Local

Your tax dollars still at stake while Mayor considers elections warehouse move veto

Jacksonville’s City Council approves a move that will save tens of thousands of tax dollars every month, but the Mayor remains unconvinced it’s the best bargain for you.

Council voted Tuesday night to approve a new lease agreement for the Duval County Supervisor of Elections warehouse to move to One Imeson, a move the Supervisor supported. The warehouse is currently housed at the Gateway Mall, and the Mayor’s Office hoped to keep it at that location upon the recommendation of the Public Works Director.

The current Gateway lease costs you about $51,000 each month, and both of the leases considered by city council drastically cut that rate. Each also had different perks, for example the new Gateway owners promised one million dollars in renovations while One Imeson includes several months of free rent to start the ten-year lease.

Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Chris Hand tells WOKV Gateway is the best deal for taxpayers because savings would start immediately and no move would be required.  As such, the Mayor will take his time reviewing the council-approved lease at One Imeson to decide the next step.

“All of his options- sign, veto or let it become law- are on the table,” Hand says.

But Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland says nobody wins if the lease is vetoed.

“What it means is that the Mayor’s willing to continue paying $51,000 a month to stay at Gateway, that would be very disappointing to us as well as the taxpayers,” Holland says.

While the new lease that was proposed for Gateway would have included a much lower rent, that proposal was voted down Tuesday night when the city council voted in favor of the One Imeson lease.  That means if the Mayor were to veto the One Imeson lease, both would be out and the process of crafting a new deal would have to start all over.

City Council could override the veto with enough votes. The Mayor could also let the bill become law without signing it, or he could sign it. He has until the next council meeting in two weeks to make a decision.

mobile apps

Everything you love about wokv.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!