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The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's request to use $379 million from a proposed gas tax increase for the Skyway took a $132 million hit when City Council members voted Wednesday to reduce it by that amount. JTA did not fight the amendment by City Council member Ron Salem and council passed it on a 16-2 vote. Salem's amendment did not specify moving the $132 million to any other projects, but City Council member Matt Carlucci has another amendment that would shift that amount of money into construction of the Emerald Trail of multi-use paths for walking and bicycling. Council did not ...

09:38 PM EST Share City lawmakers aim for a final vote on the proposed tax increase for $1 billion in infrastructure before the end of May. City lawmakers cut $132 million from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Downtown Skyway modernization in a proposal to increase and extend Duval County local option gas tax. The Jacksonville City Council voted 16-2 on May 12 in favor of an amendment by Ron Salem to reduce money for the JTA project in Ordinance 2021-0223. The amendment was added during the Council Committee of the Whole meeting and is the first substantive change...

09:15 PM EST Share The Northeast Florida business group says Jacksonville City Council should pass the bill but reduce money for JTA’s Skyway upgrades to $190 million. Plans to increase the Duval County gas tax to pay for nearly $1 billion in transportation projects gained the endorsement of the Jacksonville Civic Council on May 10, but millions in the plan to modernize the Downtown Skyway could instead go toward the creation of the Emerald Trail network of parks. The Civic Council urged city lawmakers to pass a proposed increase and extension to Duval County’s local optio...

City Council member Matt Carlucci said Friday he favors taking $150 million from a proposed Skyway conversion project and using the money instead for adding the long-planned Emerald Trail to the list of projects that would be financed by doubling Jacksonville's local gas tax. The shift has full backing from Mayor Lenny Curry, his chief of staff Jordan Elsbury said. "From a policy perspective, the mayor has always supported funding the Emerald Trail," Elsbury said. "This is a revenue source that can cover it and the mayor is 100 percent supportive of the amendment." That amendment to...

City council floats idea of allowing voters to decide on gas tax Updated:  Tags:  City council floats idea of allowing voters to decide on gas tax JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The proposal to double the gas tax in Duval County is raising some concerns, not only with motorists but with members of the Jacksonville City Council. Now, some members want to let the public vote on the issue. Those concerns were part of the discussion Thursday during a special city council meeting. The council is being asked by Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority to raise th...