State mandates spending cuts at JTA

[marcuscnelson]

In the wake of coverage about high administrative costs at JTA, Governor DeSantis signed a bill today that among other reforms would cap administrative costs for transit agencies, which will likely force changes for JTA's next budget.

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/investigates/florida-gov-ron-desantis-signs-bill-into-law-that-would-curb-administrative-spending-jta/EFFFK2BSCZARFDX3CNWJX6KJ6U/

[Charles Hunter]

I still wonder if JTA will contend that some percentage of their budget is NOT transit-related - highways and bicycle/pedestrian facilities (Emerald Trail, for example)? Or, are the figures in the ActionNews story ($33 million is 37% of the budget) only related to the "transit side" of JTA?

[Jax_Developer]

JTA just got $1.5M for a TOD study to look at "essential infrastructure needs for private developers" yet with the removal of the Skyway, JTA will have zero forms of transit that can handle a TOD per federal guidelines. So maybe their study will tell them that!

So much waste, hopefully this bill can slightly change that.

[marcuscnelson]

I'm confused because JTA already received a $900,000 grant for TOD planning on the Green Line four years ago. The final reports for that study are dated last week. What did they do with that money? What would this money do that they couldn't have done before? Why are they spending $2.4 million on TOD planning for a bus that runs every half hour?

In an attempt to give the benefit of the doubt, the TOD ordinance the city passed two years ago requires an excruciating number of charettes and reports, is this study funding those?

[thelakelander]

^It's hard for me to take any type of talk about TOD seriously in Jacksonville.

We first have to invest in the T.  The Green Line is a joke. There's nothing in place that would stimulate market rate transit ORIENTED development. At best, anything built along an existing bus line in this town is transit ADJACENT development. Ross Dress For Less isn't opening up at Gateway Mall because a JTA bus stops there.

Until we have transit options and reliability that is required for true TOD, these study documents are better used as wrap for fresh fish.

[Charles Hunter]

The crime shame is that some other area that could have made productive use of the $1.5 million did not get it.

[Charles Hunter]

I still wonder if JTA will contend that some percentage of their budget is NOT transit-related - highways and bicycle/pedestrian facilities (Emerald Trail, for example)? Or, are the figures in the ActionNews story ($33 million is 37% of the budget) only related to the "transit side" of JTA?

To clarify, could JTA claim that the roughly $10 million in administrative costs above the limit in the new law, are Highway Administrative Costs, and nothing to do with transit?