At last week’s Commission meeting, Mayor Ford suggested setting aside $500,000 from next year’s proposed budget to hedge against potential revenue loss if Florida Amendment 3 passes on November 3rd. While forward planning is essential, reserving funds already allocated in the proposed budget could cause unnecessary delays or cuts to city services, projects, maintenance, and other community priorities.
Alternatively, the City could complete the proposed sale of the Dollar General Market property and place the estimated $875,000 in proceeds into a designated, interest-bearing reserve fund. These funds would remain untouched until at least November 2027—and only be drawn upon if Amendment 3 passes.
Commissioner Jessica Ring noted a similar concept recently, suggesting the sale proceeds could reduce existing debt: “If we sell that lot, we could pay back the debt to the Selva Preserve... It is a win-win.”
If Amendment 3 fails, the reserved proceeds could instead be applied directly toward paying off the Selva Preserve loan. This strategy allows Atlantic Beach to cushion against a potential revenue shortfall while maintaining planned city services and projects uninterrupted during the 2026–2027 budget year. Additionally, completing this sale supports grocery access for Jacksonville residents in Mayport Village and citizens along the North Mayport Road corridor.
Susanne Barker John Flynn Atlantic Beach Preservation
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Duval County Public Schools, the district-run schools, are in competition with charter schools and voucher-funded private schools for funding and for students.
In 1976, construction began on the newest sub-division in Jacksonville Beach. With street names like "America Avenue" and "Declaration Drive," the neighborhood was called "
It seems Florida will eliminate property tax. This is an effort for Florida to become an even more tax-friendly state.
This will reduce local funding considerably. It would seem
Most residents probably assume that the Jacksonville Beach City Council approves the people who hold the most powerful positions in local government. In many cases, that assumption would be wrong.
