JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There is new debate over whether now is the time to ask voters to pay more to help schools.
Action News Jax has been telling you for months that Duval County Public Schools wants more than a billion dollars to fix its aging schools.
The City of Jacksonville subcommittee on Public Health and Safety met virtually on Monday morning and most of the discussion centered around the half-cent sales tax and whether to add it to the November ballot.
Council member Rory Diamond asked the committee to consider putting a hold on the bill, calling it a bold and expensive plan.
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“That’s why I’ll be voting no. I would recommend school board should reduce their plan, significantly scaling down given the economic environment,” Diamond said.
Action News Jax has been following this story for months, even showing you leaks inside Duval County schools and exposed wires where students are supposed to be able to learn.
Diamond told the council he was worried this decision could lead to more unemployment in the city and a spike in crime.
Most of the other council members jumped in saying they support the half-cent sales tax.
Matt Carlucci, the vice chair, told the council he believes in the end the half-cent sale tax is going to help the economy.
“This is going to do a lot of things, including create a lot of jobs. If they people don’t want it, they’ll let us know -- but this (is) no time to time to scale back on a school system that has so many needs,” Carlucci said.
Council member Joyce Morgan told everyone in the meeting that we don't know what the new normal will look like after we get through this pandemic and that now is the time to move forward for schools in Jacksonville.
In the end they voted 6-1 to move forward with putting the tax to pay for fixing schools on the November ballot.
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