JACKSONVILLE Fla.-- Jacksonville's budget crisis solution could be in the air, in our power lines and in our ports according to City Council President, Bill Bishop. He sat down exclusively with Action News and gave us his two cents on the City's budget blunders.
"We have to take a look at how we do business in Jacksonville and what can all of the organizations do differently," said Bishop. How do we interact with each other, and are we getting the best return on our investments in the various components that we have in the city."
Bishop says it should be up to the city's independent authorities, like JEA, JIA and JAXPORT to close the economic gaps, it shouldn't be on the taxpayers.
"The independent authorities have a lot of money," he said. "How does the City maximize its ownership in these entities for the long sustainable benefit of everybody?"
JEA JIA and JAXport may be owned by the City, but they operate on their own, and according to Bishop, right now they're operating too much like private businesses.
"They don't exist simply for their own benefit, they exist for our benefit," he said. He also added that it's time for taxpayers to see a return on their investment.
Not everybody buys Bishop's solution. Other council members, including councilman Matt Schellenberg, say the excess money simply isn't there.
