JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Local Chambers of Commerce representing the Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities in Jacksonville should now be clear to receive $80,000-worth of city funds promised back in December of last year.
“This is the first time our chamber would have even been receiving big dollars from the city,” said Kym Maye with the Jacksonville Black Chamber of Commerce.
Maye explained that after the Governor signed a new state law prohibiting local governments from funding diversity, equity and inclusion, the local chambers were told by the Office of Economic Development that those funds wouldn’t be released.
“It’s basically been rescinded because of the bill that was enacted,” said Maye.
After the chambers raised the alarm, Councilmember Raul Arias (R-District 11) sought clarity from State Senator Clay Yarborough (R-Jacksonville), who sponsored the new state law.
In a letter sent to council members, Yarbrough explained that, given the law doesn’t kick in until January of next year, no funding should be impacted until next year’s budget.
Additionally, he noted so long as the programs offered by the chambers aren’t restricted based on race, there should be no conflict.
“You have to be completely open to everybody,” said Arias.
The Mayor’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Brittany Norris explained that the mayor’s office decided to pause the funding out of an abundance of caution.
She noted state leaders have put the administration under a microscope in recent months.
“More so the public reaction by some public leaders, whether this was legal or not, how it would be framed,” said Norris.
Council members urged the mayor’s office to release the funds as soon as possible.
Some questioned why the funds hadn’t been released well before the bill was signed in April, given they had been approved five months prior.
“We’re the appropriators, they’re the implementers. We pass it, they should do it,” said Councilmember Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large).
Council members agreed that clear guidelines for organizations receiving city funds will need to be developed ahead of the next budget cycle, to ensure they understand what is and is not allowed under the new statewide DEI ban.
Maye said as far as she can tell, none of the programs offered by the Black Chamber would be prohibited under the law.
“If you look at our workforce development, if you look at our access to capital, you don’t have to be Black in order to receive that. You don’t have to be Black to come to these workshops, you don’t have to be Black to come to the meet and greet,” said Maye.
Councilmember Arias said he’s already planning to work with Senator Yarbrough to develop those guidelines.
The Mayor’s Office said with the new clarity from Yarborough and the city council, it will “continue moving forward” with distributing the city funds to the local chambers.
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