JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Councilmember, Matt Carlucci, says he plans to introduce an amendment Wednesday which would redirect $150 million in proposed gas tax funding from the Skyway conversion project, to be used instead on the development of the Emerald Trail.
The current ‘Jobs for Jax’ proposal, a pitch for the increase of the gas tax to raise money for Jacksonville infrastructure projects, would allocate about $379 million for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA)’s Skyway conversion.
Under Carlucci’s amendment, the Skyway project would instead receive about $229 million in gas tax funding.
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“The Emerald Trail can be transformational for Jacksonville. And this still leaves everything else intact to take care of the old promises of consolidation,” said Carlucci.
Mayor Lenny Curry’s Chief of Staff, Jordan Elsbury, says Carlucci’s amendment has the support of Jacksonville’s mayor.
“From a policy perspective, the mayor has always supported funding the Emerald Trail,” said Elsbury. “This is a revenue source that can cover it and the mayor is 100 percent supportive of the amendment.”
JTA spokesperson David Cawton says JTA will continue working with the mayor and city council as the process moves forward.
“The JTA has been and will continue to be committed partners with the Mayor’s Office and City Council,” said Cawton.
“We have worked with legal over the past several weeks regarding the eligibility of [Local Option Gas Tax] funds for the Emerald Trail. From what we are hearing that opinion has been made in favor. We have been at the table regarding this very project in seeking redirection of federal dollars secured by the JTA to go towards the Emerald Trail, as well as utilizing JTA real estate along the trail. We will continue to work with City Council through this process.”
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