Here's What's Expected To Pass At Jacksonville City Council Meeting

During tonight's City Hall meeting already in progress.

Here's what's expected to pass:

Slot Machines

The Jacksonville City Council is expected to allow voters to decide if they want slot machines in the city.

A bill in support of the referendum has passed unanimously in City Council committees.

Specifically, the referendum would let the people of Jacksonville decide whether Best Bet Poker Room near Regency Square Mall should get slots.

At the same time, the state Supreme Court is weighing whether to allow local governments to allow slot machines.

Here’s the bill

Economic Incentive Policy

The Council is also set to approve a new economic incentive policy for economic development assistance programs and incentives. A city committee reviewed and reworked its old policy for three years.

Among the new programs includes a disabled veterans hiring bonus.

“If anyone who goes through our other programs can document that they have hired disabled veterans they can get up to $2,000 per job that would be paid out over time,” said Kirk Wendland with the city’s Office of Economic Development.

The committee is also making it easier for developers to transform areas identified as ‘distressed,’ meaning people there are unemployed, have low incomes or both.

Developers can receive more grant dollars for putting business in those areas.

Here’s the bill.

Council Texting Policy

The Council has also finally decided what to do with its cell phone policy at meetings.

The plan is to keep its current policy, but require the council president to annually or more frequently review and revise it as needed.

A special committee was formed to review the policy after a lawsuit accused several council members with texting with a lobbyist about votes, which could amount to communicating with each other in secret.

Council’s existing policy, created by Council President Greg Anderson, discourages members from receiving or replying to texts from registered lobbyists and union members about official public business during meetings. It also requires members to disclose during meetings if they receive texts from registered lobbyists and union members.

Here’s the bill.

Photowas used under Creative Commons.