The city will launch a monthlong public information campaign in October explaining how property taxes fund municipal services, timed to run ahead of the November vote on Amendment 3, the statewide measure affecting the homestead exemption. Communications Manager Jacob Board presented the plan, titled "The Value of Your City," to the City Council during a Sept. 14 briefing.
According to a campaign overview handout distributed to council, the effort is designed to be "educational, direct, and highly local," explaining the value of city services "without telling residents how to vote or what conclusion to reach about property-tax policy," while still laying out "explicitly, factually, and boldly" how efficiently the city uses tax revenue.
The handout instructs staff to use precise language, for example, writing that "property-tax revenue helps support" a service rather than suggesting any single revenue source pays for an entire program.
City staff and subject-matter experts will serve as the primary voices, and any content touching a ballot measure or election issue will be reviewed by the city attorney before publication.
Each week will center on a themed episode of the city's "Take 2 Tuesdays" video series, supported by short videos, infographics and "myth-and-fact" posts built around themes such as public safety, infrastructure, maintenance and parks.
Staff outlined six potential episode topics: a simple dollar breakdown showing Jacksonville Beach receives only a portion of each resident's property-tax payment; a look at city employees maintaining public spaces and infrastructure; a spotlight on dune walkovers, sidewalks and stormwater systems; a behind-the-scenes look at police, fire and ocean rescue; a fuller picture of Parks and Recreation beyond playgrounds; and a piece connecting everyday resident experiences to the city operations funding them.
A dedicated webpage will serve as the campaign's "source of truth," with readable explanations of how property taxes work, verified financial graphics from the city budget, service examples and a frequently asked questions section.
During the briefing, Board said the heavier push would begin around Sept. 29, citing election-calendar deadlines.
Mail-in ballots for overseas voters will be mailed Sept. 19, and those for domestic voters go out Sept. 24. In-person early voting starts Oct. 20.
The council also discussed whether to hold a town hall meeting on Amendment 3 before the Nov. 3 election. Beaches Watch has planned a forum on Oct. 7 about the implications for city and county budgets if Amendment 3 passes.
City Manager Mike Staffopoulos was candid about his doubts about a standalone town hall, given the short runway before the election and likely overlap with residents already on the Beaches Watch list. Council agreed to gauge turnout at the Oct. 7 meeting before deciding on a separate event.
