The Jacksonville Transportation Authority Board has rejected giving $200,000 to the St. Johns River Ferry Commission.
But the board will come back next month and likely vote again on the appropriation.
The board voted 3-2 in favor of the funding but four votes were needed to pass. Board Chair Ed Burr and trustee Greg Evans were not in attendance.
Ferry Commission Chair John Crescimbeni says a month’s delay shouldn’t be a problem.
"It is kind of a last minute think for them, sounded like one of the board members only saw it yesterday." Crescimbeni said. "So if we have to wait 30 days will wait 30 days and see what happens."
He said “It is kind of a last minute thing for them sounded like one of the board members only saw it yesterday, so if we have to wait 30 days will wait 30 days and see what happens.”
Also effecting the ferry is rumors that Mayor Alvin Brown will use a line-item veto to cut the city’s funding for the ferry.
The city council placed 450-thousand dollars in the budget for operations.
Ferry supporters held a rally Thursday night at Lili’s Courtyard in Neptune Beach urging the mayor to keep the money in the budget.
Crescimbeni says he’s confident a line-item veto can be overriden by the city council. Word of any veto should come out sometime Friday.
The council has scheduled a special meeting at 2 p.m. to deal with any line-item vetoes. Unlike a regular veto it only takes a simple majority to override a budget veto.
