Overview
- Mayor Donna Deegan presented the proposed fiscal 2026–27 budget to City Council on Monday, putting the general fund at about $2,026,502,015 and the capital plan at roughly $586 million.
- Public safety takes the largest share at about $1.07 billion of the general fund with $673,613,389 for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and $400,130,519 for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
- The capital improvement plan funds major infrastructure projects including more than $31 million for road resurfacing, $12 million for sidewalks, $25 million for septic-tank phaseout and stormwater work, and $27 million for the Museum of Science and History.
- Deegan set seven citywide town halls in August and September and the proposal now moves to council auditors, Finance Committee review and public hearings ahead of a required Sept. 28 final vote for an Oct. 1 effective date.
- City leaders warn that a November constitutional amendment to expand homestead exemptions and broader state budget pressures could sharply cut property-tax revenue next year, forcing post-November reassessments, below-the-line tactics by council members, or cuts that would affect services and projects.