats an outrageously overstuffed straw man.
It's literally the position of the "Just Vote No" group, which is main opposition to the plan. I've yet to see any one else offer a viable alternative. Arash's article didn't have one, and folks here have scoffed at the notion that property taxes would have to go up 30% (or at all). So yeah, that strongly implies that this problem can be solved without revenue equivalent to the sales tax plan.
Curry's response. Apparently, the sheriff is not supporting a property tax hike on top of the sales tax proposal (which he does support).
Quote
Mayor Lenny Curry pushes back on task force report that says property tax needed for cops, community
Curry doubled down on his pension sales-tax plan, joined by Sheriff Mike Williams and Council President Lori Boyer
By Nate Monroe Mon, Jul 25, 2016 @ 11:51 am | updated Mon, Jul 25, 2016 @ 12:15 pm
A visibly angry Mayor Lenny Curry doubled down on his pension sales-tax plan and reiterated his opposition to raising property taxes during a Monday news conference, positions echoed by two other powerful City Hall elected leaders, City Council President Lori Boyer and Sheriff Mike Williams.
The trio's comments came in response to a Sunday news story that a task force created by Williams drafted a report calling Curry's pension-tax plan laudable but arguing it would not be enough to finance future needs of Jacksonville cops or the community.
Curry called news coverage about the task force "sloppy" and complained that it gave residents the impression Williams supported a property tax increase or that he is not supportive of Curry's pension plan. The mayor also said he felt the "news cycle" about the report seemed driven by an unspecified political agenda.
...
"...I had planned to refrain from commenting on draft recommendations until Chairman Tim Cost has seen and reviewed the recommendations of all four task forces, and presented a final report to me," Williams said.
"I have been made aware of the Resources Task Force recommendation to increase the millage rate, and personally I am not in favor of this option at such a fragile time in our fiscal recovery. I would like to see the mayor's pension reform pass, so we can solve our unfunded pension liability."
...
http://jacksonville.com/news/2016-07-25/story/mayor-lenny-curry-pushes-back-task-force-report-says-property-tax-needed-cops
Quote from: Tacachale on July 26, 2016, 01:38:01 AM
It's also the first I've seen to offer real solutions, in this case a millage hike on top of the proposed sales tax.
Really? I think Mike Williams just Melania'd me....
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on June 22, 2016, 10:00:02 PM
Since this mayors are so averse to 'tax increases' why not come up with a proposal that includes a modest tax increase to homeowners in the .8-1.3 mil range (~$50M). Try to pass at referendum a brand new sales tax altogether of .5% (~$60M) that is tied to the PFPPF and kick in next FY, and then add a flat fee (not a tax) to [using this as a for instance. I don't know if it's even possible] JEA services at $2.50 per month for each water and electric (~$22M). And then reinstate the mobility plan back in full force and allow it to fund the things it's designed to do. For god's sake, the national economy drives business, not whether or not local impact fees are collected.
This is a whole lot to put to people in one shot, so create a fucking plan and install it in stages and quit trying to be the mighty Casey. (Sorry, baseball again) Because as many home runs he hit, he's best known for striking out.
Quote from: tufsu1 on July 25, 2016, 10:07:37 PM
Ouch...the Sheriff calling out the Mayor!
Not really - it's the Sheriff's task force, but based on his comments it sounds like the report was leaked. Williams stated that he was in favor of the Mayor's Plan.
At least, publicly. I'm not really to put my House of Cards hat on.
Quote from: Steve on July 26, 2016, 12:34:35 PM
Quote from: tufsu1 on July 25, 2016, 10:07:37 PM
Ouch...the Sheriff calling out the Mayor!
Not really - it's the Sheriff's task force, but based on his comments it sounds like the report was leaked. Williams stated that he was in favor of the Mayor's Plan.
At least, publicly. I'm not really to put my House of Cards hat on.
Its important to get in line. Pretty sure the past few weeks have made clear that political parties in this country like to put the pressure on. Seems to me Mayor Curry has some experience with political party management.