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Fernandina Lawmaker Adkins Wants Investigation Into Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund

Florida House of Representatives Website

State Rep. Janet Adkins (R-Fernandina Beach) has asked Gov. Rick Scott for an investigation of the Jacksonville Police and Fire Pension Fund.

In a letter to Scott last week, Adkins asked for a review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Chief Inspector General to see if any laws were broken in the handling of the pension fund.

"I simply believe that the public trust has been broken," said Adkins. "In order to ensure that our retired firefighters and our retired police officers and the taxpayers are protected, we need to restore that public trust."

Jacksonville has a more than $1.6 billion unfunded pension debt that threatens the city’s credit rating. Adkins says if the probe reveals loopholes in state law that have allowed the pension crisis, she’ll introduce legislation to close them.

Adkins says she has not heard back from the governor.

Peter Haden is an award-winning investigative reporter and photographer currently working with The Center for Investigative Reporting. His stories are featured in media outlets around the world including NPR, CNN en Español, ECTV Ukraine, USA Today, Qatar Gulf Times, and the Malaysia Star.