Jacksonville’s Mayor Lenny Curry signed off on next year’s city budget Wednesday after City Council unanimously passed it Monday night.
Curry held the signing at the North Florida Criminal Justice Center, where the new police officers provided for in the budget will be trained.
Before Curry signed the budget, he rode along with a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office recruit on a driving course beside the center’s building.
The road was slick from sprinklers, and the cadet demonstrated how to take control of a car hydroplaning on a wet road.
Then it was inside to finalize the city budget.
Curry says safety is a focus in his budget because that’s what Jacksonville asked for.
The spending plan includes $1.6 million toward hiring 40 police new officers and 40 Community Service Officers. More money is coming from a federal grant.
“What I heard from people and continue to hear from people is the highest concerns of Jacksonville is the safety of their people, the safety of their children and the future of their children,” Curry said.
There’s also a $3 million funding boost for the Jacksonville Journey, the initiative largely focused on programs for at-risk kids. Curry campaigned on increasing its funding.
“This is a statement to the youth in this city and to everyone in this city: that we care about children deeply and every child ought to have the exact same opportunity that my kids have," Curry said.
Sheriff Mike Williams calls the budget a great first step.
“And it really truly does take a comprehensive plan that includes prevention, intervention and enforcement to really fight crime long term,” he said.
And City Council President Greg Anderson says he’s proud of more dollars' going toward infrastructure, library hours and police and fire pension debt.
