The City Council on Tuesday gave voters a significant voice in any future sale of JEA, a concept that won overwhelming support in a nonbinding election earlier this month following a contentious debate about whether the city should sell the utility.
Our Florida Times-Union news partner reports the council unanimously approved a bill that requires any sale of more than 10 percent of the city-owned electric and water utility to be approved by Duval County voters.
The bill’s passage comes less than a month after voters overwhelmingly demanded the same guaranteed voice in a nonbinding referendum in this November’s election.
Related: JEA Board Votes Unanimously To Make Zahn Next CEO
The bill, which won unanimous approval during two committee hearings last week, passed without any debate or pushback.
Council members John Crescimbeni and Garrett Dennis filed the legislation in February after a consultant hired by JEA speculated that it could be time to sell the publicly-owned utility — and as a result, set off a political firestorm.
A longer version of this story is available on jacksonville.com.
